Category - Starlink News

Find all the latest Starlink news in this section. Our original reporting brings you only the most relevant and accurate information.

New “Deprioritized Standard” Plan Is 50% Cheaper In Exchange For Slower Speeds

Starlink availability map for New Zealand

In many areas of the world, the demand for Starlink service is low, relative to places like the US and Canada. In response, Starlink offers unique incentives and discounts for select markets. These price adjustments are applied to the hardware, the monthly service fee, and sometimes even both. Usually, the incentives are only offered for a limited amount of time. Starlink is trying something different in New Zealand. They’ve created a new service plan, called Deprioritized Standard, which offers customers a steep discount in exchange for slower speeds. Plan details In New Zealand, normal Standard service costs $159/month. Opting instead …

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No Dish Required? SpaceX Uses Starlink Direct-To-Cell To Post Update On X

Direct-to-cell infographic

A 13 word X post will go down in history as the first social media post made using Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology. Direct-to-Cell uses existing LTE phone hardware to communicate directly with Starlink satellites, eliminating the need for a bulky Starlink antenna. The official SpaceX account posted the message, and then Elon Musk shared it on his feed. The X post marks continued progress on the Starlink Direct-to-Cell system. Last month, SpaceX successfully sent the first text message using the system. Starlink wants to make the service available to customers later this year. Connecting LTE phones to Starlink satellites Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell …

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SpaceX To De-Orbit Early Starlink Satellites Due To Increased Failure Risk

SpaceX announced that it plans to de-orbit approximately 100 early V1 Starlink satellites in the coming weeks. According to a Starlink press release, this controlled destruction of satellites is necessary to ensure responsible stewardship of space, and minimize the risk of collisions with other spacecraft in the future. “SpaceX has invested heavily in ensuring the safety and sustainability of our launch vehicles, spacecraft, and satellites,” said a SpaceX spokesperson. “This includes exceeding regulations and sharing best practices with the industry.” While all Starlink satellites are designed to naturally de-orbit within five years, SpaceX occasionally de-orbits those at increased risk of failure before the end …

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You Can Now Add Additional Users To Your Starlink Account

Add user contact information

Starlink has updated their account system to support multiple users. This new feature, previously reserved for enterprise customers, is now available for consumer accounts. Customers will now be able to add additional contacts to their account, like family members, a backup email address, or even tenants. In this article, I will go over the update, explaining what it means to add additional users to your Starlink account. I will also walk you through the process of adding an additional contact. Finally, I’ll cover some of the limitations and nuances you should know about. Starlink allows you to add contacts to …

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Starlink Is Retiring Another Gen 2 Dish

Starlink customers in the United States now have one less dish model to choose from. The 2nd generation “Standard Actuated” dish is no longer an option for any service plan. The change from Gen 2 to Gen 3 is now complete in the US, Starlink’s largest market. The Gen 3 rollout started in December 2023. The first Gen 3 model released, named “Standard”, is the first of at least two planned Gen 3 models. The Standard dish appeared initially as an option for Roam and Business orders in the US, alongside the Gen 2 hardware. Now, Standard is the default …

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Best Buy Is Now Selling The Starlink Gen 3 Standard Kit

Starlink has several retail partners, like Best Buy and Costco, that sell Starlink hardware kits online and in store. Until today, Best Buy was not offering the latest generation “Standard” model. Only the 2nd generation models were listed on the website. As the Gen 3 rollout continues, many people are looking to get the latest and greatest hardware. If you are in the United States, and looking to get a Gen 3 dish, Best Buy is now offering the latest Starlink model on their website. The price at Best Buy is $599.99, the same as you pay if you order …

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The Starlink Obstruction Map Now Updates In Real Time, Shows Satellite Paths

Starlink has updated the obstruction tool in the app to display real time information and satellite paths. Previously, the obstruction tool needed about 12 hours of data collection, before obstruction information could be displayed. Now, information is available immediately after the dish powers on. The obstruction map will update in real time, for about 6 hours after the dish boots up. If you’ve looked at your obstructions recently, you may have noticed the change already. The shaded areas of blue and red on the map are now more pixelated, and may not look as filled in as before. With the …

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Gamers Aren’t Happy About Starlink’s Performance – Elon Musk Vows To Focus On Gaming Improvements

Starlink is providing high speed internet to millions of customers that previously didn’t have any other options. A lot of these customers are gamers, eager to finally be able to download large games, stream on Twitch, and reliably connect to multiplayer servers. Starlink internet specs make it ideal for gaming, at least on the surface. Their website advertises fast download speeds, respectable upload speeds, and low latency for their Standard service plan and equipment. It should be great internet for gaming, but there are some major issues, according to gamers posting to online Starlink communities and social media. Gamers are …

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Backpack Size Starlink Mini Coming This Year, Says Elon Musk

A brand new, ultra-portable Starlink is set to debut later this year, according to Elon Musk. In a recent speech, covering several SpaceX topics, Musk talked about Starlink, and the new user terminals launching this year. One of the devices, Starlink’s Gen 3 “Standard” dish, has already been launched in the US. The other device, which Musk referred to as Starlink “Mini”, will be released sometime later this year. “We will be introducing the Starlink Mini later this year, which can fit in a backpack.” Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX/Starlink The speech, which you can view in this SpaceX post, …

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Starlink Warns Customers to Throw Away Popular Accessory Due to Design Flaw

Starlink launched their latest generation dish, along with a handful of accessories, in late 2023. Product launches aren’t new for the satellite internet company, now on its 3rd hardware iteration. But, in a first for Starlink, they are recalling a popular mounting accessory, asking customers to throw them away as a precautionary measure. When customers order a Starlink kit, they receive a mounting base for the dish that is mainly intended for temporary or portable situations. For permanent installations on a roof, Starlink offers several types of mounts in their online shop. Starlink also supports third party mounts with an …

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