Eau Claire County Launching Pilot Program to Test SpaceX's Starlink Internet

Friday, May 14th, 2021 -- 12:00 PM

Governor Tony Evers announced that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is assisting Eau Claire County in launching a pilot program to test SpaceX’s Starlink, a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites that can provide high-speed internet in rural areas where broadband is limited or not available.

The pilot project, which will provide high-speed internet to 50 rural homes and businesses, is being supported by a $27,500 Capacity Building Grant from WEDC, as well as funding from a group of healthcare providers including Marshfield Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Hospital Sisters Health System.

Chippewa Valley Technical College and PESI Online Learning also contributed and are partners on the pilot project. During the one-year pilot program, Eau Claire County residents will test how well the service performs for work, for accessing health care and for attending online classes.

What makes the Starlink system different from traditional satellite internet is that it uses satellites in a low orbit. This can reduce the service’s latency, the delay between sending and receiving data, or the lag between talking and hearing someone respond.

By partnering with schools and health care systems, the county will be able to get a good idea of how the service works for different uses, said Dave Hayden, information systems director for Eau Claire County.

SpaceX’s Starlink is now delivering initial beta service both domestically and internationally and will continue expansion to near global coverage in 2021.

For this pilot, the county with assistance from WEDC and others is paying the $499 equipment fee and $99 a month service fee for each participating household for one year.

Other community minded organizations also donated to the project including Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, Eau Claire Economic Development Corporation and Royal Credit Union.

The Starlink initiative is the most recent pilot program supported by WEDC to help expand broadband service throughout the state. Earlier this year, Governor Evers, WEDC, and the PSC announced a $100,000 pilot program with the Northland Pines School District to test the use of tethered drones to deliver wi-fi service for students.

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