If you live in a rural or remote area, you likely already know how difficult it is to get a good internet connection. Most rural internet providers are devastatingly slow and typically expensive. Starlink's standard plan has become a lifesaver for those without decent rural internet options, but the hefty up-front cost of equipment, $349, and the monthly rate of $120 make Starlink an unaffordable option for many families in rural areas.
Now, if you've been looking for a chance to try Starlink, a new plan that knocks 33% off the standard monthly subscription price. But of course, there's a trade-off.
Starlink Residential Lite reduces the monthly cost of Starlink from $120 to $80 in select areas. That's a $40 discount for customers in 30 US states, making it one of the most significant price drops we've seen from Starlink yet. While Residential still offers unlimited data, its download speeds are slower -- about 45 to 130 megabits per second. That speed might be enough for everyday browsing and streaming, but it won't match the performance of Starlink's standard plan.
Locating local internet providers
Still, if you're in one of the eligible states and need reliable rural internet access without paying top-tier prices, this lighter plan could be exactly what you've been waiting for.
The Residential Lite plan at $80 a month is now available in 30 states. Starlink
The less expensive plan has some caveats. It's half the speed of the Residential plan, which boasts download speeds of 100 to 270Mbps. In addition, Starlink acknowledges that Residential Lite plans will be the first to be deprioritized, which may result in lower speeds during peak hours.
Locating local internet providers
"This service plan will be deprioritized compared to Residential service during peak hours," Starlink says. "This means speeds may be slower for Residential Lite service relative to Residential service when our network has the most users online."
Peak hours are generally between 6 to 11 p.m. on weekdays. That's right around when everyone finishes work and school and sits down to eat dinner, play video games or watch some Netflix before bed. Starlink says its network is a "finite resource" until the company can reach a peak number of Starlink satellites. Thus, Residential Lite subscribers may experience slow internet speeds if enough people are online.
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