SpaceX’s latest sales tactic for Starlink might involve lowering the monthly bill for select customers.
Starting on Monday, at least four Starlink users reported receiving an email from SpaceX about the company slashing their monthly bill by 20%.
“As a valued Starlink customer, you’re getting 20% off your monthly plan for the next six billing cycles. No action needed. Just keep enjoying your service and the discount will apply automatically,” the company wrote in the message.
(Reddit user KingofMemes2001)
One Reddit user who received the email said they were based in Utah County, Utah. “Been with Starlink about 2 years. And I have no clue why I just woke up to an email from Starlink saying I’m getting 20% off for six months,” the user “KingofMemes2001” told PCMag.
The user said they’re subscribed to Starlink’s Residential Lite tier, which costs $80 per month —$40 less than the standard $120 Residential plan. “After the discount, I pay about $64 a month,” they added. That amounts to roughly $96 in savings over six months, before the monthly fee reverts to the regular rate.
In the same Reddit thread, another user wrote: “Got that too —wondering if it’s because I haven’t used my Starlink for a few months while I’ve been away? Giving me an offer so I don’t cancel?”
Meanwhile, KingofMemes2001 noted: “I have access to fiber, but I live in my uncle’s field in a 5th wheel RV. So I use Starlink. Never let me down.”
SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, making it unclear why the company is offering the rare discount. But in the meantime, the company appears to have also sent the email to a user in Australia and another in Indonesia.
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In the US, Starlink’s monthly internet cost initially arrived for $99 per month before increasing to $110 and then $120 for most areas across the US. But this year, the company began offering a Residential Lite plan in the US as SpaceX has been trying to attract more users.
Priced at $80 per month, the Lite tier comes with potential speed restrictions compared to the standard plan and is only available in certain US areas with excess capacity. To further entice sign-ups, SpaceX has also been offering the standard Starlink dish for free to users who commit to a 12-month residential subscription.
But not everyone can enjoy the discounts. In other areas of the US, particularly the Pacific Northwest where Starlink’s capacity has been stretched, SpaceX has been imposing an eye-popping $1,000 extra “demand surcharge” to new customers looking to sign up for the normal Starlink residential plan. The additional fee can bring the starting cost to $1,349 before accounting for the monthly service fee.
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About Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
