(PCMag/Brian Westover)
If you’re interested in SpaceX’s "free" Starlink Mini dish perk, prepare for a month-long wait.
In January, the company began widely offering the deal as part of its rebranded $120-per-month Residential Max plan. But demand for the Mini dish is high, so the company is now warning users about shipping delays of up to four weeks.
The company quietly mentioned the delay on a support page updated last Friday. “Due to high demand, Mini kits may take up [to] 4 weeks to ship. You may notice the order says ‘Pending’ in your account portal. Don't worry, we're working on fulfilling these as soon as possible,” it says.
(Credit: Starlink.com)The Mini dish offer is available to new and existing subscribers on the Starlink Residential plan, which was rebranded as Residential Max earlier this year. Normally $249, the Starlink Mini, which is about the size of a laptop, lets you access satellite internet on the go.
Customers who sign up for Residential Max should receive an email about the Starlink Mini offer within one to two days. Click the "Claim Free Mini Rental" button in the email to redeem it. SpaceX already warned of a "short delay" in sending out emails and orders back in January; that has now expanded to several weeks.
If you don't get the redemption email, SpaceX suggests reaching out to the Starlink Chatbot to request the email. "Our system will resend it within 1-2 days.”
Although SpaceX describes the Mini dish offer as free, it’s actually a rental. If you cancel Residential Max, you'll have to return the dish or pay for it. The other catch is that the Mini dish requires US subscribers to add the Starlink Roam plan or Standby Mode, an extra monthly fee.