Starlink went down. What’s your Plan B?

Starlink is revolutionary. High-speed internet in the most remote locations, delivered via an advanced network of low Earth orbit satellites. Yet the system recently demonstrated that even the most innovative technology is not infallible. A global outage lasting around two hours brought the entire service offline.

The cause? A software error took down the entire network. One issue, one impact, worldwide. It clearly illustrated how vulnerable even space-based infrastructure can be when redundancy is lacking in the architecture.

A wake-up call for everyone

The recent Starlink outage was a wake-up call. This can happen to any network, no matter how advanced. According to reports, the outage may be related to the rollout of T-Mobile’s new satellite service via Starlink, which could indicate complications in deployment or network integration.

In any case, in a world where organizations must always stay online, relying on a single satellite provider is a risk you simply cannot afford, especially when it comes to mission-critical communications.

Resilience through diversity

A multi-network strategy is essential nowadays. By using multiple satellite networks such as Starlink, Iridium, Viasat, Inmarsat, and others, you create resilience, redundancy, and continuity. If one network fails, the system automatically switches to an alternative without interrupting your workflows.

Multi-satellite strategy for superyachts

For superyachts, a multi-satellite strategy is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. On board, people are now working, streaming, communicating, and navigating, often all at once. Reliable connectivity is essential for both safety and comfort. A single satellite connection, no matter how powerful, doesn’t offer sufficient assurance at sea. By intelligently combining multiple networks, Wanscale ensures stable, uninterrupted connectivity, even in the most remote cruising areas.

Failover in action: what we observed during the outage

At Wanscale, we were able to closely monitor the impact of the recent Starlink outage through our own platform. Thanks to our monitoring software, we observed significant real-time spikes in 4G data usage among customers who use Starlink as their primary connection and have an active 4G/5G backup.

This automatic failover worked exactly as designed: without manual intervention, systems switched over to mobile networks, allowing services to continue uninterrupted. This underscores the importance of a smart and well-designed redundant setup and the advantage of having full visibility into the infrastructure.

Wanscale ensures uninterrupted connectivity

This is exactly where Wanscale makes the difference. We design and deliver solutions that utilize all available technologies and networks, both satellite and terrestrial. By intelligently combining and smartly routing these connections, we ensure users remain connected at all times, especially if one network temporarily fails.

Our technology automatically selects the best available network and seamlessly switches over in case of outages or performance degradation. You won’t notice a thing and can keep working uninterrupted. Less vulnerable, maximally connected.

And on the ground?

Redundancy must also be arranged on the ground. Consider the following:

Physical separation of connections: meaning not running two cables through the same conduit.
Duplicate hardware: routers, switches, and power supplies that can take over in case of failure.
Independent data centers and SLAs: including clear emergency procedures.

If your company or organization is fully dependent on communication, whether via the internet or not, always ask yourself the following questions:

How much downtime is acceptable for your organization?
Are your connections truly physically separated?
How are failovers, SLAs, and monitoring arranged?

Conclusion

What Starlink has achieved is impressive, but it clearly shows that it does not provide a 100% guarantee of continuity. At Wanscale, we know that true availability starts with a smart, redundant architecture. With our solutions, based on multiple networks, intelligent failovers, and independence from providers or suppliers, we ensure an uninterrupted service.

Always online, always connected. Essential today for virtually every business.

Jos Beckers

Born and raised in Rijsbergen as the son of an entrepreneurial family, I have gained a wide range of experiences in various sectors from an early age. At the age of twenty, I took my first steps into the ICT industry, and by thirty, I had started my first IT company. Over the years, I have acquired in-depth knowledge and experience in network solutions.

Most people probably know me from IP Visie, the company I co-founded with my partner Fouad, where we both worked for over 15 years. During that time, we gained extensive experience in building a core network distributed across multiple data centers. It was there that I truly learned how crucial data communication is and how the world is becoming increasingly dependent on reliable and secure connectivity.

Connectivity is a patchwork of different technologies, networks, and equipment. It requires the right knowledge and experience to seamlessly integrate all these elements and build complex solutions. This challenging and dynamic field continues to fascinate me, especially as communication plays an ever-growing role in how we work and live.

In my free time, I enjoy staying active and taking long rides on my gravel bike. As a true bon vivant, I love good food and prefer spending my vacations in Italy, my favorite destination.

Wanscale makes networks intelligent, secure and easy to manage.