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BOUNDARY WATERS, Minn. (Northern News Now) - The search crew stationed in the BWCA has limited resources, but one thing they do have is cell phone coverage.
Recent search efforts in the BWCA have utilized Starlink, which can provide cell service in even the most remote wilderness. Soon, their services could be available everyone in the Boundary Waters.
Nate Skelton with the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said he’s seen the benefit of mobile coverage in the BWCA, most recently when authorities received a call about two missing canoeists. The connection was spotty, but enough to prepare for dispatch.
“The further north and the closer to the Canadian boarder you get, the more spotty it is,” said Skelton. It’s hit or miss at best.”
Now, search crews looking for those men are communicating with the outside world through Starlink. Skelton said the service could benefit the public as well.
“If you traversed into the Boundary Waters someplace and you pull your iPhone out of your pocket and have full service, that would be a gamechanger,” Skelton said.
However, some BWCA purists believe it goes against what makes the area special.
“Part of what I love about going to the the Boundary Waters is not having cell service, just kind of disconnect from everything,” Dan Pugleasa said.
In the past, those who were anti-cell-service cited the need for cell towers as a reason to keep the BWCA disconnected. Starlink counters that argument, but also raises a more existential point of view.
“There’s something about getting away from everything and just going right down to your roots,” Pugleasa said.
Through Starlink, full coverage is already possible in the BWCA for a limited few. Authorities utilize a remote receiver to get connected, though Starlink can also reach the publics’ cell phones directly.
For Karla Pankow with Northshore Health EMS, expanding coverage is a no-brainer. “Any kind of expanded satellite opportunities, that’s going to help us reach these patients,” she said.
Pankow said even spotty coverage can make a difference. “The dispatchers work really well with that, getting as much information as they can while they have them on the phone while they have that signal for a little time.”
Starlink is currently partnered with T-Mobile to get their services to the public. The company plans to work with other providers in the future.
