For many residents of rural Spain or areas where fiber optic internet seems a distant dream, the arrival of SpaceX's satellite network was a game-changer. However, what began as an increasingly affordable option has taken an unexpected turn that will require us to dig a little deeper into our pockets. If you were thinking of switching to Elon Musk's internet, the entry cost has just risen considerably due to a change in the company's business strategy in Spain.
The news has come as a shock to potential customers, as the operator has decided to eliminate the option of purchasing the necessary equipment for the connection. Instead, they've implemented what they call a monthly equipment fee, meaning you'll have to pay an extra €10 each month as long as you keep the service active. This move represents a paradigm shift, moving from a model of ownership or free equipment to a perpetual rental that inflates the final bill.
These are the new prices after the change in conditions
Adding this new rental concept to plans that had already undergone previous adjustments results in somewhat staggering figures compared to what we were paying just a few months ago. For example, the basic 100 Mb/s Residential plan, which could recently be contracted for a very competitive price, now costs €45 per month . This represents an increase of more than 55% compared to the lowest rates we saw last year, setting the entry barrier at a much higher level for Spanish households.
If you need more power for working from home or streaming high-resolution content, the higher-speed options have also seen their prices skyrocket. The 200 Mbps plan now costs €55 per month, while the fastest 400 Mbps connection reaches €75 . It's important to note that even if you pay this extra monthly fee, the antenna and router will never be yours to keep. So, if you decide to cancel your service in the future, you'll have to return the entire kit to the company.
Depending on the speed you choose, the hardware you receive at home varies, even though the rental price is exactly the same. For the most basic plan, Starlink sends the Mini Router, designed for spaces up to 204 square meters. However, the higher-performance plans include the Gen 3 Router with WiFi 6 technology, which offers wider coverage, and the most expensive option comes with a repeater to ensure the signal reaches every corner of your home.
What if you were already a Starlink customer?
One of the biggest concerns among the user community was whether this price increase would apply equally to everyone. Fortunately, it seems that current customers will retain their previous terms and won't have to pay the additional €10. The measure is focused exclusively on new sign-ups, so if you already have your antenna installed and working, you can breathe easy, at least for now. However, be careful if you cancel your service and then try to reconnect later, because the new rules would apply.
The price of the antenna has been a real rollercoaster ride since the service launched in Spain back in 2022. We started with hardware costs nearing €500, which then rose to over €600, before dropping to the recent price of €349. Now, with the complete elimination of the purchase option , Starlink aims to lower the initial outlay, but at the cost of a monthly fee that, in the long run, ends up being much more expensive for users planning a long-term subscription.
This tightening of conditions comes at a curious time, just as other satellite internet alternatives or 5G satellite connections in rural Spain are starting to emerge with more aggressive pricing. Although Starlink remains technologically a step ahead in latency and stability, this indirect price increase levels the playing field with local competitors who are now once again attractive to those watching their budget.
The current reality for any new user interested in SpaceX technology is that the monthly bill has become heavier and less flexible. What was once a simple, straightforward flat rate now includes fine print in the form of a mandatory rental fee that increases the annual cost by an additional €120 without any improvement in speed or signal quality. Only time will tell if this strategy of increasing revenue per customer works for Elon Musk or if, on the contrary, it ends up driving away those looking for an affordable way to stay connected outside of cities.