Starlink has registered such steady growth and success that there’s a Starlink waiting list, years after it was officially launched.
Some users in cells with higher population densities, especially on the East Coast, Midwest, and South, are put on the Starlink waitlist after paying the $99 deposit.
The Starlink waiting list is bound to get shorter towards the end of 2023 or the first quarter of 2024.
However, use these surefire workarounds to skip the waiting list
- Get Starlink ROAM
- Get Starlink Business
- Sign up for Best Effort Service
- Get a used Starlink Residential kit
We’ll answer your questions and explore practical solutions to get you faster access.
What Is The Starlink Waiting List?
Starlink generated massive buzz when it launched its first operational satellites in 2019.
Its premise of providing reliable satellite to people in primarily rural and underserved locations was popular.
Therefore, the intake was massive.
However, Starlink couldn’t handle all the orders and get everyone on the priority Residential plan.
The solution? Interested users had to pay a $99 deposit and get on a list while waiting for coverage in their area.
The Starlink waitlist applies primarily to Starlink Residential and Business subscribers.
Although there are no official numbers, estimates for the waiting list range between 500,000 and 1 million users in the U.S. alone.
However, Starlink is firm on its commitment to clear the waiting list.
How Long Is The Starlink Waiting List?
The Starlink waitlist estimate is between 500,000 and 1 million pending users. Wait time varies according to the population of an area.
However, here’s the good news.
You don’t have to wait too long compared to when Starlink launched a few years ago.
The venture has other avenues to use as you wait to get bumped up into the priority residential plan.
In the meantime, you can check Starlink’s availability on your smartphone app.
The coverage map tells you the areas most suitable for Starlink full access and the locations viable for pre-order and the waitlist.
Also, you can check your area on the coverage map to see Starlink’s availability.
Typically, the light blue shade indicates the area is available. The deepest shade shows the location is unavailable but will soon be covered. The lighter dark blue is a waitlist area.
How To Get On Starlink Waiting List
Map showing city coverage of internet spots
It’s safe to say you would prefer to get Starlink immediately after you order rather than get on the waiting list.
However, if you’re in a waitlist area, you most likely will end up on the list.
Here’s how you can get on the Starlink waiting list.
- Check the Starlink coverage map on the Starlink app to see availability.
- Enter your address on the Starlink website
- Click ORDER NOW. You will get either of these two messages
- Starlink is currently available in your area!
- Order now to reserve your Starlink.
You will get on the Starlink internet waiting list if the service is not immediately available in your area.
- Pay a $99 deposit to secure your spot on the waiting list. Starlink gives you a one-week grace period to pay the deposit. They will cancel your order if you fail to pay within the grace period, causing you to restart the process.
Here are some vital waitlist tips to note.
- Ensure your home address or code is exact. Ambiguous location data could lead you to be placed in a different cell, which might depreciate the level of internet service and place you further down the waiting list.
- Maintain your service address. The service address is vital for receiving Starlink mail, staying within the designated service cell, and coverage.
- Check the main, preferably every two weeks. However, maintain your regular mail collection schedule if you do it frequently.
How Long Do I Have To Wait For Starlink?
Starlink wait time depends on whether the service is available in your area or if you are on the pre-order list.
Starlink does give you an estimate of when you should receive service when you place the pre-order. They will give you the message below.
Starlink expects to expand service in your area in (a period between 6-8 weeks*).
* The period may vary depending on the length of the waitlist in your area. For instance, some areas where users applied in 2021 received service in mid-2022.
Starlink customer support will alert you when your package is almost ready. It gives you time to prepare yourself to pay the equipment fee for the full residential plan.
If you are in line to receive the package immediately after ordering, it will take about two weeks or less. Still, the support team will let you know when to expect the package.
How To Get Starlink Faster
We understand uncertain waiting times can drag your home operations or business when you’re on the Starlink waiting list.
Therefore, we recommend using the methods below to get Starlink faster.
Get Starlink RV/ROAM
Starlink RV is a smart plan that allows you to use Starlink on the road. It comes with a standard kit, and you don’t need a permanent fixed address to get it.
You can get it anywhere as long as the area has coverage.
Moreover, Starlink ROAM is available immediately.
Here’s the drawback, though.
You might not get priority service when there’s network congestion during peak hours. You might get lower speeds and higher latency.
But your speeds can normalize once the network is less congested during off-peak hours.
Once you confirm your permanent area is covered and ready for immediate Starlink deployment, you can pause Starlink ROAM.
Sign up for Starlink Best Effort Service
Starlink Best Effort Service is a deprioritized service that gives you internet access at lower speeds during peak times.
It is a neat hack that immediately lets you receive your Starlink package in areas with a long waitlist.
However, you don’t outrightly sign up for Best Effort Service. Starlink lets you know if you are eligible for it.
Cost-wise, it is a better choice than ROAM since users pay $120 instead of Starlink ROAM’s $150.
Furthermore, it comes with the standard Starlink Residential kit. Once your area is open for the Residential plan, you get the upgrade with full priority 50-200 Mbps download speeds.
Get Starlink Business
Starlink Business is a worthwhile shot if you run a speed and latency-hungry remote operation. The best part is you won’t be placed on a waiting list when you subscribe to the Starlink Business plan.
Sure, it comes with a steeper $500 price point, but you get speeds of about 250 Mbps.
Get a used Starlink Residential Kit
Ethically, getting a used Starlink Residential kit is a smart approach to skipping the Starlink waitlist. Starlink doesn’t forbid selling or buying used kits.
First, you don’t have to put up with the time it takes a new Starlink kit to arrive.
Additionally, you get an already working kit.
However, you must be close to the originally assigned residence.
How Long Does It Take For Starlink To Ship?
Starlink takes about 14 business days to ship when you order in a readily covered area.
However, it could take between 4 weeks to 6 months if you are in the waiting list areas. In some past cases, a year was also common.
Fortunately, Starlink is improving its infrastructure. It’s deploying more satellites and upgrading the previous satellites.
They are likely to have shorter times as they upgrade waitlist subscribers to proper Starlink Residential.
In Closing
As Starlink gathers steam as a preferable and reliable satellite internet provider, more people keep choosing it.
Still, it is yet to grow its capacity and accommodate every subscriber under its priority Starlink Residential plan.
The Starlink waiting list is an orderly way of ensuring every subscriber gets top service as it becomes available in more areas.
Check the coverage map, sign up on the Starlink website, and use the above alternatives to skip the wait list.