If you’re tired of waiting on your Starlink pre-order and opt into the satellite internet service's "Best Effort" tier, expect to see download speeds ranging from 5Mbps to 100Mbps.
SpaceX has quietly revealed the expected speeds for Starlink's Best Effort service option, which is rolling out for select pre-order customers who have been stuck waiting for the company to clear out its order backlog. On Starlink's official specifications page, the company added a new entry for the Best Effort tier. Along with the 5 to 100Mbps in downloads, customers can expect to see uploads ranging between 1 to 10Mbps, it says.
That’s a significant downgrade from the standard Starlink residential service, which can receive 50 to 200Mbps in download speeds and 10 to 20Mbps in uploads. In addition, Best Effort users must pay Starlink the same $110 monthly rate, despite the slower speeds.
The official spec page adds: "Actual speeds will likely be lower than the maximum speeds during times of high usage. Starlink may temporarily reduce speeds if our network is congested."
The Best Effort option essentially has the same performance levels as Starlink RV subscribers who access the satellite internet service in areas that are already full of existing users. SpaceX is deliberately de-prioritizing the speeds for both services to help reduce network congestion, a problem that’s currently dragging down speeds for some users across the US. The main difference is that Starlink RV costs more at $135 per month.
The Best Effort tier is available to select pre-orders customers who are also living in areas with a full slate of existing Starlink residential subscribers.In some cases, these users placed a pre-order for Starlink over a year ago.
It's unclear if the Best Effort tier will become available to many or most pre-order customers. SpaceX hasn't responded to a request for comment. But the company's own map shows large areas of the US continue to be on the waitlist for Starlink.
Despite the slower speeds, the Best Effort tier may be enough for some customers. Two users told PCMag they’ve already placed orders for the service in the hope it’ll offer a significant upgrade over the dismal internet speeds they’re currently receiving.
“I’ve been waiting a long time, and am taking a chance,” one user on Reddit told PCMag. He also noted Starlink’s Best Effort Tier allows a subscriber to pause and unpause the service at any time, meaning he can stop paying if the broadband quality fails to meet his expectations.
“No one in my surrounding area has Starlink that I am aware of so hopefully I get a good experience…..or I could just be one of these people, who switch from ‘excited for upcoming thing’ to ‘complaining about it’ when they get it,” the user added.