SpaceX Starlink now has a data cap of up to 1 terabyte (TB). After this, residential users of the satellite internet might start getting slower speeds. However, they could pay more to go beyond the newly set data cap.
(Photo : BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, speaks during the Satellite 2020 at the Washington Convention CenterMarch 9, 2020, in Washington, DC.
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, speaks during the Satellite 2020 at the Washington Convention CenterMarch 9, 2020, in Washington, DC.
Besides the new data cap, Starlink also revised its advertised internet speeds, which are now slower than before.
SpaceX's Starlink Internet Now Has Data Cap
As per the latest news story by Tech Crunch, the SpaceX Starlink satellite internet has been offering unlimited browsing since it debuted. So if its users doomscroll on Twitter or binge-watch movies on Netflix endlessly, they could do so without worrying about any data cap.
But those days are now over, and the Elon Musk-led firm, Starlink, has reached out to its customers to introduce a new data cap policy.
In an email to its users based in Canada or the United States, the satellite internet service sent out an updated version of its "Fair-Use" policy. It further explains how the new data cap of Starlink applies to its residential customers.
According to a recent report by PC Mag, SpaceX introduced a 1TB data cap to its Starlink customers. And the latest move seeks to address the worsening network congestion as more folks are enjoying the low-latency wireless service.
Read Also: Starlink Can Be Used As Alternative to Traditional GPS Even Without SpaceX's Blessing
What Happens After Exceeding 1TB?
The "Fair Use" policy of the Musk-led satellite internet service reveals that its subscribers are getting their hands on a 1TB of so-called "Priority Access" every month. And as such, every month, users could only use that much internet before they lose the highest speeds possible. However, the data cap renews every month.
PC Mag explains that when users have gone over the 1TB cap, they would start to experience what Starlink dubs "Basic Access." And from there, the tech firm could start trolling its speeds. But it is worth noting that the internet speed only slows down when the network begins to be congested.
(Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket sits on launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center as it is prepared for tomorrow's lift-off on February 5, 2018 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket, which is the most powerful rocket in the world, is scheduled to make its maiden flight between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. tomorrow.
The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket sits on launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center as it is prepared for tomorrow's lift-off on February 5, 2018 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket, which is the most powerful rocket in the world, is scheduled to make its maiden flight between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. tomorrow.
The tech website notes that the new policy would heavily affect users who are living in locations that continuously see heavy traffic. It comes as it is more likely that their internet speeds would get throttled after the cap to avoid network congestion.
It turns out, though, that only roughly 10% of Starlink customers use the internet that exceeds 1TB in a month.
Well, at that rate, they must be streaming 4K videos most of the time and downloading several games now and then. But if you are like most of the rest, you do not have to worry about this new policy.
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Written by Teejay Boris
