By Dipo Olowookere
The recent increase in the monthly subscription for Starlink in Nigeria has been “temporarily” suspended, a statement from the Internet Service Provider (ISP) has disclosed.
In the message sent to subscribers on Thursday, the company, owned by billionaire businessman, Mr Elon Musk, said it decided to put the increase on hold due to “regulatory challenges.”
Recall that earlier this month, Starlink said it was raising the subscription rate of its service in the country as a result of “excessive levels of inflation.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) later fumed at this action of the ISP, threatening to sanction the company for not obtaining approval to increase the price, though it later withdrew the threat.
In the message on Thursday night, Starlink said it was reverting to its oil prices of N38,000 per month for its standard residential plan and no longer N75,000 it was increased, promising to refund customers who have already paid the new rate.
“Last month, we increased the monthly service price for Starlink in Nigeria to account for inflation, helping us maintain operations and continue delivering reliable service.
“Today, we are temporarily suspending this price increase as we navigate regulatory challenges.
“If you’ve already been charged at the higher rate, a one-time credit will be applied to your account to cover the difference. You also have the flexibility to cancel your service at any time.
“We remain committed to providing high-speed Internet in Nigeria, but we need regulatory support to make the improvements necessary for a better customer experience. Without these approvals, our ability to continue delivering service is at risk.
“Thank you for choosing Starlink and supporting our mission to bring affordable, high-speed internet to more people as many people around the world as possible,” the message said.
A look at the website of Starlink by Business Post at about N9:45pm on Thursday showed that the standard residential plan is now N38,000 as stated by the company.