Starlink is a great Internet service for any location like remote locations such as campsites and RV parks that has no alternatives for Internet access. This includes remote and mobile applications.
Starlink has four applications where public WiFi Internet services are provided.
- Many people like to take vacations in wilderness locations and spend time with nature. Services are limited with no type of Internet connection and no 5G. Campsites and RV parks can install a public WiFi service using Starlink. The service also requires one or more high power wireless access points to provide coverage of the area and also a Guest Internet gateway to share the bandwidth, manage the service and optionally charge for the connection using on-line credit card billing.
- Many countries around the world have no Internet or 5G service outside the urban areas, and individual members of the population cannot afford the cost of a Starlink antenna and the monthly service. Small entrepreneurs have installed WiFi Internet services for communities, villages and small towns using one or more Starlink antennas with high power wireless access points and a Guest Internet gateway to manage the Internet service. One Starlink antenna can provide a WiFi Internet service for 50 to 100 people as the maximum data speed of each user is set to a low limit. People pay a small amount for the Internet service but don’t have credit cards to pay on-line. The Guest Internet gateway is used to print vouchers for cash sales. The Internet service can be accessed using a mobile phone and some users have a WiFi receiver (CPE, client premise equipment) installed at a home for fixed wireless access (FWA) communication over a longer distance.
- Since Starlink launched the maritime service for wealthy boat owners, it has become very popular for water transport boats such as ferries. Many tens of thousands of ferries are in use around the world to transport the public with a journey time between 30 minutes to several hours. Ferries have begun offering free and paid WiFi Internet by installing a Starlink antenna with the maritime service and wireless access points around the boat to provide good WiFi coverage. A Guest Internet managed WiFi gateway is installed to share the service between many users and also charge for the service with on-line credit card processing.
- Many public Internet services lack Internet bandwidth for the number of people who use the service. This situation arises at hospitality businesses, vacation destinations and events that offer Internet, including trade shows and sports competitions. Businesses may have a DSL or fiber service but only one ISP provides the service and it is not possible to upgrade the service. The bandwidth can be increased by adding wireless Internet services, that include 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) and the Starlink Internet service. When using a Guest Internet gateway to manage the public WiFi service there can be up to four WAN connections, each one connected to a different ISP. The Guest Internet gateway provides the sum of the available bandwidths, a process called load balancing, and also provides redundancy where if one ISP connection fails the users are switched to the working ISP’s. this is a process called fail-over.
Starlink Internet is a great service for any individual or business that has to provide an Internet service for the public. Starlink has empowered entrepreneurs to start Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) businesses around the world, especially for underserved communities.
If you have questions or need help in knowing more about how Starlink works with Guest Internet, contact us.