'Better see a discount...': Angry users demand Musk refund their money after Starlink goes down

Starlink is down, and users are not happy. Elon Musk charges people colossal amounts of money for the internet service, and so people are angry to see outages, slow connection and even total blackouts. According to Downdetector, a site that monitors online outages, SpaceX's Starlink started having problems around 3 pm ET. In the United States, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle witnessed widespread disruptions, as per a live outage map. People in other countries also reported problems with Starlink. This includes Australia, Canada, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and several other countries across South America and Europe. Starlink currently has more than six million active users worldwide, and charges $80 to $120, depending on the plan. Users are asking Musk for refunds because they are paying exorbitant amounts precisely for something like this not to happen. "Hope there’s a big refund coming. You charge top dollar so this s*** doesn’t happen!" a user wrote. Also Read: Elon Musk’s Starlink clears another hurdle with Indian Govt; many more to go

Starlink confirmed the outages in a post on X, stating, "Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution. We appreciate your patience. We'll share an update once this issue is resolved." Starlink also lets users access the network while on the go with its Roam plans, which are even more costly. Prices start from $50 and can go up to $165 per month. The Starlink kit costs $349 plus shipping. So that's a whole lot of money for the internet. Starlink is also launching in India soon, and this unexpected outage might affect its numbers in the country. Another user told Starlink that it "owes everyone a refund for today". "...better see a discount on that next bill, or we will have issues you failed to provide your service."

Starlink in India

People in India who want to enjoy Starlink services will have to whip out a kickass amount of money. The initial hardware cost itself will go as high as Rs 33,000 for the Standard Kit. Users will get a dish, router and other cables needed for the connection. Monthly plans will range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,200. Starlink is expected to start operations in India around August, following its license receipt in early June. Users can get a free trial on high-speed satellite internet for a month with each device purchase to test it out before deciding to dole out large sums of money. Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite constellation promises to reach remote and rural locations, which traditional networks have found hard to penetrate.

Musk's plans for Starlink on Mars

This outage comes as a huge challenge for Musk, who plans on using the network on Mars someday. In May, the billionaire talked about SpaceX's strategy to colonise Mars, with Starlink a crucial component. He announced that SpaceX will send Starlink satellites to the red planet for those who wish to live on the neighbouring planet.