§ BlogGuides and explainers
Blog
One real question per guide: why a surcharge appeared, what sold out means, how to check your address, how to run a speed test that counts. Every fact is sourced and dated, and we say when Starlink is the wrong choice.
Surcharge triggers and avoidance
Hub page →
How to avoid a Starlink demand surcharge, legitimately
There's no code that waives a Starlink demand surcharge. The honest levers that can lower it, the tricks that backfire, and how to decide: wait, pay or switch.
How to check for a Starlink surcharge before you order
The only place a Starlink demand surcharge shows is checkout. How to get a real quote at your address, what to write down, and where to stop before paying.
Is the Starlink demand surcharge one-time, or can it come back?
Starlink's demand surcharge is one-time, never monthly, but a new service line, a move, a plan switch or a retail replacement kit can bring it back.
Starlink congestion charge vs demand surcharge: the same fee?
The Starlink congestion charge and demand surcharge are one fee under two names. Where each name comes from, and the charges people mix them up with.
What triggers a Starlink demand surcharge? One flowchart
The four events that trigger a Starlink demand surcharge, the one condition behind all of them, and the edge cases: moves, Standby, plan switches.
Reactivation and address changes
Hub page →
How to change your Starlink service address after a move
Step-by-step: change your Starlink service address on desktop or in the app, what to check first, why it can fail, and when a move brings a demand surcharge.
Starlink reactivation quote higher than expected: a calm checklist
Resuming Starlink and the quote shows a demand surcharge? Six checks before you confirm, the two Starlink help pages that disagree, and when to open a ticket.
Why using a friend's address to dodge a Starlink fee backfires
Using a friend's address to avoid a Starlink demand surcharge risks your service and often brings the fee back. What Starlink's rules say, and better options.
Sold out, capacity and waitlists
Hub page →
How the Starlink waitlist works, step by step
Does Starlink have a waitlist? How the deposit works, why there's no date, the 7-day confirmation email, refunds, and what the US status is as of October 2026.
Sold out vs waitlist vs not available: three Starlink states
Starlink sold out, waitlist and not available mean different things. How to tell which one you're in, what each means, and the right next step for each.
What “sold out” means on Starlink: capacity, not stock
Starlink “sold out” or “at capacity in your area” means Residential is full at that location, not a hardware shortage. What it means, US status now, what to do.
Availability and the coverage map
Hub page →
How to read the Starlink availability map, and what it leaves out
What Starlink's availability map tells you about your address, what it doesn't show (surcharge, local speeds, obstructions), and the order to check things in.
Is Starlink available in my area? A step-by-step check
Check if Starlink is available at your address in four steps: the map, checkout, a surcharge check and a sky check. What each answer means and what to do next.
Starlink not available at my address: reasons and next steps
Starlink says it's not available at your address? The likely reasons, how to tell sold out from not yet active, the Roam-only case, and what to do next.
Why the Starlink map says available but checkout says sold out
Starlink's map shows service but checkout says sold out or offers only a deposit? The likely reasons, which are documented, and the steps to sort it out.
Speeds and speed tests
Hub page →
How to run a Starlink speed test that counts
Run a Starlink speed test you can compare: what to pause, which test to use, why three runs, which time band, the obstruction check, and what to record.
Reading p25, median and p75 on a Starlink speed page
What p25, median and p75 mean on a Starlink speed result, why we show them instead of an average, and how to compare them with Starlink's plan speed ranges.
Why Starlink speed varies by location: causes ranked by evidence
Why Starlink is faster in one place than another: peak demand, local capacity, plan caps, obstructions, Wi-Fi and location, each with how well it's documented.
How the data works
Hub page →
How a county gets published: the n ≥ 5 and n ≥ 20 rules
When a county gets Starlink surcharge or speed numbers on this site: 5 reports or 20 tests in a rolling 6-month window, what a published cell shows, and why.
How the Starlink Availability USA dataset is built, start to finish
Every step from an anonymous Starlink surcharge or speed report to a published county number: form checks, outlier holds, human review, thresholds and the CSV.
Why “not enough reports yet” is an answer, not a gap
Why a hatched county on our Starlink surcharge and speed maps shows no number until 5 reports (or 20 speed tests), and why a guessed number would be worse.
Why our Starlink report form never asks for your street address
Our Starlink surcharge and speed report form takes your county, never your address. Why county is enough, why ZIP3 only, and what we never collect or share.
Independent · not affiliated with SpaceX or Starlink · links to Starlink’s plan pages use the owner’s own referral link (disclosure). Blog RSS feed.