Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service has “mostly recovered” following a major global outage that left tens of thousands of users across the US, UK, Germany, Zimbabwe, Romania, and beyond without internet access for over two hours on Thursday.
The disruption, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours, may be one of the longest recorded outages in Starlink’s operational history. The incident occurred just one day after the company revealed a new T-Satellite rollout in partnership with T-Mobile, designed to extend connectivity to remote areas.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Starlink Vice President Michael Nicolls confirmed the partial restoration of services, saying:
“Starlink has now mostly recovered from the network outage, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours. The outage was due to failure of key internal software services that operate the core network. We apologize for the temporary disruption in our service; we are deeply committed to providing a highly reliable network, and will fully root cause this issue and ensure it does not occur again.”
Earlier in the day, Elon Musk also acknowledged the disruption, assuring users of an imminent fix:
“Service will be restored shortly. Sorry for the outage. SpaceX will remedy root cause to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Starlink Global Outage Triggers Widespread Blackouts
The issue was first flagged by users around the world, with Downdetector—a real-time outage tracking platform—registering over 60,000 reports before 9pm BST. A staggering 65% of users reported experiencing a “total blackout,” with many complaining of sudden disconnection without warning.
From Colorado to Cologne, Bulawayo to Birmingham, users posted their frustration and confusion across social media. One UK-based customer wrote on X:
“The only downfall to Starlink is when it goes down, your only alternative is your phone network.”
Many users relied on their 4G or 5G mobile connections to stay online, highlighting the growing dependency on satellite internet—particularly in rural or under-served regions.
Outage Follows T-Satellite Launch with T-Mobile
The disruption comes just a day after Starlink and T-Mobile announced the rollout of T-Satellite, a new service that integrates direct-to-cell satellite connectivity, aiming to keep mobile phones connected even in areas without traditional cell towers.
Commenting on the service’s performance, Musk posted earlier Thursday that the direct-to-phone network was “growing fast.” The timing of the outage, however, has prompted scrutiny, with some questioning whether the launch had any unintended impact on Starlink’s core infrastructure—a link SpaceX has yet to confirm or deny.
What Is Starlink?
Starlink, developed by SpaceX, is a global satellite-based broadband network designed to deliver high-speed internet access to remote, rural, and underserved regions. Operating across more than 130 countries and territories, Starlink has become a vital digital lifeline for homes, businesses, and emergency responders alike.
Despite this setback, Starlink remains one of the most ambitious and widely deployed satellite internet constellations in operation today.
Commitment to Reliability
While services have been restored for most users, Michael Nicolls reassured customers that a full investigation is underway to “fully root cause this issue and ensure it does not occur again.” As digital infrastructure becomes more critical worldwide, the pressure on satellite networks like Starlink to deliver consistent, always-on connectivity continues to rise.
