Elon Musk Says 'Nothing To Do' With Amazon's Kuiper As Starlink Moves To Offer Free Hardware: 'Trying To Make Starlink More Affordable…'
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the company's satellite internet service, Starlink, is targeting a broader customer base with its latest move.
Starlink To Offer Free Hardware
In a post on the social media platform X on Monday, a handle called X Daily News posted that the satellite internet service provider was "aggressively cutting prices and giving free hardware to distribution partners," also adding that Starlink's move could be in response to Amazon.com Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Kuiper's (Amazon Leo) imminent arrival.
Amazon's Leo, which was earlier called Project Kuiper, recently sought an extension from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy its satellites in orbit.
Starlink is aggressively cutting prices and giving free hardware to distribution partners, The Information reports.
— X Daily News
The moves are timed ahead of SpaceX's planned IPO and the debut of Amazon Kuiper, locking in customers before competition intensifies.…
Elon Musk Confirms Move
Responding to the post, Musk confirmed Starlink's move to cut prices and offer free hardware. "This has nothing to do with Kuiper, we're just trying to make Starlink more affordable to a broader audience," the billionaire said.
He also confirmed that the move was targeting customers in developing countries. "The lower the cost, the more Starlink can be used by people who don't have much money, especially in the developing world," he said.
This has nothing to do with Kuiper, we're just trying to make Starlink more affordable to a broader audience.
— Elon Musk
The lower the cost, the more Starlink can be used by people who don't have much money, especially in the developing world.
Starlink's Direct-To-Cell EU Plans, On-Flight Wi-Fi
The news comes as Starlink announced it will offer direct-to-cell connectivity in the European Union following a deal with Spanish telecom operator MasOrange. The agreement would see trials for the service initially beginning in the Spanish province of Valladolid.
The company had earlier signed a deal with Ukrainian telecom operator Kyivstar Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:KYIV) after testing for direct-to-cell connectivity had been underway for over a year by the company.
Meanwhile, United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) also said that the Starlink onboard Wi-Fi would be offered on more than 300 aircraft in the company's fleet, in an expansion of an earlier agreement between SpaceX and United.
SpaceX's xAI Merger, IPO Plans
On the other hand, SpaceX recently acquired Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI, with the combined SpaceX-xAI entity valued at close to $1.25 trillion. The move came amid a proposed IPO for SpaceX, which is reportedly set to take place in June this year.
Musk had earlier also predicted that SpaceX's flagship vehicle, the Starship, would be able to launch every hour in three years' time, as solar-powered orbital datacenters and Lunar mission goals continue to be major targets for the billionaire.
Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
Euro holds gains above 1.1600 on ECB tightening prospects
Deutsche Bank Issues Warning: Accumulating Inflation and Interest Rate Risks, Increasing Market Dislocation May Impact Stocks and Credit Assets
Deutsche Bank has warned that financial markets are facing increasingly severe dislocation—a situation where inflationary pressures are mounting, yet markets are expecting only limited policy tightening from major central banks. This leaves equities and credit assets vulnerable to potential repricing.
Intel increases CPU prices by another 10% and plans to phase out low-margin products
Intel plans to raise prices for its PC CPUs by about 10% in October, marking the third round of price increases since the end of 2025. Meanwhile, CEO Chen Liwu is reviewing low-margin product lines, with some products possibly facing discontinuation and market withdrawal. The main segments affected are industrial computers, IoT, and the embedded market. The core logic behind this round of adjustments by Intel is to prioritize gross profit margin, moving away from the previous strategy of boosting volume through lower prices.
Stellar price rises 4.6% as network activity and trading volume surge
Crypto prices
More
