About 5,000 Space-X Starlink satellites are now orbiting the earth, able to provide internet service to the highest mountain and deepest hollow.
Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, chairs the House Technology and Infrastructure Committee. He said Starlink now has the capacity to clear its West Virginia waiting list and offer internet service everywhere — except for the restricted Green Bank Observatory area.
“What’s great about it is that we don’t have to run wires for it,” Linville said. “They just completely cleared their waitlist. It is now available, basically everywhere throughout our state, except for the Green Bank area with the national radio quiet zone.”
Linville said the service offers an immediate option for any West Virginian to get connected.
“It’s true broadband speeds,” Linville said. “Your kids can game online if they wish, or you can stream movies or do telehealth or education or anything that you would need to do.”
Linville said getting Starlink internet involves an easy, self-installation process. He says costs may be a bit more expensive at first.
“You put in your shipping address, and sign up for service, and they send it out nearly immediately,” he said. ”They have various plans for business and for residential. I believe they generally start at about $90 a month on their rate plans. In higher demand areas, I think it starts at $120 a month. Also available from the FCC is what’s called the Affordable Connectivity Plan, which gets you a $30 a month discount on your internet service, regardless of provider, if you meet the eligibility.”
Linvile said the additional Starlink internet option opens up the free market economic system and may help the underserved as well as the unserved.
“If your current provider raises their costs above what this option is, you have an opportunity to switch,” Linville said. “If they have poor customer service, which has been a challenge sometimes in our state, you have an opportunity to switch. This further incentivizes providers to, with their own money, reinvest in their networks and better serve people all over our state.”
For details and information on how to connect to Starlink, click here.