Tesla sales have tumbled, X has had an exodus of users, and now it seems cracks are appearing among those who have turned to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system as a means of staying connected in remote areas.
While the number of Starlink users has been growing, some subscribers have been venting their frustrations over Musk’s political machinations, saying they will no longer use the high-speed satellite internet system.
Barry Nisbet, a Scottish fiddler whose Shetland business combines music with seafaring, cited Musk’s controversial salute at a Donald Trump inauguration event as one of the final straws for why he was leaving Starlink, even if it put him at a disadvantage.
Nisbet said: “I’ve been deeply uncomfortable for some time and the role he played in the US election, as well as the monopoly he has, deeply bothers me.”
While Starlink dominates its sector, signs of users’ unease come as excitement grows among European tech enthusiasts about the prospect of a homegrown alternative finally emerging. The value of shares in Eutelsat, the French owner of London-based Starlink rival OneWeb, have shot up by 500% since Trump’s Oval Office row with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Eutelsat’s chief executive told Bloomberg the company could replace Starlink in a couple of months in places like Ukraine.
Viasat, which owns UK network Inmarsat, is also in talks with European governments about replacing Musk’s Starlink.
In the UK, Starlink is used mainly by people and businesses in rural areas who have poor broadband access, although there is also a minority of “preppers” and people who buy the tech as fans of Musk.
An installer of Starlink for businesses and homes in southern England said that, for now, there was no better alternative to Starlink for those who needed fast access to the internet.
He said: “In the industry we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, it’s a necessary tool and a solution that exists in a lot of rural areas, especially with the poor investment in infrastructure. But on the other hand, we have now got to deal with Elon – to put it politely – being a twat.
“The majority of people who use it are those in need of it due to being a remote area, but there is also a small minority ‘tinfoil hat’ brigade element.”
Richard Opie, a consultant living in a semi-rural part of Northumberland, said he had got Starlink during the pandemic because there was not enough capacity on BT, but was now considering whether to stay with the company.
He said: “It’s a godsend, especially in remote areas, but things have developed politically since then. Elon Musk is a very different figure and Tesla showrooms are being burned to the ground. I’m uncomfortable with him getting into bed with Trump and the way he has thrown his weight around.
“It’s something we have wrestled with and looked for alternatives but we’re sort of stuck for the moment.”
Nisbet’s comments on a Facebook “Starlink UK Users’ Group” – that he could no longer justify supporting Starlink – sparked a spirited debate among users.
Mel Sayer, another Starlink user, wrote: “I refuse to go to Trump’s hotels as I won’t give a penny to Trump. I now don’t want to fund ‘President Musk’ on his endeavours after that salute.”
Mike Brown wrote: “I share your thoughts but am stuck with Starlink for now. Amazon are due to launch a rival service but probably not until next year. I’ll be jumping ship as quickly as possible.”
Others are sticking with Starlink. Paul Feakins, a consultant in West Sussex, said: “People use Starlink because they can’t get an internet connection any other way, yet these idiots think they’re making a statement by cancelling it because they happen to disagree with Elon on something.”
Starlink has been approached for comment.
Starlink has grown rapidly in the UK, from 13,000 subscribers three years ago to 87,000 last year.
Such has been the popularity of Starlink in some areas of the UK that the company has been levying an extra “congestion charge” for those areas where there is high demand.
The company provides ultrafast broadband speeds via a constellation of satellites. British customers typically pay from £75 a month for a 30-day term, plus £299 for hardware.
For non-customers, Starlink may be better known for its use in Ukraine, which has been vital for Kyiv’s battlefield communications, after Starlink terminals were rushed there after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Lately, however, the prospect of Ukraine being cut out of Starlink has grown, with Reuters reporting that US negotiators have threatened Ukraine with losing the system. Musk posted on X at the weekend: “Their entire frontline would collapse if I turned it off.”
