Starlink has a massive demand among people living in remote areas without any decent internet connection.
But it has not deployed enough satellites to meet the enormous demand.
That’s why Starlink has a long waitlist.
When you order a Starlink connection, you must wait months or years before you can get the connection.
This post is for you if you are looking for alternative ways to get a Starlink connection.
This post will guide you through the different ways to skip the waitlist on the Starlink connection.
So keep reading the post till the end.
Why Is The Starlink Waiting List So Long?
Starlink is a satellite internet connection. Typical satellite internet connections use geostationary satellites deployed at high altitudes.
Geostationary satellites move at the same speed as the Earth. The advantage is that user terminals or dishes can keep connected to the same satellite.
But as geostationary satellites are placed at high altitudes, the signal needs to travel a long distance, resulting in increased latency and slow internet.
Starlink avoids the cons of geostationary satellites by using low Earth orbit satellites.
Low Earth orbit satellites are placed at low altitudes, so the signal does not need to travel a long distance. It makes Starlink’s internet fast and snappy.
Activities requiring low latency internet, like online gaming, were impractical on satellite internet. But that’s changed now due to Starlink.
However, when a satellite is placed at a low altitude, it cannot move at the same speed as the Earth. That’s why Starlink dishes need to connect to multiple satellites every day.
Also, Starlink must deploy a specific number of satellites to ensure at least one satellite remains within the range of a Starlink dish. If the minimum number of satellites does not cover an area, Starlink internet will frequently lose connection. Even if the minimum number of satellites exists over a place, it can only serve a fixed number of users.
Once the number of Starlink users in the area reaches a certain point, the satellites reach their capacity, and new users cannot get service.
Starlink needs to deploy about 42000 satellites to serve the internet to the entire globe. Currently, it has deployed around 3000. Though Starlink regularly deploys new satellites, it is not an easy task and requires a lengthy process.
It is the main reason why Starlink is available only in some selected regions. It will take many years to deploy the target number of satellites.
In broadband internet, expanding connectivity to new regions requires establishing new towers and connecting the areas through wires.
But new satellites need to be deployed to expand satellite internet like Starlink, which takes significantly more time and effort. That’s why Starlink internet has such long waiting lists.
Starlink is continuously deploying satellites, so even though it will take a long time, the whole globe will be covered by a constellation of satellites.
Satellites are connected to the internet through ground stations, which are also limited in number. Starlink has yet to complete the required number of ground stations.
Also, getting regulatory approval is a fact. Deploying satellites on low Earth orbits over a region requires regulatory approval of the area or country.
Getting regulatory approval takes quite some time, and sometimes there are legal barriers to cross.
All things considered, it will take a while before Starlink reaches its full potential. These facts combined are making the Starlink waiting list long. Some users must wait for more than a year on the waitlist to get a Starlink connection.
Meanwhile, Starlink decides to only give connections in regions where satellites are available.
The Starlink website has an interactive map on their website (link), which shows the region where Starlink is available, on the waitlist and coming soon (aka unavailable).
Follow our guide step-by-step to find out if Starlink is available in your area.
How To Skip The Starlink Waitlist
Being a part of SpaceX, Starlink has an enormous hype behind it. Also, it uses low Earth orbit satellites, making satellite internet significantly better and faster.
There is no doubt Starlink is quite popular, especially among those living in rural and remote areas. These areas do not have decent broadband internet, so Starlink is a breath of fresh air for people living in remote areas.
Hence there are a lot of people trying to get a Starlink connection.
However, Starlink has not finished building the constellation of satellites, so it cannot fulfill all the connection requests it gets.
Only places with the required number of satellites available are getting a Starlink connection. Starlink is deploying more satellites every month and extending its service area.
So while your area does not come under Starlink internet coverage, you will be on the waitlist.
But there are three workarounds if you are tired of being on the waitlist for a long time or do not want to be on the waitlist.
Before we get into the workarounds, remember that Starlink can change the Terms and Conditions or policies at any time, making the workarounds useless.
Follow the methods below to skip the Starlink waiting list:
1. Get Starlink RV
Starlink RV is the new portable Starlink plan. Compared to a residential plan where Starlink is only active on a fixed location, Starlink RV can be used in any area with Starlink satellites available.
Starlink RV was introduced for people going on a long trip or living in the RV. Usually, such people have to depend on mobile data, which has a data cap and is expensive.
Starlink RV lets its users carry the Starlink kit and use it at any location where Starlink serves the internet. The downside of using Starlink RV is it costs more than the Starlink residential plan, and you get deprioritized speeds during peak hours.
If you are okay with these downsides, you can order Starlink RV and get it instantly. Unlike Starlink’s residential plan, Starlink RV does not have a waitlist.
If your area is under Starlink coverage but does not have enough satellites, Starlink limits the number of users, putting you on the waitlist.
Check the Starlink availability map to ensure your area is under Starlink coverage. Then order Starlink RV, and you will get the connection instantly (even though residential connections are on the waitlist for the same region).
Also, check out our separate post on does Starlink internet have data caps or limits.
2. Get a used Starlink dish
Starlink allows the user to transfer the dish ownership to others. As such, you can look and find someone willing to sell the dish and transfer access.
To transfer a dish to another person, the owner of the dish needs to submit a transfer request to Starlink. Starlink will then review the transfer request.
If the transfer request is approved, the owner can sell/give the Starlink dish to you. Usually, Starlink approves the transfer request even if your area is at capacity, but it’s not guaranteed.
3. Look for the Best Effort offer
Starlink came up with the Best Effort plan for those on the waitlist for a long time.
There is no doing on your side to get the Best Effort plan. Starlink will send offers through email to selected people on the pre-order list. If you have pre-ordered a Starlink connection and are on the waitlist for a long time, you might get the Best Effort offer even if your area is at capacity.
So regularly check for the email from Starlink on the provided email address.
The Best Effort plan is similar to the Starlink RV. The Best Effort subscription is more expensive than the Starlink residential plan but cheaper ($110) than the Starlink RV ($135). Best Effort also has a pause feature, as the Starlink RV does. With the pause feature, you can pause using Starlink when there’s no need to save some money.
Like the Starlink RV, the Best Effort plan also has deprioritized speeds during peak hours. It means that Starlink will prioritize the residential users over Best Effort users during peak hours. So Best Effort users might get slower speeds than expected.
However, the significant advantage of the Best Effort plan is that once Starlink increases the capacity in your area, the Best Effort plan will be upgraded into the residential plan. So unlike getting Starlink RV, you get more of a permanent solution in the Best Effort plan.
Go and check our other article on Starlink for gaming-is it good or bad.
How Long Is The Waiting List For Starlink?
When Starlink first launched its Beta in October 2020, many people were excited about the new technology Starlink was bringing. As days went by, the excitement and hype increased as many great reviews came in from the early adopters.
Internet connections in rural and remote areas are unreliable and not up to the mark. Starlink changes the scene by bringing in quality internet in such places. Many people want to get rid of the DSL and traditional satellite internet for their low performance.
But due to how Starlink works, the number of users it can serve depends on the number of satellites and ground stations available. As Starlink is not close to finishing building up the constellation of satellites, most regions that Starlink covers are at capacity.
As such, people wanting to get a connection in those places are put on the waiting list.
With time, the demand for Starlink connections increased, pushing the waitlist further. Now people need to wait a couple of months to a full year before they can finally get their Starlink connection.
Some of the workarounds to waiting such a long time is to get Starlink RV, transfer ownership or hope for the Best Effort offer, as detailed above.
Also check our exclusive tutorial on can you cancel Starlink internet anytime.
Final Thoughts
There is a long waitlist before you can get the Starlink connection.
If you are tired of the long wait times, you can get a Starlink RV instead, which has no wait times (but costs more and is deprioritized). Getting a used Starlink dish through transferring ownership is also an option.
Starlink recently launched the Best Effort plan for those waiting on the waitlist for a long time, but you have to get selected by Starlink to get the plan.
