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Aereo TV boss is back ... pitching gigabit internet and a $350 Wi-Fi router

Forgive us if we're skeptical, Chet, but that last venture didn't go so well

The man who started the ill-fated Aereo TV service is back, and this time he wants to start an ISP.

Chet Kanojia said that his Starry Internet service would allow home users to access gigabit internet service by installing wireless broadband antennas in their home routers.

Promising to use short-wave radio frequencies to deliver wireless broadband service, Starry Internet claims it will be able to bring users home internet service at high speeds without the need for a cable or fiber connection.

Starry is providing little in the way of technical details on the service, other than describing it as "OFDM modulation coupled with MIMO as a foundation, along with active phased array RF front ends."

"We set out to build an innovative alternative to wired broadband using millimeter waves and proprietary technology to deliver ultra high-speed broadband to your home, wirelessly," Kanojia said.

"With Starry's technology, we can deploy and scale faster than traditional wired networks – at a fraction of the cost. This is how the networks of the future will be built around the globe."

Youtube Video

Kanojia is best known as the founder and CEO of ill-fated TV streaming service Aereo. The TV-on-demand service lets users stream TV broadcasts by way of embedded "micro antenna" hardware.

Unfortunately, Aereo was soon set upon by broadcasters who accused the service of illegally retransmitting content. The Supreme Court eventually found Aereo in violation of the law and, facing the prospect of heavy damages and fees, the company filed for bankruptcy.

Starry said that the internet service will get its first trial run this summer with a beta test in the greater Boston area. Dates for possible trials or rollouts in other cities were not given.

In the near term, Starry is looking to drum up customers with their $349.99 Starry Station home router. The 802.11ac Wi-Fi router comes equipped with a touchscreen display that will show network performance and device information. Starry says the box will support 802.15 wireless devices as well.

The Starry Station is set to go on sale February 5 and Starry says the box will be sold both by itself and through Amazon Launchpad. ®

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