Starlink has announced its latest expansion, this time to the 300+ island chain of Fiji. With the expansion, Fiji becomes the 99th country to gain access to Starlink services, following Indonesia, which saw Starlink service launch this past weekend.
Starlink is now available in Fiji! 🇫🇯 https://t.co/MLa6ktFVqn
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2024
Fiji granted Starlink a licence in November 2023 to assist with national priorities around connectivity. The Fijian government sees Starlink as an asset. It can provide connectivity during natural disasters and internet access to hundreds of maritime communities without massive upfront capital costs associated with 4G or fibre.
Starlink will cost $99 per month, with an installation cost of $499. Users will also need to buy the Starlink terminal, which will cost $799.
In terms of monthly costs, Starlink is competitive but does have the benefit of having better availability. Vodafone, for instance, offers a few different 4G plans, including a 1.5 TB data plan for $100. At the same time, Telecom Fiji offers a variety of plans, with their top plan costing $209.95 per month plus an installation fee for unlimited fibre.