It turns out tech mogul Elon Musk’s pledge to deliver free internet service to Hurricane Helene survivors via his Starlink satellites came with a catch: a $400 hardware fee.

According to a new report from The Register, hurricane survivors can get Starlink-provided internet for free for 30 days, but they still need to fork over a few hundred dollars for the hardware.

Last week, Starlink announced via its X account that internet access would be free for one month for those who lived through Helene. Mr. Musk, CEO of Starlink, confirmed the move the same day, saying that hurricane victims in the area where fiber optic cables had been cut off wouldn’t need to pay anything to access the internet.

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Starlink terminals will now work automatically without need for payment in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene https://t.co/Nu8MbPWIjl

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 2, 2024

But, according to residents, anyone trying to sign up for the service was asked to pay $400 for a satellite dish, shipping and handling. Customers who live in the affected area and already have a satellite dish can fill out a help ticket on Starlink’s website to waive the fees.

After the 30-day free period, Starlink said customers who signed up for the internet service will be charged a $120-a-month subscription fee.

North Carolina residents have pointed out that, while the offer could be valuable in certain circumstances, the technology needs electricity to run. Additionally, Hurricane Helene devastated much of the area’s physical infrastructure, making it difficult to deliver Starlink technology to customers in a timely fashion.

Since Helene ravaged the South last month, Mr. Musk has been critical of the federal government’s response. Also, he accused the Federal Aviation Administration of blocking flights meant to deliver Starlink technology.