Some Starlink customers have cancelled their preorders after paying a $100 deposit
Saturday, October 16, 2021 | Chimniii Desk
In February, John Duran paid a $100 deposit to secure Starlink and replace his "poor service that is as good as having nothing," he told Insider. Elon Musk announced in April that Starlink would be mobile before the end of the year. SpaceX had stated that the global chip scarcity was causing a delay in the production of the Starlink user terminals - the dishes that connect to the 1,639 orbiting satellites. Numerous other Starlink consumers contacted Insider to express their dissatisfaction with the service after paying a deposit earlier this year. Some have stated that they want to cancel their Starlink pre-order if they do not hear from SpaceX in the near future.
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In February, John Duran paid a $100 deposit to secure Starlink and replace his "poor service that is as good as having nothing," he told Insider.
Duran, who is stationed in Montana, cancelled his Starlink preorder in September after months of no communication or updates from Starlink. He stated that he would prefer not to.
"I'm not angry, just disappointed," Duran remarked, who is presently utilising his phone's mobile hotspot to connect to Verizon's internet service. "To be honest, I didn't want to cancel."
He is not the only Starlink customer who has been so frustrated with the wait for satellite internet connection that he has cancelled his deposit.
In a confirmation email, SpaceX informed users that the beta version of the service would be available in their area between mid- and late-2021. Musk stated that the service is planned to exit beta testing in October, thus expanding the network and enabling more individuals to use Starlink.
Customers have told Insider that they have not heard from SpaceX since paying the refundable deposit and are unsure when they will receive the Starlink equipment.
In September, Starlink consumers expressed frustration with the inability to contact or email Starlink customer service for updates.
Customers who cancelled their deposits in this article received a full return from Starlink. They confirmed their Starlink purchase and cancellation by email to Insider.
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SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
"There are many more user terminals than satellites," Hans Koenigsmann, a former SpaceX vice president and the company's fourth technical employee, told Insider in an interview on Wednesday.
Ilker Temir, who lives on a sailboat off the coast of Seattle, also placed an order for Starlink in February.
Temir now uses Comcast cable to connect to the marina's internet, but he was hoping to replace it with Starlink. He cancelled since he was unable to contact Starlink for updates and clarifications regarding his unusual living arrangement.
SpaceX applied to the Federal Communications Commission in March for permission to connect Starlink to moving vehicles such as ships, planes, and trucks. Elon Musk announced in April that Starlink would be mobile before the end of the year.
Temir stated that all he received was a "meaningless statement on their app indicating that service would be available in my location in late 2021."
SpaceX had stated that the global chip scarcity was causing a delay in the production of the Starlink user terminals - the dishes that connect to the 1,639 orbiting satellites.
"There is a global competition for chips," said James Yenbamroong, CEO and creator of mu Space, a satellite internet service provider. "We're experiencing a chip scarcity for Starlink since the chips in their user terminals are manufactured on the same line as electronics and automotive chips."
Ben Mills, an Idaho resident, told Insider that he paid $100 in April to secure a Starlink deposit but, like Temir and Duran, received no response from the company.
"I began to suspect that I had sent my money to a scammer and that the Starlink website was a forgery," he explained.
Mills has since joined Hughes Net, despite his attempts to avoid them.
Numerous other Starlink consumers contacted Insider to express their dissatisfaction with the service after paying a deposit earlier this year. Some have stated that they want to cancel their Starlink pre-order if they do not hear from SpaceX in the near future.
The service is still available to a "limited number of users" in the places where it is now offered, and "orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis," according to Starlink's website.
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Source: Business Insider