Starlink users give their verdict on SpaceX customer service – Business Insider

Starlink users gave Insider mixed responses about the speed and effectiveness of SpaceX's customer support team when they ran into problems.

Some users said Starlink's help was quick but others experienced delays, leading to cancellations of the satellite internet service.

Since the launch of its beta test in October, Starlink has accumulated more than 10,000 users worldwide and operates in more than six countries. SpaceX has more than 1,200 satellites in orbit but the goal is to have up to 42,000 by mid-2027.

Starlink's beta test is called the "Better Than Nothing" beta and SpaceX warned users in an initial email to expect speeds to range between 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) and 150 Mpbs.

Although users told Insider that setting up the kit is very easy, it's still possible to run into problems with connectivity.

Rayce Townsend, who is based in Montana, contacted the Starlink team twice via email. He wanted to know whether he could take the kit to Texas and install it there. Starlink told Townsend the service wasn't yet mobile but he could reapply in Texas for the future.

Townsend said the response was "quick, friendly and thorough." So far, he's found Starlink "trouble-free."

Starlink box with the instructions on top. Rayce Townsend

Dan Ventrudo from Northern Ontario, Canada, said he contacted customer service twice about the connection and they were also quick to respond. "My only wish is that [Starlink] was a bit cheaper," he said.

But Jim Glassford from Michigan wasn't impressed.

He told Insider: "One thing we were not aware of is the distance restriction for the satellite dish and the power supply. The nearest unobstructed location from the house was about 300 feet and you cannot extend the 100 foot long cable included."

Glassford got in touch with customer support but it took a week for them to respond. After a bad experience, "we had to cancel," he said. It'll cost him $130 to send the kit back to Starlink.

When Gary Konkol from Wisconsin came across technical problems with the power box, Starlink customer support assisted him over several days of emailing. He said it was helpful but there were long delays between messages.

SpaceX didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment about long delays from its customer service team.

Tom Gooch from Montana said: "I have not needed to contact Starlink customer service. Everything has run flawlessly since I started it up."

"Elon Musk has a reputation for doing things well and it appears that holds true with Starlink," Gooch added.

Dish in rural Montana. Tom Gooch

Have you got any Starlink tips? Get in touch with this reporter via email: kduffy@insider.com

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Starlink users give their verdict on SpaceX customer service - Business Insider