Starlink Price Hikes Spread Across U.S., Igniting Customer Backlash

Starlink price hikes for Residential plans appear to have spread from the Midwest across the U.S., with affected subscribers reporting increases of 10% to 20% and some Residential Max bills climbing from US$130 to US$156 a month, according to PCMag.

That top-end jump works out to an extra US$312 a year. An email to customers quoted by PCMag says: “As more people in your area use Starlink, less network capacity is available and service pricing may change from time to time.”

The change follows a smaller rollout late last month, when SpaceX began testing dynamic pricing in parts of Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Now users in Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Washington and Alaska have reported getting the same type of email, the publication reported.

The publication also found the 20% increase showing on the Starlink website for locations including Portland, Oregon; Spokane, Washington; Murphy, North Carolina; El Dorado, Arkansas; and Lafayette, Louisiana.

Customer reaction has been rough. One of the most viral complaints came from AJ Wold, who said on X that he signed up “last week for $130 a month” and spent “a full day getting it installed and all my devices working with it.” He wrote that “less than a week later” he received an email “saying my plan is increasing to $156.”

Wold later said in replies that he lives in Washington state and was “more upset about the 20% price increase after 4 days.” His email and plan details have not been independently verified.

Others told the publication they plan to cancel once fibre or another option reaches them. “They are taking advantage of people in rural areas because they know we don’t have any other options,” one Reddit user said.

It’s not all increases. SpaceX told earlier Midwest customers that “as we expand capacity, service pricing in your area may be lowered,” and the publication spotted discounts of 30% and even 50% for new Residential customers in Boston, San Francisco and New York City.

Three broadband experts told the outlet they had never heard of an internet provider adjusting prices this way on a regular basis. If you live somewhere with a cable or fibre alternative, it may be worth pricing that out before your next bill.