Starlink's internet satellite public beta costs $600 upfront, SpaceX says — and some users are dropping even more for better equipment

• SpaceX's public beta test for Starlink, its satellite internet project, will cost $600 upfront, it said in an email Monday that was then posted online by Reddit's Starlink community.
• The "Better Than Nothing Beta" costs $99 for an ongoing monthly subscription, plus $499 for a kit containing a tripod, WiFi router, and terminal to connect to the Starlink satellites.
• Speeds will vary from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps, SpaceX said.
• Some users are already spending more on fancier gear: One Reddit user said they had splashed an extra $100 on a sturdier mount.

SpaceX is asking people to spend $600 upfront for the public beta of Starlink, its satellite internet service — and some users have already said they'll spend more for a better setup.

SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, sent an email on Monday to people who showed interest in signing up for the service, laying out the costs and projected internet speeds. The email was promptly posted by Reddit's Starlink community.

The monthly subscription for SpaceX's service, known as the "Better Than Nothing Beta," is $99.

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It costs a further $499 for the Starlink Kit, which includes a mounting tripod, WiFi router, and a terminal to connect to the satellites.

In the email, SpaceX said: "As you can tell from the title, we are trying to lower your initial expectations.

"Expect to see data speeds vary from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms over the next several months as we enhance the Starlink system. There will also be brief periods of no connectivity at all."

The company has also released a Starlink app on the Google Play and Apple iOS app stores.

Some users have already said they're willing to pay for extra equipment.

One Reddit user who received the email said: "Placed my order that came to nearly $600 after shipping ($50) and tax. Then I had to place a second order for the ridgeline mount for another $100. Worth it!"

Another expressed interest in a more permanent tripod for the kit. "The tripod mount sounds interesting, sort of temporary to find a good installation place," they said.

SpaceX sent the email to an unspecified number of people who had expressed their interest on the Starlink website.

Nearly 900 Starlink satellites are currently in orbit as part of the planned high-speed internet network. SpaceX is planning to launch a full public beta test in North America shortly.

Musk's firm has begun testing the service in northern US and southern Canada. The most recent development is that SpaceX agreed to provide free internet via Starlink's satellites to 45 families in a Texas school district.