Starry Internet is a fixed wireless broadband Internet service provider (ISP or WISP) operated by Starry, Inc., using millimeter-band LMDS connections, sometimes categorized as 5G fixed wireless,[1] to connect its base stations to customer buildings. Starry currently operates within Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Company type | Public |
---|---|
Industry | Telecommunications |
Founded | January 2016 |
Founder | Chet Kanojia |
Headquarters | , USA |
Area served | Various US cities |
Key people | Chet Kanojia (Founder and CEO) |
Products | Wireless broadband internet |
Website | Official website |
Starry, Inc. was publicly announced in January 2016 by Chaitanya "Chet" Kanojia, who had previously founded Aereo.[2] As of December 2017[update], it was providing commercial service to a limited number of apartment buildings in the Boston area for $50/month per apartment, promising 200Mbit/s upload and download speeds.[3] As of December 2016[update], Starry was based in Boston, had about 100 employees,[4] and had raised $63 million of funding.[5] Kanojia claims that Starry's capital cost will be only $25 per home, as compared to $2,500 for cable.[6] Starry announced on July 1, 2019, that through an FCC spectrum auction, they acquired 104 licenses for 24 GHz millimeter-wave spectrum to cover 51 markets in 25 states.[7]
Starry's system operates on the 37.1, 37.3 and 37.5 GHz bands, connecting its base stations ("Starry Beam") to receivers on individual buildings ("Starry Points"). Each base station covers a radius of 1.5 km. Signal propagation is near line-of-sight, not penetrating buildings and windows, and is degraded by foliage or rain, so Starry directs its signal using Multi-user MIMO phased array antennas, and can take advantage of reflections.[4] The base station redistributes its signal within a building using Starry's own Wi-Fi router ("Starry Station").[6]
Analysts are mixed about Starry's prospects. Some point to the failure of Clearwire (which operated WiMAX on the 2.5 GHz band),[8] or to technical challenges: "The physics are tough to overcome, and technology has been slow to improve here."[9] Others note that if the expected low fixed costs per user are achieved, "they could profitably offer competitive broadband speeds for a fraction of the current price of wired broadband".[1]
In March 2022, Starry Internet completed a SPAC deal with First Mark Acquisition Corp in order to go public.
On 20 October 2022, Starry, Inc., filed a "WARN" notice with New York State's Department of Labor announcing the layoffs of "49 employees" because of "Changes in business operational needs as result of financial difficulties". [1]
On 23 December 2022, commercial real estate company Farley-White announced that it was suing Starry for $120,000 in unpaid rent. [2]
On February 20, 2023, Starry filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[10]