How To Transfer Your Starlink Kit To Zimbabwe

I’m sure you’ve all heard or read the good news, Starlink is coming to Zimbabwe early September 2024. I’ll give you a minute to celebrate and jump for joy, as we’re all kinda excited after the way we have been oppressed by local internet service providers, one would think Robert Mugabe just handed in his resignation once again.

There may have been some of you who couldn’t put up with the abusive treatment local service providers gave and you couldn’t wait for this day when Starlink would go live in Zimbabwe and jumped the gun, went and acquired a Starlink from another country then started using it in Zimbabwe whilst roaming from another country.

Well pretty soon you’ll be able to make your bromance official, with Starlink getting licensed in Zimbabwe you’ll now be able to openly install your Starlink kit on your roof, no more need for any workarounds.

Having a ‘foreign’ registered Starlink will present you with some challenges and in this article I seek to not only present to you the potential headaches that lay ahead, but also how to remedy this pain and get your device transferred to Zimbabwe. If you’re one of the many who have set up your Starlink account in a foreign country but are now looking to transfer it to Zimbabwe, this guide will walk you through the process and explain why making this switch could be beneficial.

WARNING: Before going through the transfer process please realise the following:

• Check the availability in your area of service. Go to Starlink.com, log out of all accounts, on the home page put the address of where you want service and check if Starlink are available in your area. If they are, happy days, if they are not, then note that while you will be transferring from a different country to Zimbabwe, you will still remain on the Regional Roaming package of US$100 in order to access services
• You will lose any active subscription that you have
• This is best done a day before your subscription expires, or after you have Paused your device

Why Transfer Your Starlink Account to Zimbabwe?

First, technically, Starlink does not allow you to just change the address in your account from a Zambian address to a Zimbabwean address. When changing countries, you have to transfer the device, and not just change its address. I’ll dedicate some time soon to write about the difference between Residential and Regional Roaming packages.

Before we dive into the process of transferring your account, it’s important to understand why this might be a good move. Here are some of the main reasons:

1. Subscription Costs

If you purchased your Starlink kit in a neighbouring country, you most probably are on the Mobile Regional package, which costs around US$100 per month. By transferring your account to Zimbabwe, you could switch to a local package, which will be more cost-effective and tailored to your specific needs. Estimates for now are looking like Zimbabwe will have a monthly subscription of around US$50 for the Residential package. If you will be using your device at a fixed location and not moving around with it, you’d want to consider changing your account to Zimbabwe for this reason alone.

2. Warranty and Support

We’re not used to this, but allow me to blow your mind…. Starlink has a robust warranty policy, whereby if just about anything happens to your Starlink equipment, they will replace it not only free of charge, but no questions asked!

However, Starlink’s warranty and support services are typically tied to the country where the device was purchased. This means that if you encounter any issues with your equipment, you would need to return it to the country of purchase for repairs or exchanges. By transferring your account to Zimbabwe, you can streamline this process and avoid the hassle of cross-border logistics.

3. Payment Gateways

Zimbabwean Starlink users who have been paying their own subscriptions have come to know a company called DPO. They don’t have a presence here, if they do, they’re not that big, probably why I might not know them operating here. They’ve come up with solutions to help users in Malawi and Zambia to make online payments and so they familiarise themselves with conditions in those respective markets.

Because they don’t operate here, they’re not looking to add Ecocash, Innbucks or O’mari as a payment option, whereas those are our most convenient solutions. Maybe an opportunity for PayNow?

We’re yet to see it, but Starlink definitely want to be as convenient as possible in the markets that they operate in, having connected M-Pesa in Kenya earlier 2024.Transferring your account to Zimbabwe allows you to manage payments locally, reducing the risk of payment failures and making it easier to keep your subscription active.

4. 2 Month Roaming Policy

When Techzim realised that Starlink was working in Zimbabwe as far back as April 2023, it was seen that all devices that were on a Roaming package and being used outside their country of purchase would have to be returned after every 2 months to their country of registration. Starlink just recently (end of August) started applying this in markets close to how like Botswana and South Africa. Botswana has been turned on just this week, but those in South Africa are still feeling the pinch. 

How to Transfer Your Starlink Account to Zimbabwe

If you’ve decided that transferring your Starlink account to Zimbabwe is the right move to make, I’m hopeful that this step-by-step guide will help you through the process. And before I get into it, if you find this helpful, please share it with a friend who could benefit as well from its contents:

Step 1: Have An Unused Email Address At Hand

This first step of the process will need you to have an email address that has never been used to open an account on Starlink before. Gmail works for this, but make sure it’s an email address that you have full control of and not one that you may someday lose access to (hello work email address users).

Make sure you have the password to the email and that you are able to log in to it. If you can not, then it could prove to be a challenge in the future when you want to login to your Starlink account but can’t get a Passcode that they emailed to you to verify that you are the actual owner of the account.

Step 2: Note The KIT Number

On the side of the box that the Starlink kit came in you will see a serial number that has KITxxxxxxxx on it. Write this down. If you don’t have the box any more, I’m afraid you have to throw the kit away – hahaha, I’m kidding. Log in to the Starlink app, go right to the bottom of the app and you will see ADVANCED. Tap there and note down the ID, it’ll be ut01000000-xxxxxxx-xxxxxxx. You will use this instead of the KIT number.

Step 3: Settle Outstanding Dues

Starlink will not allow you to transfer your account when there is an outstanding balance owing. Make sure you have a funded bank card attached to your account and settle all dues. Once you’re fully paid up you can now start the actual process of transferring.

Important to note when you are transferring your kit that it will end your subscription at that point. So, if you paid for your subscription yesterday, and you transfer it, that subscription will end and you will not be reimbursed or refunded. So make sure to do this when you are about to have your subscription expire.

Alternatively, what you can do is pause the subscription, so that when Starlink is meant to bill you, they will not. You will be fully paid up and not owing anything and able to transfer the kit.

Step 4: Transferring Your Starlink Account

You will need access to the account that you would like to transfer. Access means being able to log in, using the email and password for the account. Here are the exact things to do: 

1. Log in to your Starlink account via the website Starlink.com.
2. It should take you to the Accounts Homepage, where you then click on MANAGE just under the section that says ‘Your Starlinks’
3. On the next page scroll down to the bottom and on the bottom right you will see it saying TRANSFER
4. If TRANSFER is clickable, that means that your device can be TRANSFERRED, if it is not clickable, then you have to wait for 90 days of you paying for it or 120 days of it just sitting.
5. Once you hit TRANSFER it will ask you if you are sure as it will end your current running subscription without giving you a refund. Hit CONFIRM and it will then disassociate the device from your account.

Step 5: Activating You New Account

Basically what you have done up to this stage is remove the Starlink kit from your previous account that was registered in Malawi, Zambia or whatever country you got it from and now what we want to do is register it to a new account that will be in Zimbabwe. This will be the process:

1. Now take the KIT number or the Kit ID from the app and go activate the kit by going to Starlink.com/activate. Once you have entered the number select ‘NEW ACCOUNT’ option.
2. Enter your credentials, together with that new email address that hasn’t be used on a Starlink account before. Be sure to enter the address in Zimbabwe where you want to use the kit. Make sure it is the exact address and that Starlink picks it up. If Starlink can not pick it up, then press the crosshairs and search for your location on the Starlink map provided.
3. Have a bank card ready to pay one month of the package you want to go on to, I’m assuming that will be the Residential which will be US$50/month. One flaw Starlink has is that you can use anyone’s bank card on your account, so long you input the correct credentials. This is fine when you are using people’s cards on your account, but not so nice when someone uses your card on their account.
4. Once payment goes through the account will now be activated and you will now have a Zimbabwean registered account. Well done!!

Step 4: Update Your Payment Method

With your account now linked to Zimbabwe, it’s important to update your payment method to ensure seamless billing. If you’ve been using an international bank card, switch to a local Zimbabwean Visa or Mastercard, though your international card should still work. Starlink will deduct their money automatically every month.

Step 5: Power On Your Starlink

Now that all that is done, what’s left to do is to see that the service is now active. Power on your device and wait for about 5 minutes, log in to the app, set your wifi username and password and surf any page like Google and search for something random. When it comes up, it shows that the internet is working and you’re good to go.

Final Thoughts

Transferring your Starlink account from a neighbouring country to Zimbabwe can bring numerous benefits, from reduced costs to easier management of warranty and payments. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure a smooth transition and enjoy uninterrupted, high-speed internet service in Zimbabwe. Whether you’re using Starlink for work, education, or staying connected with family and friends, making this switch could significantly enhance your experience.

Image Source: Starlink