Starlink RV Customers Top 100,000 Amid Network Congestion Woes
SpaceX has revealed that it now has more than 100,000 customers tapping into Starlink RV, which requires no waitlist for the satellite internet service.
The company tweeted out the news(Opens in a new window) on Wednesday. The customer growth means SpaceX added 70,000 users to Starlink RV from four months ago when the service had 30,000 orders.
Starlink RV has been marketed as a way to use SpaceX’s satellite internet service on road trips or while camping. However, customers can also use Starlink RV at their homes similar to the standard residential Starlink service.
The other appeal is how customers can receive immediate access to Starlink RV once they pay up. The residential Starlink service, on other hand, usually requires the customer to go through a waitlist system if their surrounding area is already full of existing Starlink customers. Hence, Starlink RV has become a way for US customers to quickly receive the satellite internet service in exchange for paying a higher $135 monthly cost, instead of $110.
However, the growth of Starlink RV has caused concerns about capacity. In recent months, Starlink speeds have decreased across the US, likely due to network congestion from too many users accessing the network.
It’s unclear where Starlink RV growth is occurring. But to address the congestion, SpaceX can slow down internet speeds for Starlink RV users and prioritize residential customers. The company is also working to launch thousands of additional Starlink satellites in Earth’s orbit to improve the service’s capacity and speeds.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is also indicating Starlink RV could undergo a name change to better describe its capabilities. In a tweet(Opens in a new window), he noted: “We might need a
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