Starlink has announced price hikes across its satellite internet plans in the US, leaving subscribers with less bang for their buck. The cheapest 100Mbps Residential plan will now set you back $55 per month instead of $50, while the more robust 200Mbps residential and Residential Max plans have seen their prices rise to $85 and $130 respectively.

Concerns are growing about how these price increases might affect affordability for those in rural areas where traditional internet options are scarce. Standby Mode, which allows users to pause the main service while accessing limited data speeds, has also seen its price tag triple from $5 to a hefty $10 per month.

Meanwhile, Roam plans have followed suit with their own hike: the 100GB plan is now $55 and the Unlimited plan will cost $175 for a month's worth of unlimited data. Only the 300GB plan remains at its previous price point of $80.

Starlink argues these increases are necessary as they ramp up network capacity, expand coverage and improve reliability to deliver faster, more consistent connectivity. However, critics argue that such moves could limit competition in rural areas, where traditional broadband options are limited.

In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has suggested ending $4.5 billion in rural internet subsidies, citing satellite internet as having 'solved' the problem of high-speed broadband access.