Starlink opened pre-orders for service in February for a $ 99 deposit, but it doesn’t look like the company plans to offer any level plan for people waiting for some options.
SpaceX PResident Gwynne Shotwell, who spoke Tuesday during a panel of the 2021 LEO Digital Satellite Forum, said she doesn’t “think we’ll price prices to consumers” by Starlink’s satellite Internet service, according to CNBC. Shotwell added that the company “would try to keep it as simple and transparent as possible, so right now there are no plans for consumers.”
This could be a problem for potential subscribers who were expecting a discounted or even more premium version of the service than the one currently on offer. The $ 99 refundable offer of security deposits which was published in February does not cover the full cost of the service.
The Starlink installation kit costs $ 499 i it includes a power supply, a wifi router and a mountable dish antenna. Shipping and handling will add at least another $ 50 to that price. And then there’s the service itself, which costs money $ 99 a month. This may make the service less accessible, e.g. low-income households in rural areas. And these customers could be better served for Starlink satellite service of what could be with 5G.
But that’s what Shotwell said Starlink is trying to serve, and commented that the company “will be able to cater to every rural home in the United States,” according to CNBC, or an estimated 60 million people.
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If that’s the case, it looks like Starlink may have to seriously reevaluate its initial costs.