Starlink gets aggressive with free gear for new broadband customers

It looks like Starlink is striving to gain market share for its home broadband offering, both across the U.S. and globally. On April 28, Starlink announced in a post on X that it is offering its broadband equipment for free when customers sign up for a 12-month residential plan. Normally, the startup cost would be $349, so this is a significant contribution from the company. Customers who receive the free equipment must commit to a 1-year plan, and they can choose from one of two residential options. An $80 per month “residential lite” tier offers speeds between 50-100 Mbps, and a $120 per month tier offers speeds of 250 Mbps. The offer is only available where Starlink has excess capacity, which is about half the U.S., according to its coverage map. In several places in the U.S., Starlink’s residential plan is waitlisted.