AzulStar
Privately held provider of 4g wireless internet and communications services to commercial and government customers.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | $193k | Debt | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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AzulStar, established in 2002 by former Intel employee Tyler van Houwelingen, operated as a wireless internet service provider (WISP) based in Grand Haven, Michigan. The company focused on deploying and managing broadband communication networks for a diversified client base that included government, business, and residential customers. Van Houwelingen, who initially founded the company to develop wireless networks in Europe, leveraged his background to pioneer municipal WiFi and later, WiMAX services in the United States.
The company's business model revolved around providing a suite of wireless services, including high-speed internet access, managed wireless networking, digital phone (VoIP), and television services. A key area of operation was intelligent transportation services, where AzulStar supplied WiMAX 4G technology to rail and bus partners, as well as Department of Transportation systems for smart traffic management and surveillance. Revenue was generated through monthly subscription fees, with home internet and phone bundles starting around $40 per month and business connections starting under $275 per month in 2008.
AzulStar's core service utilized a combination of licensed WiMAX (802.16e) and unlicensed Wi-Fi technologies to deliver high-bandwidth wireless broadband. This approach allowed the company to offer significant speeds, promising up to 6 Mbps for residential users and symmetric speeds of 100 Mbps for business clients. The company distinguished itself by being an early adopter and one of the largest registrants of base station sites for the 3.65 GHz WiMAX band, which it believed offered a more economical and reliable solution for municipal networks compared to traditional WiFi. Over its active years, AzulStar secured $4.04 million in funding from investors such as Grand Angels and BlueWater Angels to expand its service areas, which included communities in Western Michigan and New Mexico. According to PitchBook, the company is now out of business as of May 2024.
Keywords: wireless internet service provider, WiMAX, WISP, municipal broadband, wireless networking, Tyler van Houwelingen, Grand Haven, Michigan, broadband communication, intelligent transportation systems, 4G WiMAX, smart traffic management, wireless backhaul, 802.16e, licensed spectrum, fixed wireless, BlueWater Angels, Grand Angels, telecommunications service provider, out of business