Starlink provides free satellite connectivity in Venezuela after June earthquakes

Elon Musk announced that SpaceX’s Starlink service will be offered free of monthly charges to Venezuelan users until 3 February, a move presented as solidarity after the 24 June earthquakes. The offer does not cover the price of the required satellite kit, which costs between $200‑$400, limiting access for most households.

Starlink Mobile has also activated a free SMS service for Movistar customers in the hard‑hit state of La Guaira, allowing LTE phones to send and receive texts via satellite when terrestrial networks are down. The service, which will run until 25 July, is slated to expand to Digitel and Movilnet. The national regulator Conatel granted Movistar a three‑month provisional licence to use Direct‑to‑Device satellite technology, requiring spectrum sharing with other operators.

In parallel, state‑run operator Movilnet launched a comprehensive response: free voice and SMS nationwide, mobile Wi‑Fi radiobases in La Guaira’s most affected districts, and a donation centre in Caracas. These actions aim to restore basic communications for families, businesses and emergency services across a country of more than 28 million people whose telecom infrastructure was severely damaged by the quakes.