Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, has announced a significant price reduction for its user terminal in select regions of the United States. In 28 states, the new cost for the satellite dish is $299 plus shipping and tax, while the rest of the US will maintain the $499 price point. This discount is attributed to excess capacity in certain areas of Starlink’s broadband network.
The company initially increased the hardware cost to $599 in March 2022 but has recently reverted the price to $499 across the board. In states where there is deemed to be abundant network availability, an additional $200 discount brings the price down to $299. The discount is available for Residential Standard service in designated regional savings areas and will automatically apply when ordering through Starlink’s website. More information can be found on Starlink’s support page.
The 28 states benefiting from the $299 pricing include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Additionally, there remains a price variation based on monthly service fees. Areas with excess capacity will charge $90 per month, whereas regions with limited capacity will incur a $120 monthly fee. This means that customers in areas with excess capacity could, in theory, be fully operational with a $299 dish and a $90 monthly service charge.
The current model of the Starlink satellite dish has some differences from the older version, mainly in terms of repositioning capabilities. Unlike the older ‘Starlink Actuated’ model, which is no longer available for residential orders and could reposition itself using electric motors, the new version must be manually adjusted during initial installation. The Starlink app is available to assist users in finding the optimal position for the dish.
Further details on the Starlink hardware options are elaborately discussed in an in-depth comparison by Starlink user Noah Clarke.
For more information about the recent pricing changes, visit the original report by Ars Technica.