Starlink has reportedly waived monthly subscription payments for users inside Iran after its government shut down the internet last Thursday - cutting off millions of people from their families, livelihoods and access to information during a deadly crackdown on protests.
The satellite technology has become a vital communications lifeline for some of those in the country trying to tell the outside world what has been happening on the ground in recent days.
Two people in Iran told BBC Persian their device was running on Tuesday night, even though they had not been keeping up with subscription payments. The director of an organization that helps Iranians get online also told BBC Persian that Starlink had been made free.
The satellite technology, which belongs to Elon Musk's SpaceX company, provides internet to tens of thousands of people in Iran, despite the fact it is illegal there. Since the internet was shut down, it has become one of the last, if not the last, remaining channels for Iranians to communicate with the outside world.
The BBC has approached SpaceX to confirm it has waived the fee, but they are yet to respond.
Using the service in Iran carries a punishment of up to two years in prison, and authorities have reportedly been searching for Starlink dishes to stop people from connecting to the internet.
They're going onto rooftops and checking the surrounding buildings, says Parsa - not his real name - who spoke to BBC Persian using a Starlink connection.
The device operates like a mobile phone mast in space, using a constellation of satellites to communicate with small dishes on the ground with a built-in WiFi router.
Despite this, the device is costly and beyond the means of many in Iran - so making it free may lead to wider use.
On Monday, Iranian intelligence forces claimed they had seized a large consignment of Starlink kits allegedly intended for espionage and sabotage operations in the country.
Iran's government has long been known for spying on its citizens and limiting their access to information as part of its efforts to control the public narrative.
Despite the risks, many Iranians have demonstrated a commitment to sharing information about the protests using Starlink, understanding that these actions could have dire consequences.
