As Elon Musk likes to do whenever disaster hits somewhere in the world, Hurricane Helene was another opportunity to show off his generosity and make himself part of the news. This time, Musk made headlines with a promise that SpaceX Starlink would be free for 30 days to help in places where fiber and cellular infrastructure might have been knocked offline. More than 200 people have been identified as dead in the disaster.
But the catch is that it’s really not free at all. It really looks like not much more than a glorified new-customer promotion.
For one, anyone interested in taking up the offer still has to pay approximately $400 for the dish itself (including shipping and tax) and they’re getting automatically rolled into a $120 per-month contract when the free month ends.
Sounds about right. Rich people don’t get rich by giving away hand outs. They get rich by being assholes.
He’s in dire need of an aneurysm.
(including shipping and tax)
And I’m sure UPS will get your free $400 internet to you just as soon as services are restored and you won’t need it.
When your emergency disaster relief comes with a $400 price tag, you’ve experienced
⚫Dark MAGA⚫
Now it makes me think that he was mad. He didn’t get to build the sub and save those kids because he was going to charge them to get in… Or make them sign away their rights or something.
I’m Glad the man trying to Price Gauge literal DYING People is Poised to have a GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT ROLE in Trump’s Administration! I’m SURE He will Protect the Middle Class he’s currently Price Gauging during a LIFE ENDING HURRICANE!
that thumbnail pic makes it look like musk is wearing a nazi-esque (Hugo Boss?) uniform, and it’s apt
I get it.
The actual offer is: “Starlink users will get free internet” but it’s been put forward as: “everyone gets free Starlink”
It’s the equivalent of corporations changing their Facebook profile picture to a rainbow. It basically costs then nothing, especially if affected areas have no electricity.
This has now been extended until end of year with a map of the areas covered
Is any other company doing literally anything? Hughesnet? Viasat?
I love to hate on Musk but this might be a stretch.
Doing nothing would be better than trying to scam victims into a $120/mth subscription.
Go fuck yourself. Muskrat doesn’t need his boots polished.
Yes there’s a lot of other companies doing. Literally anything stupid question idiot
How many of those companies have hundreds of dollars in up front hardware costs that they don’t normally discount or just give away as a course of regular business (where that is already calculated into operating costs)?
I dunno, do you? Also who fucking cares? It’s not charity if you’re charging
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Company offers free service in natural disaster areas.
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Internet villifies company for offering free service but not giving away $400 in free hardware to every person as well.
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Internet wonders why most companies don’t do anything.
You know those free streaming service trials where you hand them your credit card info, and they give 30 days to forget to cancel it? It’s like that, but with an essential communications service instead of entertainment, 800% the price, advertised to disadvantaged/temporarily-impoverished families, and asking for 5 months worth of commitments in an upfront hardware cost.
So, yeah—excuse me for thinking Elon Musk is a shitbag profiting off of others’ misfortune while cosplaying as a philanthropist. You know what would be a quarter the price and likely achieve the same thing? Waiting a week and paying AT&T $90 for 100 GB of prepaid data and using my phone as a hotspot.
Free stuff!
Well, not free, $400.
Why are you not grateful?
Do you think any of the people in need of free internet right now just had that $400 hardware hanging around already? Otherwise I don’t think the ‘free’ part matters much.
No, but expecting a company to provide $400 in free equipment is also ridiculous. They’re offering free service, which is what they said they were, they never claimed anything more.
But the anti-Musk circlejerk doesn’t care about anything other than complaining about anything related to him, so this response is 100% expected.
If they were providing free hardware as well you all would just complain about something else instead.
No, but expecting a company to provide $400 in free equipment is also ridiculous.
It’s not ridiculous at all. Just like their “free” service, which is only free if you cancel the contract, it can be “free” hardware as long as you return it.
In fact, that’s how it generally works with ISPs and the modem they provide you with when you sign up for their service.
In fact, that’s how it generally works with ISPs and the modem they provide you with when you sign up for their service.
Your Cable/DSL modem isn’t a $400 piece of equipment, and probably sold at a loss at this point given the tech is still new. At best those ISP modems are worth maybe $100, and that’s the marked up purchase price.
Even then, the ISPs never give it to you for free, they charge you a monthly rental fee for it unless you bring your own.
Your Cable/DSL modem isn’t a $400 piece of equipment
So what? If they don’t give it back, they owe $400.
Even then, the ISPs never give it to you for free, they charge you a monthly rental fee for it unless you bring your own.
Bullshit. Neither the local ISP I am using now nor shitty Spectrum when I had it charged me a dime. When we switched to the local ISP, Spectrum just wanted it back. The local ISP has a hell of a lot less money than any company Musk owns, and yet they can somehow handle giving out their equipment to tens of thousands of customers for free until they are returned.
SpaceX isn’t selling the dishes at a loss anymore. That was a a generation or 2 ago. I don’t know if they make a profit or they’ve just met costs though.
Bullshit. Neither the local ISP I am using now nor shitty Spectrum when I had it charged me a dime. When we switched to the local ISP, Spectrum just wanted it back.
And yet companies like Comcast charge $5+ per month to rent their shitty modem, and will even charge customers who never had a rental modem at all. Your area isn’t indicative of the entire country.
Spectrum literally serves the entire country.
If Spectrum can do it, so can Musk.
I’m just astounded you are defending marketing this deceptive.
“Free as long as you don’t count the $400 initial cost and also you will be forced to pay $120 a month if you forget to go through all the hoops we will force you to go through in order to cancel in 30 days” is not the charitable donation you seem to think it is.
Tell me, do you prefer the taste of musks balls fresh out of the shower, or do you like them marinated for a few days?
1a. Company quietly signs you up for a recurring 120 dollar monthly fee when you are too otherwise distracted to notice.
Ah, a man-made climate change disaster. Another perfect opportunity for me, the wealthiest person and major contributor to emissions, to advertise. Free* internet, everyone!
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