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A new map from SpaceX promoting Starlink in the US also indicates where the satellite internet service is facing congestion due to an excessive number of users.
The company included the new maps in promotional emails sent to customers. SpaceX is offering a “0 Upfront” cost plan, which effectively loans out the Starlink dish hardware as a free rental, instead of charging $349. New customers just pay for the monthly internet service fee.
(Credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX’s email included the map to show that the deal is available across most of the US. But interestingly, the same map features several gaps where the promotion isn’t offered.
Many of these black spots on the maps are also in places where SpaceX has been requiring new customers to pay a “demand surcharge,” citing “high demand” in the surrounding area. The surcharge has been especially high across parts of Washington state, Oregon, and Idaho, with the company forcing users to pay a one-time $1,000 fee.
(Credit: Google Earth/SpaceX)
We overlaid the Starlink map on Google Earth to help us pinpoint the gaps. In places such as Dallas, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Fort Myers, Florida, the demand surcharge ranges from $250 to $500. In Sacramento, it’s $100.
However, in other areas of the map—such as Atlanta, Miles City, Montana, or Birmingham, Alabama—SpaceX does not offer the $0 deal; instead, it requires new customers to pay $349 for the required Starlink dish.
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The $1,000 demand surcharge if you buy from Spokane, Washington. (Credit: Starlink.com)
SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. However, the map suggests the company still has ample capacity to serve more users in many areas of the US. This year, SpaceX has been especially aggressive in trying to attract more users through numerous deals and discounts, including at one point offering a truly free Starlink dish in return for a 12-month commitment from the customer.
In July, the company also revealed it had over 2 million Starlink users in the US. On Wednesday, SpaceX also reported that Starlink had crossed 8 million users globally, meaning it added another 1 million users in two months.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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