Do You Qualify for the $80 Starlink Residential Lite Plan?

Starlink is now offering a more affordable internet plan in select areas for $80 per month. This Residential Lite plan is down from the $120 per month for its regular Residential plan, which is 33 percent cheaper but deprioritized. Starlink claims customers of Residential Lite can expect download speeds between 50 to 100Mbps, which is a significant drop from the typical download speed of 150 to 250Mbps.

“This service plan will be deprioritized compared to Residential service during peak hours,” according to Starlink’s post on the new plan. “This means speeds may be slower for Residential Lite service relative to Residential service when our network has the most users online.”

Peak hours are typically in the evening, when fellow customers in your area are also connecting to the web and using bandwidth.

Residential Lite has been available in international markets, but this is the first time it’s been offered in the U.S. As of March 1, the Residential Lite plan is available in 15 states, with a handful of populated areas in those states excluded. 

Starlink hasn’t indicated why these states are the only ones eligible for the discount, but it likely has to do with available bandwidth in those areas. Starlink tends to discount its equipment and plans in areas where there’s excess bandwidth and charge more or pause sales in places with congestion. According to Starlink’s map, areas surrounding populated metro areas such as Helena, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City can only receive the regular-priced Residential plan.

Other than speed and price, Residential and Residential Lite have similar specifications, including unlimited data and the same equipment. Customers on either plan can switch between the plans at any time as long as they’re still available in the region.