Musk’s ‘Free’ Internet Offer to Hurricane Victims Requires $400 Hardware and Automatically Subscribes Users to $120-a-Month Plan

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Elon Musk received criticism this week after it was discovered that his offer of “free” Starlink internet to victims of Hurricane Helene requires a hardware payment of $400 and automatically signs up claimants to a $120 per month plan.

After Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern United States last month and resulted in more than 200 deaths, Musk announced on his social network X that those affected would be able to claim 30 days of free high-speed internet through his company Starlink.

“Starlink terminals will now work automatically without need for payment in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene,” announced Musk.

What was not made clear, however, was that to take advantage of the offer, victims would have to purchase a Starlink kit at the cost of $400, including taxes, handling, and shipping, according to the New York Post.

In addition, those who signed up for the free 30 days would be automatically subscribed to a $120 per month plan at the end of the trial.

While these details were mentioned on a Starlink support page, victims of the hurricane criticized Musk’s offer as essentially worthless.

One resident of Boone, North Carolina – which was hit hard – told the New York Post that Musk’s offer felt more like a “bait and switch” intended to “take advantage of people,” than an act of generosity.

“Assuming someone can get over the one or two, if not more, bridges that are down and physically get their hands on the device, you still need electricity to run the thing,” they said. “Thousands of people are out of power still and hundreds if not thousands of those don’t have a generator.”