Satellite services such as NBN's Sky Muster and SpaceX's Starlink have been included in the ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia program for the first time.
The new report found that Starlink outperformed NBN Sky Muster with faster internet speeds and lower latency – the latter a measure of how quickly it is that your device gets a response from the server and vice versa.
Anna Brakey, ACCC Commissioner said, "Many consumers in rural and remote areas do not have access to a fixed-line network and rely on alternatives such as satellite services to connect to the internet."
"We have expanded the Measuring Broadband Australia program to include performance data for satellite services to help these consumers make informed decisions about which service may offer the best value for them."
NBN Sky Muster was observed to have maximum download speeds of 111Mbps and 22Mbps for uploads. Starlink's capacity for speed is much higher, the report recorded maximum download speeds of around 470Mbps and 74Mbps for uploads.
When it came to average speeds the results were the same. Starlink recorded average download speeds of 192Mbps at all hours and 165.5Mbps during peak hours (7pm to 11pm on weeknights). Its upload speeds were consistent with average upload speeds during non-peak hours being recorded at 28.6Mbps and 27.8Mbps during peak hours.
For Sky Muster, the ACCC reported the figures as a percentage of maximum plan speeds. The highest download and upload speeds included in the calculation were 100Mbps and 10Mbps respectively. Sky Muster recorded average download speeds at 83.2% of the maximum in all hours and 66.1% during peak hours. The upload speeds like Starlinks were more consistent at 112.6% of the maximum during all hours and 102.6% during busy hours.
In terms of latency, Starlink was observed to have a latency of 29.8 milliseconds across all hours of the day compared to 664.9 milliseconds for NBN Sky Muster. This would result in a more reliable connection over Starlink when conducting real-time activities like gaming online and video calling.
Brakey said, "When deciding which plan or provider is best for you, we encourage consumers to consider both the performance data as well as the price of the service and their household’s broadband usage needs."
Starlink – even when discounted as it is right now – is significantly more expensive. Currently, the standard Starlink kit costs $349 until January 30, 2025 (reduced from $599). When not on sale you can find it on retailers Kogan, JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks and Harvey Norman where you may find it discounted.
There's still the cost of the monthly plan which starts at $139 per month for unlimited data. Starlink's plans have no lock-in contract and come with a 30-day trial guarantee – if you're unhappy with your service you can request a full refund excluding shipping fees of $30.
By contrast, a Sky Muster Plus Premium plan is much cheaper. Prices start at around $60 for an NBN 25 equivalent plan. The fastest plan you can get on Sky Muster Plus Premoum, the equivalent of an NBN 100 plan, starts at around $100 per month.
Compare NBN Sky Muster Plus Premium plans here:
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#1
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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
|
|
#4
|
Activ8me
Editor's Pick
Sky Muster Plus Premium 50
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Standard
$78/mth
Min. cost $78
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 50 Plan
$84.95/mth
Min. cost $84.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Premium
$98/mth
Min. cost $98
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster Plus Premium 100
$99/mth
Min. cost $99
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
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Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 100 Plan
$104.95/mth
Min. cost $104.95
Link not supplied
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The ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia report looks at NBN fixed-line services and NBN Fixed Wireless services on a quarterly basis and will now include these satellite services going forward. You can read the full report here or have a look at how fixed-line providers performed here.
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These are the most popular NBN 50 plans with WhistleOut users this week:
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#1
|
Exetel
Extra-value nbn50
$60.99/mth
Min. cost $60.99
|
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#2
|
Tangerine Telecom
Value Plus NBN
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
#3
|
Buddy Telco
Editor's Pick
Value nbn - Unlimited
$63/mth
Min. cost $63
|
|
#4
|
TPG
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
|
#5
|
Kogan Internet
Silver Unlimited
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
#6
|
iiNet
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
|
#7
|
Dodo
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$68.90/mth
Min. cost $68.90
|
|
#8
|
Superloop
Extra-value nbn50/20
$67/mth
Min. cost $67
|
|
#9
|
Telstra
Upfront Internet Plan Essential
$105/mth
Min. cost $105
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
iPrimus
Standard Plus nbn50 Plan
$84/mth
Min. cost $84
|
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