Case Study: Remote Island Starlink Satellite Connectivity

The Background​

In the world of commercial and corporate law, barristers are required to attend in-person court proceedings. The matters discussed in these proceedings require the full attention of an attending barrister and rely on clear and open communication with court officials and clients. Every detail heard before a court is scrutinised and recorded, which is why until recently, video conferencing was not a widely accepted tool in court. 

Following the advent of COVID in 2020, and the need to keep courts active during the pandemic, this stance changed, and video conferencing systems began to appear in Australian courts. This shift led many legal professionals to consider hybrid work models, including remote locations. 

The Solution

Seeking to establish a resilient internet connection to overcome this challenge, Powertec recommended the use of multiple Starlink systems – a high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband service designed for remote and rural locations. Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet. Using dual Starlink systems increased reliability and signal strength.  

Following M2M Connectivity’s recommendations, Powertec chose a Peplink Balance 30 Pro router to sit at the heart of the solution – bonding the Starlink systems. 

Peplink’s SD-WAN routers are built to ensure network speed and reliability on any wired or mobile networks. SpeedFusion technology fuses multiple WAN networks together preventing sudden network interruptions or latency spikes. 

The Peplink router was chosen due its reliability and in-built failover capability which allows it to automatically switch to an LTE connection if Starlink goes down. The LTE connection is powered by a Telstra SIM housed in the router. 

Another advantage of Peplink is its InTouch capability which allows out of band management. This gives Powertec the ability to monitor, update and address any technical issues remotely. Peplink’s bonded environment also allows VOIP traffic, including video conferencing, to be prioritised – further enhancing reliability for the customer.