(Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
SpaceX has lifted the Starlink waitlist in every market where the satellite internet service is available. "No more waiting for high-speed internet," the company tweeted.
On Thursday, the Starlink X account posted a map that appears to have erased all the waitlisted sections around the globe. The exception is Ukraine, where Starlink access has become more regulated to block illegal use by Russian soldiers and drones.
Last year, SpaceX removed the waitlist for the US. But elsewhere, the waitlist has popped up and lingered in parts of Africa, a section of Mexico, along with Jamaica, where Starlink was previously listed as “sold out” only a month ago.
The company appears to be preparing to increase Starlink’s subscriber base even more. It is looking to hire growth leads in 10 US states when Starlink is already aggressively offering discounts, perks, and even cheaper monthly plans to try and lure more consumers.
Starlink appears to have just topped 10 million active users after hitting 9 million in December. On Wednesday, Elon Chron posted a photo on X of a box that says, "Thank you for connecting 10 million Starlink customers." Inside were "commemorative Starlink-branded boxes of chocolate to team members," writes S.E. Robinson, Jr.
Lifting the waitlist paves the way for more user growth. But it can also lead to network congestion, and thus slower speeds, in areas already full of subscribers. That’s likely why SpaceX revived the waitlist in 2024 for certain parts of the US. The satellite internet service has been particularly popular in rural and remote areas lacking access to high-speed fiber.
Although SpaceX is lifting the waitlist globally, the company can sometimes impose a one-time “demand surcharge” to prevent taking on too many new customers and overloading the network. In parts of Alaska and Washington state, the extra fee can reach a staggering $1,500.
The demand surcharge can also appear in foreign markets including Argentina, Mexico, and the UK. In other countries, such as Jamaica, Starlink appears to be forcing new customers to sign up for the business-focused “Priority” plans, which feature a cap on the monthly data.