More than 200,000 residences across regional and remote Australia can start connecting to the NBN with the network’s satellite service now available for retail sale.
The service is being provided by the Sky Muster satellite, which launched last October to replace NBN’s Interim Satellite Service.
NBN says customers buying through retail ISPs should expect satellite speeds of roughly 25Mbps for downloads and 5Mbps for uploads. NBN also pointed to a report it commissioned ahead of the retail launch, saying Sky Muster’s combination of performance and affordability make it a “world leader” in satellite broadband.
Many in Australia’s remote communities have long been forced to contend with dial-up speeds. While conceding there is work to be done in connecting the most isolated parts of Australia, NBN Chief Customer Officer John Simon said Sky Muster will make “a truly transformational difference to rural and remote Australians.”