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If you subscribed to but later dropped Starlink, SpaceX might try to lure you back with a freebie.
The company is offering one month of free Starlink service to select customers who cancelled their satellite internet subscription. “We're inviting you to try Starlink again—free until September 30,” says a SpaceX email sent to subscribers in Australia, Europe, Canada, and the US.
The email adds: “This free service applies only to your canceled service line(s).” An official Starlink support page also notes: "This free service until September 30th is only available to canceled or suspended Starlink service lines (UTs) that received an official email from Starlink."
(Credit: Reddit user liam_bowers)Although Starlink is known for bringing high-speed broadband to rural and remote areas, there can be a variety of reasons why a user drops the service. For some, the pause is only temporary because their Starlink dish is used intermittently for RV or camping trips.
Other users might have quit for alternatives because Starlink has drawbacks. In the US, the Starlink residential plan is a pricey $120 per month, and the network can experience congestion if your area is already full of existing subscribers.
However, the email from SpaceX notes that SpaceX has launched over 2,300 new satellites over the past year to help Starlink deliver faster speeds and lower latency. The message also points out new upgrades, including a recent “beam switching technology” update that can help a Starlink dish work better under tree cover.
SpaceX is offering a free month of service as it looks to attract more users — often through discounts. Last month, SpaceX took the rare step of reducing the monthly fee for Starlink for new subscribers in the US. Prior to this, the company was offering the dish hardware for free to customers in certain areas.
If you know a current Starlink user, meanwhile, they can send you a referral for a free month of service. If you sign up and activate an account, they'll get a free month, too.
In July, SpaceX revealed that Starlink had increased to over 2 million active customers in the US, up from 1.4 million about a year ago, when its growth showed signs of slowing. Globally, the satellite internet service hit a new milestone last month, reaching 7 million users. Starlink is available in over 150 countries.