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SpaceX makes Starlink internet service free for residents hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton

SpaceX is offering free access to its Starlink broadband services for the rest of 2024 in areas affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX. It uses a constellation of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed internet access to users on the ground.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene and Milton, SpaceX has distributed more than 10,000 Starlink kits, which include the receiver that is required to access the service, waived monthly fees and enabled emergency alerts over cellular networks in affected areas.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in northwest Florida as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26, followed shortly by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, which made landfall along Florida’s west-central Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm. The back-to-back hurricanes caused catastrophic flooding, food and water shortages and widespread power and communication outages.

​​”For those impacted by hurricanes Helene or Milton, Starlink service is now free through the end of the year to help with response and recovery efforts,” SpaceX announced Friday (Oct. 11) in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The company’s decision follows plans to initially provide free service for 30 days in areas hit by Hurricane Helene. However, the subsequent impacts of Hurricane Milton led to dropping the monthly service fee (normally $120 per month) for the rest of the year.

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