Prices went up. Everywhere.
Starlink is hiking costs for every single internet plan in the US. Even the stuff you thought was locked in. PCMag caught the details first.
Here is the breakdown. The cheap end of the spectrum, that 100 Mbps residential gig, jumps from $50 to $55 a month. Not bad? Sure. But it is more. If you wanted the 200 Mbps tier, that moved from $80 to $85. And if you are paying for the maxed-out Residential plan, well, you are looking at a jump from $120 to $130.
The service cites “rapidly increasing network capacity” and expanding coverage as the reason for the hike.
Translation. They need cash to build out.
But it does not stop at the house plans. Look at Standby Mode. It lets you pause main service and sip on unlimited low-speed data. It used to be $5. Now? $10. Double the pain for the same convenience.
Roam plans are hurting too. The 100 GB cap goes from $50 to $55. Unlimited roaming jumps from $165 all the way to $175. Only the 300 GB plan stayed at $80. Maybe they have mercy after all?
Starlink was supposed to be the hero for rural folks. Those with one landline provider and a prayer. But SpaceX thinks it solved the whole high-speed broadband crisis. They wrote to the FCC last week. Told the agency to axe the $4.5 billion in rural subsidies.
Why pay taxpayers if satellite internet already exists?
It is a bold claim. Aggressive, really. Critics worry it will just choke out competition before anyone else even starts.
Meanwhile, Starlink tried to sweeten the pot with a new residential plan. Sign for twelve months, get the dish and router for free in some areas.
Does a free router justify a ten-dollar raise?
Depends on where you live. If your other option is dial-up, you probably say yes. If you have cable, maybe not. The bill is getting heavier. The signal is getting clearer.
Is that enough?
Maybe. Or maybe this is just the beginning. Prices usually creep up, never down. At least, not until you cancel. 📡
