Connecting to the NBN can be intimidating. There are far too many technical terms and bewildering acronyms. It can be stressful. We're here to help though. The first thing you should know is this:
You can’t choose how your NBN is connected, it’s dependent on where you live, and the infrastructure that is being built in your area.
Even though there are seven NBN connection types, your house can only connect in one way and we’re betting that you’re reading this because you've got (or will have) a Satellite 'Sky Muster' connection.
What is Sky Muster NBN?
The NBN's Sky Muster Satellite service uses two satellites to connect Australians in regional, and remote areas to the internet when no other NBN connection technology is practical.
Satellite NBN providers
While there are dozens of NBN plan providers the majority of them don't sell satellite internet plans not even Telstra and Optus. Instead, most Satellite NBN plans come from smaller providers with experience in regional connectivity including active8me, iiNet, IPSTAR, SkyMesh and Southern Phone.
These are the cheapest NBN 25 plans with at least 100GB of data from each satellite provider:
|
#1
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Sonic
$44.95/mth
Min. cost $44.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Entry
$58/mth
Min. cost $58
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 25 Plan
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
|
What is Sky Muster Plus?
Sky Muster Plus is the same as Sky Muster with the main difference being how your internet usage is counted towards your monthly data allowance. Regular Sky Muster plans count everything that you do towards your data cap while Sky Muster Plus plans allow unlimited data-free access for all online activities except video streaming and VPN traffic at certain hours of the day.
As of June 2023, there's also a third option of Sky Muster Plus Premium which promises faster download speeds of up to 100Mbps and uncapped data usage at all hours of the day, it costs around $30 more than the standard Sky Muster Plus plan.
See a comparison between the three below:
| Sky Muster | Sky Muster Plus | Sky Muster Plus Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data allowance | All activity counted towards your data cap | Unlimited data-free access except for video streaming and VPN traffic between 4pm and 12am | Uncapped data usage |
| Price | Plans from $34.95 per month | Plans from $69.95 per month | Plans from $99 per month |
| Best for | People on a budget or those who stream lots of videos | Gamers | People who want faster internet speeds |
How fast are Satellite NBN speeds?
Bear with us here, the NBN offers six different speed tiers. However, Satellite connections currently have access to only three:
| Speed tier | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 (Basic I) | 12Mbps | 1Mbps | 1 user |
| NBN 25 (Basic II) | 25Mbps | 5Mbps | 2 users |
| NBN 100 (Fast) | 100Mbps | 5Mbps | 2-4 users |
The actual speeds you get at home will be dependent on two things:
- Which NBN plan and provider you subscribe to
- Congestion during peak hours
On fixed line connections, providers tend to report congestion as evening speeds which provide a more accurate representation of the kind of performance you can get during the busiest part of the day.
This isn't the case with satellite NBN, where plans can be more prone to congestion, and as such, it's harder for providers to give an accurate estimate of speed. Space internet is hard.
Earlier this year NBN Co announced
a trial of a
new Sky
Muster NBN plan with speeds of up to 100Mbps and unlimited data.
The trial was considered successful and NBN Co has just announced new Sky Muster Plus Premium plans.
Satellite NBN providers including SkyMesh, active8me, Southern Phone and IPSTAR have started offering plans.
Remember: NBN speed is a shared resource. If you subscribe to an NBN 25 plan, your 25Mbps is shared between every person and device in your household. For example, if you're streaming a movie on Netflix, the internet will be slower for everyone else using your connection at the same time.
Faster NBN speeds mean there's more capacity to share: you can stream all the video you want, and no one else will notice any slow-down.
Here's what Satellite NBN plan prices look like across all three speed tiers.
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Standard
$39.95/mth
Min. cost $39.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#1
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Sonic
$44.95/mth
Min. cost $44.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Entry
$58/mth
Min. cost $58
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster Plus Premium 25
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 25 Plan
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#1
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Entry
$58/mth
Min. cost $58
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster Plus Premium 25
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 25 Plan
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
|
How does Satellite NBN work?
Sky Muster Satellite NBN is delivered via two satellites - referred to Sky Muster and Sky Muster II - working in tandem to provide internet access across regional and rural Australia. There are 10 ground stations across the country that beam internet up to the pair of Sky Muster satellites, which then beam it down to satellite dishes attached to homes.
What equipment do I need for a Sky Muster Satellite NBN Connection?
When you connect to a Satellite service, a satellite dish is mounted on either your roof or the side of your house. This is a different dish from the one that was used for pre-NBN internet services. If you're transferring, you'll have the option to have your old equipment removed when you get connected to the National Broadband Network.
Two cables are used to connect the dish to your satellite modem (pictured below), which is located inside your home. NBN Co will supply both the satellite dish and the satellite modem for free.
To get online, you'll need to connect a wireless router to the satellite modem (using an Ethernet cable). You'll use this router to create a WiFi network to connect your laptop, tablet, TV, and phones.
Service providers typically include a compatible wireless router with NBN plans, or give you the option to buy one. You can also buy wireless routers from electronic stores and online shops.
How much does a Sky Muster Satellite plan cost?
The cost of Sky Muster Satellite will vary based on the speed you want and the provider you go with, but as a rough guide plans can cost anywhere from $35 per month to as much as $200 per month.
Sky Muster NBN plans feature two separate data pools: peak data and off-peak data.
- Off-peak data is defined as data used between 1am and 7am in your local time zone.
- Your peak allowance covers everything else.
As a general rule, peak data tends to be more expensive than off-peak data, so it drives up the cost of your plan. A plan with 150GB of peak data is going to be much more expensive than a plan with just 80GB. Sky Muster Plus plans have unmetered data for most activities other than streaming video, so opting for one could be a good way to reduce your monthly bill.
Rather than charging excess data fees, the majority of broadband providers offering Satellite NBN services will throttle your download speed to 128kbps until the end of your billing month.
Here's a look at some of the cheapest Satellite NBN plans around:
|
#1
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Standard
$39.95/mth
Min. cost $39.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Entry
$58/mth
Min. cost $58
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster Plus Premium 25
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 25 Plan
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
|
If you want to dig even deeper, you can check out our picks for the best Satellite NBN plans or start searching for your perfect satellite NBN plan here.
Can I change NBN technology type?
No matter what NBN technology type you're on, it's possible to pay for an upgrade to Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) through the NBN Technology Choice Program. Upgrading to FTTP can be a costly affair, however.
Going from Fibre to the Basement to Fibre to the Premises - where only a short amount of additional fibre is required - can cost upwards of $10,000. While we haven't been able to get a quote for a full-fibre upgrade for a Satellite premise, we'd imagine the costs would be far greater. Getting a quote from NBN Co is free, however, so you can always shoot your shot and see how much you'd need to pay.
Fixed Wireless
NBN Co is also making upgrades to its existing Fixed Wireless infrastructure as part of the NBN Fixed Wireless and Satellite Upgrade program. This includes enhancing coverage and maximum range of some NBN Fixed Wireless towers by up to 50% which would enable around 120,000 former satellite-only premises to get NBN Fixed Wireless.
As of March 2023, 24,000 premises using Satellite NBN are already able to upgrade to Fixed Wireless.
Satellite NBN alternatives
Back when it launched it was trickier to find an alternative to Satellite NBN. Today, you've also got the option of Elon Musk's space internet solution Starlink.
While most Satellite NBN speeds max out at 25Mpbs, Starlink says its customers can expect speeds of between 20Mbps and 100Mbps. Whereas only those who don't have an NBN fixed-line connection can get Satellite NBN anyone can get Starlink. It does come with a bigger price tag of $139 per month and you do have to pay for the hardware to get set up. Now that Sky Muster Plus Premium is available, it may be the better option for your household.
Normally, the hardware will set you back $549 but Starlink is known to do promotions from time to time. This includes lowering the price to $349 for a limited time.
View Starlink's Residential plans
If you have decent 4G mobile coverage, you can always consider 4G home internet, plans come with unlimited data starting from around $55 per month.
NBN Satellite FAQs
Though both are part of the NBN, they are fundamentally different technologies with different capabilities.
Fixed Wireless NBN uses transmission towers and line of sight antennas to deliver internet in a maximum radius of 14km. The technology is quite similar to the signal you receive on your mobile phone.
Satellite NBN, however, relies on the Sky Muster satellites to deliver internet, and can connect to properties thousands of kilometres apart.
As with most things related to the internet, distance matters. The further you are from the source of the signal, the slower your signal will be. This is why Fixed Wireless is able to achieve faster speeds and lower latency than a Satellite connection.
Learn more about picking between Sky Muster Plus and Sky Muster.
Concerns have been raised as to how reliable NBN Sky Muster speeds will be when all 100,000 premises are connected to the network.
Combined the two Sky Muster satellites currently have a combined capacity of 135Gbps, which itself is a large increase compared to the 4Gbps interim satellite NBN first used. However, in the case that all 100,000 homes and businesses were connected simultaneously that would equate to speeds of just 1.35Mbps.
NBN Co has said in the past that it's confident that the network will be able to deliver its promised speeds and that not everyone will use the service at the same time.
As of May 2023, there are 95,069 premises connected.
With most NBN services, your copper phone line is disconnected when you move to the National Broadband Network. This isn't the case with satellite connections, and you'll have the option of retaining your existing copper landline telephone when you sign up for a satellite service.
No, Telstra, like many other fixed-line NBN providers, does not currently offer satellite NBN plans.
Got questions? We've got answers. Whether you want to know what the NBN is, how to connect, if you have to connect, how much it will cost, what the alternatives are, or something else entirely, check out our complete guide to the NBN.
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