SpaceX began accepting pre-orders for Starlink broadband this week, asking for $ 99 deposits for services that would be available in the second half of this year.
To begin the process, you can go to Starlink’s website and enter your email address and service address. The total cost is $ 499 for hardware, $ 50 for shipping and handling, and $ 99 for monthly service, plus tax. These are the same prices charged in the ongoing beta, which is limited to parts of the northern United States and southern Canada.
“Starlink is targeting coverage in your area until mid-2021,” says the pre-order system. “Availability is limited. Orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. You will receive a notification once your Starlink is ready to ship.”
We got the same time frame “mid to late 2021” for addresses in Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and the state of Washington. A CNBC report says pre-orders for some areas will be available in 2022 sooner rather than later.
The amount of $ 99 payable on pre-order is fully refundable, and ‘you can start a refund of your deposit by logging in to the customer account portal and requesting a refund’, the website states. Unfortunately, you cannot pre-order Starlink if you place a pre-order.
“Depending on the location, some orders may take 6 months or longer to execute. The deposit cannot guarantee service,” the website said.
You will receive a message like this if you successfully place an order:
Customer limits
SpaceX sets limits on how many people can sign up in each geographic area, likely to ensure it has enough capacity for each customer. “Starlink is currently available to a limited number of users per coverage area,” reads the ordering website.
Although pre-orders appear to be available for Starlink’s general availability later this year, the company also looks set to expand the number of slots in the beta.
“Additional Starlink capacity is now available to a limited number of users per coverage area,” SpaceX said in an email to people who had previously registered interest in the site. “If there are currently no services available in your area, you can place a deposit to keep your location in line for future service.”
The email repeats SpaceX’s previous beta guidelines, which state that ‘users can expect data speeds of 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps and the 20 ms to 40 ms delay in most places over the next few months as we see improve the Starlink system. There will also be short periods of no connection. “
The service will presumably be faster and more reliable once it is available to people who place pre-orders. “Starlink is now providing initial beta services both locally and internationally, and will continue to expand into global population coverage in 2021,” the website reads.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX said on Twitter this week, SpaceX will do a Starlink exchange as soon as we can predict the cash flow pretty well.