SpaceX’s Starlink offers a $349 hardware suite for its satellite internet service for free. But this is not free for everyone and there are some warnings.
“The $0 $0 for the standard suite has a 12-month residential service program commitment, which is now available in certain markets,” the company said in an article on X. A link allows prospects to check availability in their area and determine if they qualify for the offer. The follow-up article reads: “Terms.
In addition to the 12-month service requirement (starting after a 30-day trial) (if not met) that could result in a $349 fee – an additional $100 fee is charged in areas with higher demand. Service fees for up to one month vary by area. In some places it’s $80, others it’s $120 per month or more.
According to Starlink, changing the address, failing to pay the bill on time, attempting to transfer to another user or retaining the suite after cancellation will result in a change fee. The countries included in the deal include Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Austria, Norway, the Netherlands, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and Australia have partial supply.
Starlink is growing its customer base rapidly, but in CNET’s testing, Internet services are expensive for the products it offers. Nevertheless, for some areas in remote or rural areas, this is one of the only options for high-speed internet.
Client: “I love it, I hate it”
A new client who signed up more than a month ago said the offer was frustrating because he paid for the device, but he wasn’t even sure he was eligible for the offer. Furthermore, he has a vested interest in seeing whether it triggers customer growth.
Andrew Chanin is the co-founder and CEO of Procuream, the company behind the Procure Space ETF, the Nasdaq Trade Fund, which includes SpaceX. Chanin followed the company’s actions, citing communication as one of the biggest revenue drivers for space companies.
He also owns the Starlink Home kit, which he buys for backup and outdoor apps.
“I don’t like the reliability of the existing provider; I need it as a backup to get extra bandwidth as needed and connect devices at home and outside the home,” Chanin said.
Chanin said he has been happy with Starlink’s speed and reliability so far. He missed the $349 offer, but over a month: “I like it, I hate it,” he joked.
The CEO said Starlink follows scripts from internet providers and telecom companies that subsidize the prices of smartphones or internet routers as well as models to get people to contract services.
“It’s a great way to lock in demand and regular income,” Channing said. “It’s a great way to get people to shoot and bring more equipment to more homes nationwide.”
He said word of mouth can help spread information about Starlink to potential customers and remove hardware costs to remove major obstacles for some people.
“It’s not necessarily the script they invented, but we’ve seen a lot of success in the company,” he said.
