5G and Starlink have unique advantages, but when used together they provide greater reliability and bandwidth
The saying “Why choose one when you can have both?” can be applied to many things in life, like having both pizza and tacos for dinner or enjoying a sunny beach day and a cozy night in with a good book. For businesses, this philosophy extends to their connectivity solutions.
When looking for the most reliable mobile solution with which to connect your enterprise network and presented with the choice between satellite or cellular, the answer is simple: both. Using Starlink and 5G together gives organizations a comprehensive solution that enhances business continuity through versatile connectivity options for different needs and geographic landscapes.
Starlink vs 5G: What are they, and why are they important for businesses?
Starlink, launched by SpaceX, is a low-orbit satellite internet system tailored for businesses in rural or remote areas lacking traditional infrastructure. This means better reliability and higher bandwidth that enables seamless communication, data transfer, and access to cloud services in isolated regions. However, while Starlink for business excels in coverage, there are limitations surrounding capacity and cost.
Businesses adopting Starlink face initial setup costs for satellite equipment and ongoing subscription fees, ranging from $140 to $5,000 per month for priority access subscriptions when used in mobile applications like emergency response vehicles. A Starlink router also lacks features offered in more advanced enterprise-class routing solutions. Additionally, its operation depends on a clear view of the sky, which isn’t always accessible in urban areas.
5G emerges as a solution to bridge these gaps, offering significantly faster speeds, lower latency, and increased capacity compared to previous generations and satellite. This enables businesses to leverage advanced applications such as IoT, augmented reality, and real-time data analysis. A Cradlepoint cellular router can also provide built-in zero trust security and SASE features to mitigate security risks. Still, the availability of each type of 5G varies by location, limiting its immediate accessibility.
Why do businesses need Starlink and 5G?
The importance of Starlink satellites and 5G lies in their ability to enhance connectivity by creating a more resilient network and supplying more bandwidth. By combining the strengths of Starlink's expansive coverage with the advanced capabilities of 5G, businesses can maintain operations, no matter the location. Pairing the two technologies offers a better blend of latency and signal strength, along with increased capacity to handle congestion.
How do Starlink and 5G work together?
There are several situations where Starlink, 5G, and even wired connectivity can work together to ensure continuous access to critical applications and services.
Multi-WAN network failover
For organizations with fixed sites, relying on wired connectivity as the primary link is common. However, ensuring reliable backup solutions are in place is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted operations. Say, for example, a wired line goes down due to infrastructure or weather issues. In this scenario, using 5G as the failover link automatically brings the business back online. Should the cellular link become unavailable, network traffic then fails over to the satellite link.
This multi-layered approach allows businesses to establish network redundancy and improve uptime.
Failover from cellular to satellite
Consider a business with a fixed site that needs to be online 24/7 but operates in a remote location. Here, wired lines might not be available, meaning cellular can be used as the primary link. While the cellular link handles traffic under normal conditions, it automatically fails over to satellite if the performance declines or the link is inaccessible for any reason.
Three active links for increased bandwidth
Businesses can leverage wired, Starlink, and 5G simultaneously. Here, a multi-WAN router with SD-WAN capabilities steers traffic, on a per-application basis, across all three WAN links to maximize application reliability and performance.
Keeping all links active allows enterprises to augment bandwidth, meaning the network can handle higher volumes of data traffic more effectively. Instead of only using backup links as lifelines and allowing them to sit idle, enterprises can use any of these connections for designated applications.
Critical communication in moving vehicles
Given that wired connectivity isn't feasible in vehicles, leveraging a dual-modem router that supports multiple cellular carriers for wireless-to-wireless failover is optimal. Satellite can also be deployed as a third backup option where cellular isn’t available. For example, a fire truck battling a wildfire in a remote region might encounter limitations in cellular coverage. In such cases, satellite connectivity can serve as a failover link, ensuring continuous connectivity for mission-critical communications.
Regardless of the approach your business may take, the powerful pairing of wired, cellular, and satellite promises a more resilient network for seamless connectivity.