Starlink UAE has a licence and a price list, but not every address can order. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) granted Starlink a 10-year licence on 28 August 2026, and Gulf News reported on 31 August that Dubai and Abu Dhabi were at capacity, with a waitlist.
On 20 October 2026 we read the TDRA press release and The National’s report of 31 August. We did not order a kit, and Starlink’s own UAE page would not load for us. This is general information, not buying advice.
| Point in time | Monthly price | Standard kit | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026, when the website opened for orders | From AED 230 | AED 1,545 including shipping | The National, 23 March |
| Late August 2026, after the licence | Residential from AED 300; Residential Lite AED 230 | AED 1,465 | Gulf News and The National, 31 August |
| Roaming tiers, late August 2026 | AED 190 for 100GB; AED 370 unlimited | Same kit | Gulf News, 31 August |
Starlink UAE: what the TDRA licence covers
The licensee is Starlink Satellite Communications LLC, and the TDRA calls the document a 10-year General Space Services License. It lets the company run a public satellite network and offer broadband satellite internet in the UAE.
The licence covers individuals, businesses and government entities, plus satellite connectivity for the maritime and aviation sectors. Services must follow UAE rules on information security, service quality and continuity, consumer rights and data privacy, and spectrum use.
TDRA director general Majed Sultan Al Mesmar called it “a significant addition to the UAE’s telecommunications sector”. The National added that the licence does not automatically let Starlink sell mobile subscriptions, so it is a broadband service, not a third mobile operator. The same regulator announced the September 2025 chat switch-off on Roblox, which our Roblox status guide sets out.
What Starlink UAE costs
Gulf News listed the advertised late-August prices. Residential starts at AED 300 a month with a 30-day trial, Residential Lite is AED 230, and the standard kit with a Wi-Fi 6 router is AED 1,465.
Gulf News estimated the first-year cost at AED 5,065, which is the kit plus 12 months at AED 300, before installation or add-ons. That matches our own sum. The same report said a waitlist deposit of AED 285.71 is credited toward the kit.
For comparison, The National gave e& Home Wireless at about AED 229 before VAT and du Home Wireless at about AED 299. We found no statement on VAT for Starlink’s prices, so treat each figure as advertised, not as a final bill.
Where Starlink UAE is at capacity
Starlink’s UAE site said the service was “currently at capacity” in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to The National. Gulf News reported that most addresses there could only join a waitlist, with no confirmed activation date.
Availability is set by exact address, not by emirate or postcode, so a flat in one tower can differ from the next. Gulf News also advised ordering only through the official Starlink page, and noted that kits bought abroad or through unofficial channels should not be assumed authorised for activation here.
The same report said apartment residents may need landlord or building approval before mounting a dish, and that the dish needs a clear view of the sky.
March or August: when it launched
Two dates circulate, and both are real. The National reported on 18 and 23 March 2026 that Starlink had launched, because its website showed availability and took orders. The formal licence came on 28 August, and The National’s August report treats that as the regulatory step.
The prices moved in between. The National’s March report gave AED 230 a month and a AED 1,545 kit including shipping, and an expert quoted in August recalled the same figures. By late August the headline residential price was AED 300 and the kit AED 1,465, with AED 230 now the Lite tier.
That is one reason older articles and new ones disagree. A key-points box in the March report even printed the kit price as “$62.60”, which is the monthly price in dollars, while the body reported AED 1,545.
What we could not confirm
Several points stay open after our reading, because Starlink’s UAE page would not load for us, and we ordered nothing at all.
- The current price and capacity on Starlink’s own page.
- Whether capacity has opened in Dubai or Abu Dhabi since early September.
- Roaming terms inside the UAE; Starlink said “in motion on land” use is restricted.
- Whether e& or du will resell Starlink; we found no statement.
- Whether the advertised prices include VAT.
Quick answers on Starlink in the UAE
Is Starlink legal in the UAE?
Yes for the licensed services. The TDRA granted a 10-year General Space Services License on 28 August 2026, covering consumers, businesses, government, maritime and aviation.
How much does Starlink cost in the UAE?
Gulf News reported AED 300 a month for Residential, AED 230 for Lite and AED 1,465 for the kit in late August 2026. Check Starlink’s page for today’s figures.
Can you order Starlink in Dubai?
Only onto a waitlist, as of the late-August reports. Dubai and Abu Dhabi were at capacity, and availability depends on your exact address.
Does Starlink replace a du or e& plan?
Not by licence. The National said Starlink does not automatically sell mobile subscriptions, and called it more likely a specialist add-on to a telecom contract.
We read these reports on 20 October 2026 and will update the table if Starlink or the TDRA changes the terms.
