Customers in turmoil: Elon Musk's Starlink service goes on strike worldwide!

Customers in turmoil: Elon Musk's Starlink service goes on strike worldwide!

On July 24, 2025, Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications system hit the headlines for an unpleasant reason: customers worldwide reported significant disruptions in the service. While such incidents are not the norm, Starlink has experienced similar problems in the past. The communications service, which operates with over 5,000 small satellites in low Earth orbit, is essential for many users, especially in remote areas and crisis regions such as Ukraine, where the telecommunications infrastructure has been severely damaged by the war. PZ News reports that Starlink is currently working on fixing the problems and asks users to be patient.

But what actually makes Starlink so special? The system uses technology that enables users to receive and send Internet via satellite in an uncomplicated and stable manner. In contrast to conventional geostationary satellites, which fly much higher orbits, Starlink operates at an altitude of approximately 550 km. This ensures shorter signal delays, which are beneficial for applications such as video calling and online gaming. SpaceX even plans to increase the number of satellites to over 12,000. This makes the service not only interesting for private users, but also for companies such as airlines that offer Internet access on their planes. Schieb highlights that Starlink is particularly beneficial in rural areas where traditional internet connections are often inadequate.

A look at the background

The latest outage is not the first time that Starlink has been criticized. Since April 2025, there have been no significant issues with the service for over two months. Until the current incident, users were able to access the network almost without any problems. But while series production and the rapid expansion of the infrastructure attract many praises, there are also critical voices. Increased reliance on a single provider raises questions, particularly given geopolitical tensions. Alternatives are currently rare: OneWeb has 600 satellites and Amazon's Project Kuiper is still in development.

Starlink charges a price of around 450 euros for its hardware and charges upwards of 50 euros per month for the basic service. Users who need special mobile applications even have to expect costs of over 100 euros per month. As PZ News notes, installing Starlink is straightforward – a compact satellite dish, affectionately known as “Dishy,” automatically aligns itself with the required satellites.

The role of Starlink in times of crisis

The system is particularly important in crisis areas. In Ukraine, Elon Musk has deployed thousands of Starlink terminals, allowing the Ukrainian armed forces to communicate despite the destruction of traditional infrastructure. Starlink not only enables civil communication, but is also used for military purposes to optimize the coordination of operations.

While the current disruptions are affecting many users, it remains to be seen how quickly Starlink can resolve the issues. Reliable internet is needed now more than ever for users and in crisis situations, and the military and civilians in remote regions are hoping for a quick restoration of service. After all, in today's world, Internet is as important as bread and salt.