Starlink Internet speed boosted for Best Effort tier upgrades as new satellites increase capacity

The waitlist for Starlink satellite Internet connectivity services in the US may be shortening at increased speeds as more and more Best Effort tier subscribers are now getting bumped to the faster Residential tier for free. The upgrade email that SpaceX sent to Starlink Best Effort subs cites increased network carrying capacity due to the launch of many new satellites.

SpaceX lobbed as many as 495 satellites into orbit just this current quarter alone, and a number of those were of the next generation V2 satellites that offer significant speed and coverage advantage. Starlink's Best Effort tier was created by SpaceX last August in order to accommodate those in the (mainly southern) United States who have been waiting many months or even more than a year to subscribe to the Residential tier.

While Starlink Residential means up to 100 Mbps download speeds, the newfangled Best Effort option offered exactly what is says on the tin - deprioritized satellite Internet connection, especially at peak hours - with maximum speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Some Best Effort customers are now saying they got a tenfold Starlink Internet speed boost during peak hours.

Last week, Starlink removed the wait list for most of the Western United States, so the ones who are currently getting the SpaceX email for a free Residential service upgrade are mostly from the still congested southern and midwestern states.

Needless to say, the monthly price will stay the same, it's just that the former Best Effort tier subscribers will double their maximum download and peak hours Internet speeds as SpaceX continues to lob more satellites into orbit.

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