Star Satellite

What Star Satellite does

Star Satellite is a privately-held, local authorized telecom dealer founded in 1981 and headquartered in Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin, with a secondary sales/support presence in Milwaukee. The company no longer operates as a direct satellite television provider; instead, it functions as the dedicated local sales team and authorized dealer for a portfolio of Madison-based and national partners, reselling LiteWire Internet Services (residential gigabit internet with unlimited data), 5NINES (business internet, VoIP telephone, and carrier-neutral data center services with colocation and cross-connects to 20+ carriers), ResTech Services (MDU internet and DIRECTV solutions for apartments, condominiums, and hotels), and DIRECTV Stream (residential streaming television).

The company serves four customer segments: residential consumers (home internet and TV), commercial/SMB customers (bars, restaurants, fitness centers, healthcare facilities, retail), multi-dwelling unit property owners, and hospitality businesses (hotels, hospitals). Underlying technology is not proprietary — Star Satellite does not build or operate network infrastructure; it distributes and supports services provided by partner companies, supplemented by free site evaluations, local trained technicians, and a 24/7 customer support line.

The revenue model is affiliate/referral commissions on partner-generated sales, with no publicly disclosed pricing (all pricing is set and billed by partner providers on monthly terms). The geographic footprint covers Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Star Satellite operates with 1-10 employees across two offices, having closed its Janesville and West Allis retail storefronts as part of a transition toward a leaner dealer/sales intermediary model. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional ownership are disclosed.

Name

Star Satellite

Legal name

Star Satellite

Website

https://starsatellite.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Star Satellite is a privately-held authorized local telecom dealer founded in 1981 in Middleton, Wisconsin, reselling internet, television, and phone services from Madison-based partners (5NINES, ResTech Services, LiteWire, DIRECTV Stream) to residential, commercial, MDU, and hospitality customers across Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Reseller Services

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (5174)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite DTH Pay-TV Operators (MPABAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Satellite Broadband Internet Access (Consumer/SMB) (HDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Telecom dealer services
• Residential internet services
• Commercial television solutions
• MDU internet solutions
• Business telecom services

Headquarters

HQ city

Middleton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Reseller/Dealer Commissions: Star Satellite acts as an authorized local dealer for partner companies (5NINES, ResTech Services, LiteWire, DIRECTV Stream) and earns commissions on sales of internet, television, telephone, and data center services to customers in their service territory.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Star Satellite operates as an authorized local telecom dealer, reselling and providing local sales, installation coordination, and 24/7 support for internet, television, telephone, and data center services supplied by partner companies 5NINES (business internet, VoIP, data center colocation), ResTech Services (MDU bulk internet and television), LiteWire (residential high-speed internet up to Gigabit), and DIRECTV Stream (residential and MDU streaming television). The company serves residential consumers, commercial businesses, multi-dwelling unit property owners, and hospitality customers across Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Product overview

Star Satellite operates as a telecom dealer and sales intermediary, not a product developer. The company functions as an authorized local dealer for a portfolio of services provided by partner companies: high-speed internet from LiteWire Internet Services (up to Gigabit speeds, unlimited data), streaming television via DIRECTV Stream, business telecom services from 5NINES (internet, VoIP, data center colocation), and multi-dwelling unit solutions from ResTech Services. Star Satellite resells and supports these partner services to residential, commercial, and hospitality customers in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LiteWire Internet Services

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 5NINEScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Star Satellite serves as the dedicated sales team for 5NINES in the Madison area. 5NINES provides high-performing, reliable, and redundant internet services to businesses including dedicated business internet, VoIP telephone systems, and carrier-neutral data center services with colocation and cross connects to 20+ carriers. Data center has been providing services for over 25 years.
• ResTech ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Star Satellite is the exclusive partner with ResTech Services for tailored internet and television solutions for multi-dwelling properties (apartments, condominiums, hotels). ResTech Services provides MDU internet solutions and DIRECTV for MDU properties to help attract and retain residents.
• LiteWire Internet ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Star Satellite promotes LiteWire as the go-to provider for high-speed connectivity in South Central Wisconsin. LiteWire offers internet speeds up to Gigabit with unlimited data, local customer service, and flexible plans for different needs.
• DIRECTV StreamcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStar Satellite offers DIRECTV Stream as part of residential services. DIRECTV Stream provides unlimited streams for unlimited screens, live TV, On Demand, and top streaming apps with access to sports networks including ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and regional sports networks.
• DIRECTVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Star Satellite previously offered DIRECTV satellite services before transitioning to the new business model.
• Time Warner CableminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• Charter SpectrumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• AT&TminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• FrontierminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• CenturyLinkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• Exede InternetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• TDS TelecomminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.
• SlingTVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistorical partner logo displayed on Partners page. Partnership status may have changed with the company's transition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Viasat: Viasat provides satellite broadband internet to consumers, SMBs, and enterprises via a dealer and direct sales channel; it competes in the same residential/SMB satellite connectivity market that historically anchored Star Satellite's product mix.
• DirecTV: DirecTV is the underlying satellite/streaming pay-TV provider that Star Satellite resells as an authorized dealer. Both deliver pay-TV programming to residential and commercial customers via satellite and streaming channels, with DirecTV operating at the carrier level and Star Satellite at the local-dealer level.
• DISH Network: DISH is a competing satellite pay-TV and broadband provider with its own nationwide authorized retailer network that competes head-to-head with DIRECTV-aligned dealers like Star Satellite for residential and commercial TV subscribers.
• Hughes Network Systems: Hughes is a satellite broadband internet provider that sells through authorized resellers targeting consumers and SMBs in areas where terrestrial broadband is limited — directly comparable to the dealer-channel model Star Satellite operates for adjacent services.

Broad incumbents

• TDS Telecom: TDS Telecom is a regional broadband, TV, and voice provider across Wisconsin and the upper Midwest with its own dealer network — directly comparable to Star Satellite's regional Wisconsin footprint and bundled internet/TV/phone offering.
• AT&T: AT&T is a national telecom incumbent offering fiber/wireless internet, TV, and phone and operates its own retail/dealer channels that overlap with the addressable market for Star Satellite's bundled services.
• Charter Spectrum: Charter Spectrum is a major national cable broadband and pay-TV provider that Star Satellite lists as a former partner and competes against for residential and commercial TV, internet, and phone service in Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.
• Frontier Communications: Frontier is a national fiber and copper broadband/voice provider with overlapping residential and SMB service offerings in markets adjacent to Star Satellite's Wisconsin/Northern Illinois territory.
• Comcast Xfinity: Comcast is a national cable broadband and pay-TV incumbent competing directly for the same residential, commercial, and MDU customers that Star Satellite serves; it offers bundled internet/TV/phone at scale versus Star Satellite's local dealer model.
• Lumen Technologies: Lumen (formerly CenturyLink, also listed by Star Satellite as a former partner) is a national telecom incumbent providing broadband, voice, and enterprise services to residential and business customers — overlapping with Star Satellite's commercial and MDU selling motion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-satellite

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Star Satellite