Starlink offers free internet to earthquake-hit Venezuela

Starlink announced Thursday that it will provide free satellite internet access through July 25 to customers in regions of Venezuela devastated by powerful earthquakes that struck the country a day earlier, as the company moves to restore connectivity amid widespread infrastructure damage. The company stated that existing active customers in impacted areas will automatically receive credits on their accounts, while those who previously canceled their subscriptions can also reactivate service using provided credits. New customers purchasing satellite kits may contact customer support after activation to receive the complimentary service period, according to the announcement.

Official gratitude from Caracas

Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez publicly thanked Elon Musk and the Starlink team for the initiative in a post on the social media platform X. "Thank you, Elon Musk and the Starlink team, for supporting those affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela with free connectivity," Rodriguez said. She added: "Every connection counts during times like these."

Quakes disrupt national infrastructure

Internet connectivity dropped sharply across Venezuela on Wednesday as two powerful earthquakes damaged power and telecommunications infrastructure, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks. Network data confirmed a significant decline in connectivity following the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes that disrupted parts of the country's communications framework. Rodriguez earlier declared a national state of emergency after officials reported extensive infrastructure damage across northern Venezuela.