Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, has quietly launched a more affordable internet package for the United States. The new “Residential Lite” plan is only $80, but it unfortunately comes with a catch or two.
While we’ve seen “Lite” plans arrive for other regions, it looks like Starlink is finally delivering similar options stateside. This new plan costs $80 a month and offers unlimited deprioritized data. Yes, that’s $40 cheaper than the regular Residential plan, which costs $120 per month. So, what’s the difference, and what gives? Welp, slower internet speeds, for one.
Over the last few years, Starlink has slowly become a solid internet option for those in rural areas or locations with poor infrastructure. The company also consistently expands its options, like support for RVs, faster internet tiers, and soon, emergency texting through T-Mobile. Over the last week or so, however, we’re finally seeing another option for those who’d rather not spend $120 per month for internet access.
Starlink Residential Lite Plan Details
After customers requested that Starlink offer a more affordable internet package, the satellite internet company is finally delivering. As you can see above, the company is now offering an additional plan for residential users.
SpaceX says Residential Lite is “an affordable option for low usage and smaller households,” and at first glance, it doesn’t say much more than that. However, looking at the fine details, there’s a big catch. With the Lite plan, you can expect internet speeds ranging from 50-100Mbps. Now, that’s still solid and more than enough for most, but it’s lower than the standard 150-250Mbps speeds of the regular plan.
Additionally, the Lite plan may slow down during high usage. The plan’s description states that it’ll offer users unlimited deprioritized data, similar to cellular data throttling. Essentially, those on a Lite plan may experience slower speeds due to being a lower priority on the network during peak hours. Starlink’s more expensive service plans won’t experience deprioritization.
Either way, those are still pretty great speeds, especially for a location that otherwise didn’t have high-speed internet access. Then, should your bandwidth needs increase down the road, you can always switch to the regular Residential plan. Then, according to one Starlink user on Reddit, those in eligible regions have the option to downgrade to the Lite plan if they’re interested. Just open your Starlink app, head into your subscription management page, and change your service plan.
As you can imagine, rolling out new plans and reaching additional customers will be a slow process. Starlink isn’t ready to open up this new affordable $80 Residential Lite plan to everyone just yet. Instead, it will slowly launch in more regions as the network grows and expands. In the meantime, you can only access a Lite plan in about 15 U.S. states, with more on the horizon.
Looking at the Starlink Residential Lite service map, it’s currently available in select states like Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and a few others. Also, even if you’re in one of those states, you’re not guaranteed access. So, check the Starlink service map and see if it’s available in your location. In the meantime, check back soon, as it’ll likely expand in the near future.
Source: Starlink via Notebookcheck
