SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has impressively crossed the milestone of serving over 2 million active customers in the US, showing a robust growth in its American user base. Over the past year, the company has successfully added more than 600,000 US customers, showcasing effective strategies that have revitalized its growth.
The surge from 1.4 million customers a year ago highlights the success of Starlink’s recent initiatives. SpaceX celebrated this achievement by noting the service’s impressive performance, stating that the median download speed for US customers during peak times is nearly 200 Mbps as of July 2025.
Although specific definitions of what constitutes an “active customer” were not provided, Starlink now boasts a global presence with over 6 million users. In the US, several enticing promotions have been introduced to attract customers, such as offering free Starlink dishes for those committing to a 12-month service plan. Additionally, a more budget-friendly “Residential Lite” plan is available in some regions, costing $80 per month compared to the standard $120.
Satellite industry analyst Tim Farrar commented on these strategic moves, noting how the discounted Lite package and free terminal offers have presumably driven this growth. This expansion continues despite facing public scrutiny directed at SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
While the US market experiences rapid growth, international expansion shows varying results. In Canada, Starlink’s customer base has surpassed 500,000, a growth of just 100,000 over the past year. Some regions, like Kenya and Rwanda, have experienced subscriber declines, indicating possible growth challenges.
Looking forward, SpaceX has ambitious plans to enhance its network with gigabit speeds next year, relying on the launch of its third-generation Starlink satellites, dubbed V3. These satellites aim to offer over a terabit per second of downlink capacity and over 200 Gbps of uplink capacity, potentially positioning Starlink as a formidable competitor to ground-based fiber optics. A new $1,999 performance dish is already available to support future gigabit speeds.
The deployment of these advanced V3 satellites depends on SpaceX’s Starship rocket, designed to transport numerous satellites into orbit. However, the Starship program has encountered significant setbacks, with recent test flights ending in explosions. These challenges create uncertainty around the timeline for launching the V3 satellites and achieving the gigabit-speed Starlink network vision.
