Why does your account have to be activated?

Currently, there are more users that want to use shadow than there is hardware to support them.

Hardware costs money.

By paying for your first month, and with no extra setup cost, your first month covers the cost of setting up your hardware and beginning the service. However, there’s a waiting line. So, paying for that first month holds your place in the line.

You are never charged for the second month until the first month has been used up, so while you’re waiting in line, there are no extra charges of any kind.

Considering that they can’t set up hardware for people for free, this is the fairest method possible.

You can either preorder and wait in line, or, keep your money and wait for the line to get shorter before getting in line. It’s up to you, but until the pandemic ends, the lines may not get any shorter.