Starlink Launches Best Effort Service

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Starlink is offering a new line of service, called Best Effort, to a limited number of people on the Residential waitlist. If selected for Best Effort, pre-order deposit holders will have a chance to get Starlink now, with an automatic upgrade to Residential later on when capacity expands.

Starlink Best Effort Email

What is Best Effort?

Starlink Best Effort is a service plan from Starlink that allows people in waitlisted areas to get Starlink service immediately, before their address is available for full Residential service. It’s exactly as the name implies, a “better than nothing” type of service. Like Starlink Roam, Best Effort customers are deprioritized on the network, meaning they will experience slower speeds compared to Residential users. Also like Roam, Best Effort customers will be able to pause and resume service at any time.

The big advantage over Starlink Roam is the price. Best Effort is $120/month, which is less than the $150/month that Starlink Roam customers pay.

For a full explanation of the types of Starlink service, check out our Starlink Internet Plans Explained article.

Who is eligible?

Customers who have made a pre-order deposit for the Residential waitlist are eligible, but only select customers are getting the offer. We have received reports from several people across the US, so it doesn’t appear to be limited to one specific region.

We also know it’s not being offered to every pre-order customer at this moment. Perhaps Starlink is rolling this option out in phases, depending on the capacity issues in each specific region.

There is no way to request Best Effort. It’s an offer that Starlink will extend to eligible customers. Be sure to check your email inbox for communications from Starlink. You can also check your Starlink.com account portal periodically to see if the Best Effort offer pops up.

Will I keep my spot on the waitlist?

Yes, customers who opt for the Best Effort service will maintain their place on the waitlist for Residential service. Your account will automatically convert to Residential service when capacity opens in your area. That makes this service a much better deal than Starlink Roam for people who don’t need a portable dish to use at multiple locations.

What does Best Effort cost?

The Best Effort hardware will cost you $599, and you’ll pay $120 per month for the service. There are no contracts, and a 30 day return period if you aren’t satisfied.

Is the hardware the same as Residential?

Yes, the Starlink equipment you receive with Best Effort is identical to the equipment sold with Residential. When you are eligible to upgrade to Residential, you won’t have to buy new hardware, your Best Effort dish, mounts, etc. will all work the same with Residential service.

What speeds will I get with Best Effort?

Starlink Best Effort speeds range from 5 to 50 mbps down, and 2-10 mbps up. Best Effort and Roam users are deprioritized on the network, which means they will experience degraded performance when there are many users on the Starlink network in a specific cell.

Here are the official Best Effort speed specifications:

Download SpeedUpload SpeedLatencyData Caps
5-50 mbps2-10 mbps25-50 msNo

For more about speeds, check out our full article on Starlink speeds.

How can I tell if I have Best Effort?

One common question I get is how to tell if you are on Best Effort or not. If you have accepted the Best Effort offer, and are wondering if you have been upgraded to Residential, there is an easy way to tell:

  1. Log in to your account on Starlink.com
  2. Click the Manage button next to your Starlink plan
  3. If you see the option to pause service, you have Best Effort. If you don’t have the option to pause service, you have Residential

Also, Starlink will send you an email when your service plan has been upgraded from Best Effort to Residential. The timeline for when to expect to be upgraded varies based on location, number of Starlink subscribers in your area, and how many satellites Starlink has deployed.

Conclusion

Starlink Best Effort is Starlink’s latest attempt to serve more users with limited network capacity. The demand for Starlink is much higher than the network has the capacity for. As the satellite constellation is deployed over time, capacity will increase.

Starlink believes many customers will accept degraded performance over not having internet at all. With the success of Starlink Roam, it was only a matter of time before Starlink realized many people were ordering Roam just to have internet at home. This new Best Effort service gives those people a better option.

Did you get the email? Do you plan to subscribe to Best Effort? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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Rick
Rick
2 months ago

Got my best effort dish in 10 days although said due to demand 2-4 weeks. Being installed Wednesday. I live in a forest but the installler said he has seen worse and had no call backs.

Ben
Ben
4 months ago

Are people experiencing a delay in getting their equipment once they have paid for Best Effort? I can not afford to spend $615 only to be put on standby with no way to confirm if my equipment has been shipped or when they will ship it. Are people reporting that they paid for Best Effort and not getting their equipment or any internet service?

John
John
26 minutes ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Mine came in 4 days

Niki Patterson
Niki Patterson
4 months ago

I have best effort; my neighbor is on the wait list for starlink and would like to get the best effort. How can I assist her in getting it? -email address removed by admin–

Rick
Rick
2 months ago
Reply to  Niki Patterson

A lot depends how long you have been waiting. I signed up 18 months ago and just got my best effort.

Bug
Bug
4 months ago

I am currently in the “expected mid-2023” group and I got the email for Best Effort. When I go to my account to opt-in, there is a date of Dec. 30, 2023. There is no info on what this date refers to. Is that when I will receive equipment for Best Effort? Or is it when residential service can be expected? That’s almost a year away, I guess I took the “urgent connectivity needs” to mean it would be received sooner? I work from home and it is urgently needed 😕

michelle arlene stone
michelle arlene stone
3 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Hi I ordered my Starlink 4 weeks ago, havent heard anything, we purchashed a house in Florida, and I can not get internet service in my area, I work from home, and have not been able to get settled in, without internet, were rural. I am having a hard time trying to get Best Efforts as well, Could you help us , Please?

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
4 months ago

Hi, is there a way to reach Starlink. My account still shows that I should expect service in my area by Mid 2022 even though we are bow in 2023. I accepted best effort but am yet to see it any movement on my account. Any ideas?

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
4 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Thank you, sir.

Karie Bernal
Karie Bernal
4 months ago

So I am clueless about speeds of uploads/downloads etc. I am currently on Viasat and our internet speeds aren’t fast enough to even stream a movie on Netflix if another person on an iPad or phone. I pay over $200/month for 100mps of data and we use it up every month before the month is over. I was offered best effort… do you think those speeds would be better then what I currently deal with? Thanks!!

Jennifer Jenkins
Jennifer Jenkins
2 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

I had ViaSat with the same package. I have the RV Starlink now and can work from home and stream anything. Even with the deprioritized times. I didn’t take the Best Efforts so I can take the RV places when needed. I just worry about my acct telling me to confirm Best Efforts and if I don’t do I remain on the waiting list?

Barry
Barry
5 months ago

I signed up for and received best effort. I checked my account today, and it says “residential”. Does this mean I’ve been switched to residential service, or do all best effort accounts say residential?

Betty
Betty
4 months ago
Reply to  Barry

How long did it take you to get your equipment once you signed up for best effort?

Ben
Ben
4 months ago
Reply to  Betty

Are people experiencing a delay in getting their equipment once they pay for Best Effort? I can not afford to spend $615 only to be put on standby with no way to confirm if my equipment has been shipped or when they will ship it. Are people reporting that they paid for Best Effort and have gone months without getting their equipment or any internet service?

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
5 months ago

I guess this is bad news for me. My order status that once showed pending for both shipping and tracking are now showing blank. I opted for best effort on 9/27/2022. On my starlink website page, it says coverage for me is mid 2022. Deposit lists as 99.00. Finally, it days I am signed up gorgeous Best effort. This happened over the weekend. Did anyone experience this?

Last edited 5 months ago by Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Gerhard fischer
Gerhard fischer
5 months ago

I recently set up my Best Effort service. My speeds range from 5-160 mb/sec. Obviously slower at peak hrs. I’m a residential customer and don’t need blinding speed, 5 mb/ sec works just fine for streaming. In contrast I was using Hughes net with speeds ranging from 0 – 15mb/ sec that was very unreliable, typically with speeds under 4mb/sec. I was paying $185/ month for Hughes. Deciding to go with Best Effort for $110/ month was a no brainer. The Starlink equipment will pay for itself in savings after 7 months.

WhatJamesThinks
WhatJamesThinks
6 months ago

What do you think of the 1TB data cap now? Cash grab by greedy Elon?

Davis B
Davis B
7 months ago

I am in an area right next to “available now” but still in the Expanding in 2023 section. I never received an option for “Best Effort” coverage. How can I sign up? Your help is greatly appreciated. My wife and I both work from home and our only other internet option is 10 m download and .5 upload!!!

Brett Schlotterback
Brett Schlotterback
7 months ago

I got the best effort email and waited till my next paycheck to opt in. It messaged me that I would be emailed soon but never received it and was never charged for the equipment. When I check my starlink account it says I’m in the best effort program but when I scroll down to devices it says nothing will be listed till it ships. I would just like to know if there’s some extra step I don’t know about or if something got delayed. All of my profile info is up to date including my payment method and it has beem a few weeks. thank you

Brett Schlotterback
Brett Schlotterback
7 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

For order it says deposit then the shipping and tracking say pending. Not sure what to make of all this, it’s like I slipped through the cracks somewhere.

Courtney
Courtney
7 months ago

Same exact scenario with mine.

Mike Bernard
Mike Bernard
7 months ago
Reply to  Courtney

Hey guys – I also did not receive the email, but on my home page in my account on the website, I noticed an option to “opt in” to the “best effort”. When I clicked on this, it moved my order to the cart checkout page, and seems to be presenting me with the option to order now. I am going to place the order, as the terms state that I can temporarily suspend service if i do not like the speeds and availability – until my turn in line for full speed becomes available(which using this method I will not lose my place in line to get residential service). This I am willing to do. Just thought I would pass this on.

Mike Bernard
Mike Bernard
7 months ago
Reply to  Mike Bernard

Here is another update. I clicked “place order” and received a confirmation of my order, stating “Thank you for your purchase.
You will receive an email shortly confirming receipt of your order. Once your purchase is ready to go, we will send you a Shipment Notification with tracking information.”
On the order page it states “preparing shipment”
and also 0.00 due, so it seems my card was charged.

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
6 months ago
Reply to  Mike Bernard

Hello Mike,
What does it show in your account for estimated shipping and order status?

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
7 months ago

I never received the email. However, the offer of “Best Effort” was available to me. I opted in. Now. My account’s page is similar to yours. My card has not been charged. Order shows “Deposit.” Shipping and Tracking both show “Pending.” I am not sure what’s happening. My account still says I am due to receive service in Mid 2022. Any ideas?

Brett Schlotterback
Brett Schlotterback
7 months ago

hopefully we find something out soon, that’s a good chunk of money to just be surprised with out of nowhere

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
7 months ago

I know, I am checking it throughout the day.

Courtney
Courtney
6 months ago

Were you ever charged for the equipment? Mine is still saying the same thing, and I have head nothing else from Starlink. I assummed you got the equipment once you opted in. Never gave me a link to pay. Just says “Best Effort, Deposit, Pending”

Courtney
Courtney
7 months ago

And, good luck getting any assistance. I had a friend with starlink contact customer support and was told that my account was still in pre=order status (even though it shows best effort), and that I would receive an email regarding shipping. I seriously doubt that they will be shipping without payment….I am just terribly frustrated with the lack of clear information. When the best effort email mentioned use for those with “urgent connectivity” needs, I assumed that meant sooner than a month…and with no further correspondence at that.

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
7 months ago
Reply to  Courtney

Thank you for the heads up. It truly is frustrating as I am dying out here with hughesNet. I am praying that it does not take another 3 months before we can get our equipments.

Courtney
Courtney
7 months ago

I am in the same spot. Opted-in on 9/27, and I never received any further correspondence and was not prompted to pay for equipment nor can I order it

Buzzie Fahnbulleh
Buzzie Fahnbulleh
5 months ago
Reply to  Courtney

Hello Courtney,
Are you still waiting to hear from Starlink? I have heard nothing. Instead, my account no longer show pending Instead it shows blank.

Anthony
Anthony
7 months ago

The Best Effort notification encourages people who can wait to do so. But on the account page there is no option to wait. The only options are to accept Best Effort or cancel.

Tom M
Tom M
7 months ago

I thought one of the goals of Starlink was to provide service to under-served rural areas? The US Government (FCC/USDA) provided Starlink and all of the big providers 100’s Millions/Billions of dollars to kick start services for rural areas and yet Starlink was first launched in heavily populated areas already served by high-speed internet. Why? I live in a rural area in Central Florida where the only internet is DSL and despite being on the Starlink Wait List from the beginning I still cannot get regular service. Why should I pay $110 a month for subpar service that will, at peak times, actually suck worse than DSL? Why isn’t Best-Effort priced accordingly?

And the problem is not just Starlink, but all the big Telcos also grabbed government monies but are not upgrading cell towers in rural areas with 5G service that could bring decent fixed-wireless internet services.

Chris Post
Chris Post
7 months ago

I signed up in August of 2021 and have yet to receive anything. Is there a link that I can use to sign up for “best effort”?

Anthony
Anthony
7 months ago
Reply to  Chris Post

If you become eligible, they will send you an email AND it will be on your account page.

Lindsey M.
Lindsey M.
7 months ago

Brooksville, Fl just received these emails today. My parents, a neighbor, and my husband all received the same email with a few minutes of each other. Neighbor was expecting service late-2022 but his email said he was being pushed to mid-2023. My parents and I were suppose to receive early-2023 but have been pushed to Mid-2023 as well. We all signed up as we are in rural locations- neighbor it 1/2 mile away! 😂 Once placing the order, it said we would receive hardware within two weeks! Pretty ecstatic as we have been running off Verizon hotspots for two years!

Chris Zuhn
Chris Zuhn
8 months ago

Received “best effort” e-mail September 22. Today I decided to access my Starlink account. After reading various items on this web site (starlinkhardware.com), I decided to sign up and order the equipment for “best effort”. The information I gathered from this site allayed some concerns about losing my place in line for “residential” service. Now to order the wired interface, as some of my equipment is not wireless/WiFi capable.
I am currently on Verizon Wireless at speeds of about 15Mb/s download, and $75.00/month, with a 100GB data/speed cap. No wired internet or any type of cable service available in my area.

John Toney
John Toney
8 months ago

I received my email for best effort. Do I have accept it in a timely manor or can I think about it for a while like a month or two?

John Toney
John Toney
8 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Is it worth getting the best effort plan or wait for residential plan

John Toney
John Toney
8 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Yes I have 2 Verizon mobile hotspots with 150 gigabytes each for 120 dollars a month. It says I have a little obstruction at my house will that hurt me?

John Toney
John Toney
8 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Thank you

Larry
Larry
8 months ago

Can I get best effort in north alabama. I have been on the list for quite a while

Anthony
Anthony
7 months ago
Reply to  Larry

I am near Heflin, Al, and have been on the list for 17 months now. While I wait, I got the T-Mobile Internet Lite system. 100Gb for $30. I can wait until this area is eligible for full Residential service. What part of Alabama?

Eric
Eric
8 months ago

How do I get on the list to receive Best Effort service? I am currently on the waiting list for residential.

Jim Carpenter
Jim Carpenter
8 months ago

Yes I am interested in the Best Effort service until I can receive my residential service.

darrell white
darrell white
8 months ago

I have 25down, 5 up right now. If I decide not to do the “best effort”, will I lose my place in line

Janis
Janis
8 months ago

I have been on the list almost from the beginning, as I seen from several other commenters. I pay for DSL, but I’m not sure why. It rarely allows me access to the internet, but even when it does, all I can do is send and receive email. What I want to know is, having been on the pre-order list, why was I not notified of availability when Starlink first had coverage in my location? I’ve heard that the equipment/accounts were not provided in the order that the pre-orders for a given area were received. That instead, it was a free for all of everyone who requested service when it became available here. Is this true? Why? This does not seem like an appropriate way do do business.

MDM
MDM
8 months ago

I got on the waitlist the day it opened and waited until Sept 1st 2022 to get my starlink. I signed up for the best effort and I pull between 50mb/s-90 mb/s during the day and roughly between 2mb/s-10 mb/s in the evenings as the speeds slow when the network is in more use. However, it is WAAAYYYY better than viasat and even at the slowest speeds I can stream Monday night football or watch a TV show. I love it and I’m looking forward to the final expansion 🙂

Betty
Betty
4 months ago
Reply to  MDM

Do you know what your upload speeds are during the day?

Betty
Betty
4 months ago
Reply to  MDM

How long did it take you to get your equipment once you signed up for best effort?

Rider In The Sky
Rider In The Sky
8 months ago

I was an early order, expecting service spring 2021. I just got the email, ordered and received equipment 5 September 2022. Set up went smoothly. Speeds: down 10/ up less than 1. 🙁
Better than what I have, but I feel I was stepped over for residential. Hopefully will get full service soon.