Top 100,000 Starlink RV customers amid network congestion issues

SpaceX revealed it now has more than 100,000 customers using its Starlink RV, which requires no waiting list for its satellite Internet service.

The company tweeted the News(Opens in a new window) on Wednesday. The increase in customers means SpaceX has added 70,000 users to Starlink RV since four months ago, when the service had 30,000 orders.

Tweet(Opens in a new window)

The 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 in their homes similar to standard Starlink home service.

The other appeal is how customers can get instant access to Starlink RV once they pay. Starlink residential service, on the other hand, usually requires the customer to go through a waiting list system if the surrounding area is already full of existing Starlink customers. As such, Starlink RV has become a way for US customers to get fast satellite Internet service in exchange for paying a higher monthly cost of $135, instead of $110.

However, the development of the Starlink RV has raised concerns about capacity. In recent months, Starlink speeds have been dropping across the US, likely due to network congestion from too many users accessing the network.

It’s unclear where Starlink RV development is happening. But to deal with congestion, SpaceX may slow down Internet speeds for Starlink RV users and prioritize residential customers. The company is also working to launch thousands of additional Starlink satellites into Earth orbit to improve the service’s capacity and speeds.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also states that the Starlink RV could be renamed to better describe its capabilities. In a tweet(Opens in a new window), noted: “We might need a different name as this is basically just Starlink with roaming so you can take your terminal anywhere.” However, SpaceX has yet to officially power Starlink RV into a moving car, despite FCC approval.

Meanwhile, the Starlink service, in total, has more than 700,000 customers worldwide, according to(Opens in a new window) in a September report of the French newspaper Le Monde. Another 700,000 customers remain on the waiting list.