(Credit: Starlink)
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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.
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.