(Credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX is hitting the brakes on bundling its Router Mini and Starlink Mini dish as a free perk for residential subscribers, citing a surge in customers wanting to take advantage of the deal.
SpaceX quietly mentioned the delay on Starlink.com. It comes after the company introduced a new Residential Max plan for the US with the hardware perks.
Max is primarily a rebrand of the standard Residential plan for Starlink. It's still $120 per month, but to boost the plan's appeal, SpaceX is also offering subscribers the Gen 3 Wi-Fi router and a complimentary Router Mini, which normally costs $40 and can be used as a mesh device. Residential Max also includes a free Starlink Mini rental; it usually costs $299.
The new perks are drawing attention. “We’re currently experiencing high demand for complimentary Router Minis. As a result, there may be a short delay before eligible customers are able to claim or receive one,” the company wrote on a support page.
Last week, some (but not all) customers who were switched over to the Max plan reported receiving an email about claiming the Mini dish, too.
A support page now says: “(Update: January 16th): Due to high demand, we’ve experienced a brief delay in sending redemption emails to eligible Residential Max customers. Emails to eligible customers will begin going out over the next few days.”
SpaceX revamped its Starlink plan lineup last week, likely to spark more growth in the US, where the company already has over 2 million subscribers. The overhaul includes bringing back Residential 100Mbps, Starlink’s cheapest home internet plan. To ensure it has enough hardware, SpaceX aims to double the output at its Starlink factory in Bastrop, Texas.