• Satellite to your door – nbn® Sky Muster® satellite connections

  • What is an nbn® Sky Muster® satellite connection

    nbn® uses two geostationary satellites (GEOs) to provide a satellite internet connection to customers in regional, rural and remote Australia (including island populations). These are offered when and where there are no other metro-comparable nbn® services (such as Fixed Wireless and Fixed Line).

    There are three main nbn® Sky Muster® satellite products:

    1. nbn® Sky Muster®
    2. nbn® Sky Muster® Plus
    3. nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Premium
  • Everything you need to know about nbn® Sky Muster®

    • 1 How does a nbn® Sky Muster® satellite connection work?
        1. nbn® ground stations
          A network of large satellite dishes connects via your preferred internet service
          provider and then transmits data to the nbn® Sky Muster® satellites.
        2. nbn® Sky Muster® satellites
          These satellites orbit the earth, sending data between nbn® ground stations and the
          nbn® satellite dish installed on your roof.
        3. nbn® satellite dish on your premises
          A small nbn® satellite dish or antenna installed on your roof receives data from an nbn® Sky Muster® satellite. This data then travels throughout your premises via a cable connected to your nbn® connection box. This modem distributes the internet to your devices, such as laptops, phones, or weather stations.

        To learn more about internet speeds and choosing an internet plan, visit this guide. You can also find out more at nbn® Sky Muster® satellite explained, and nbn® Fair Use Policy – data limits.

    • 2 Who provides nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plans?
      • Seven service providers supply nbn® Sky Muster® satellite services. Two of these only sell standard nbn® Sky Muster® plans, and the rest sell nbn® Sky Muster® Plus and nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Premium plans.

        Not all providers offer all types of plans, and the individual provider decides pricing. You can check individual plans on the suppliers’ websites or use a comparison site such as WhistleOut.

        *Comparison sites are sometimes funded by providers advertising fees (they are not independent) and may not compare all providers and all types of plans.

        To help get you started, visit this guide.

    • 3 How do I connect to an nbn® Sky Muster® satellite service?
      • 01
        Check Coverage Area

        Check your eligibility for nbn® Sky Muster® satellite by visiting the nbn® website. If your location is not showing up on the nbn® satellite map, you need to contact an RSP or the Regional Tech Hub, who can raise a case with nbn® to get your address entered and mapped into nbn®’s system.

      • 02
        Compare Providers and Plans

        There are five Sky Muster® plans, but these are the three most popular for quality, speed and value:

        1. nbn® Sky Muster®
        2. nbn® Sky Muster® Plus
        3. nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Premium

        Your nbn® internet plan comes from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or Retail Service Providers (RSPs). Installing the equipment is free, but your provider might charge a fee to activate your new service. They’ll give you details about:

        • The maximum download and upload speeds available for your connection.
        • The amount of data included in your plan.
        • Which content might count towards your usage (especially on Plus plans), and what won’t.
        • Peak and off-peak data times.
        • The overall and ongoing cost.
      • 03
        Set Up Your NBN® Sky Muster® Satellite Service

        Once you’ve chosen an internet plan and provider, an approved nbn® technician will install the equipment at no charge. This will be arranged by your provider. However, there may be an activation fee. They’ll set up a satellite dish on your building’s roof, connecting it to an indoor device (Network Termination Device (NTD) or modem).

        For optimal performance, place the NTD:

        • Near your frequently used devices
        • Within 1.5m of a 240V power outlet (mandatory requirement as the modem requires power to operate – you may want to consider a Universal Power Supply (UPS) or generator as a back-up power source)
        • On a wall in a cool, dry, accessible area protected from potential damage and weather

        Once installed, connect your computer directly to the NTD via an ethernet cable or use a router for a wireless signal. Routers are great for broadcasting Wi-Fi to devices like laptops, phones, tablets, printers, televisions and more. Your service provider’s router might be a plug-and-play need configuration – confirm with them. You can buy one from your provider or elsewhere if needed.

        You can find more information with the following resources:

        NBN® Sky Muster® Satellite Service

  • nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plans and provider options

  • What are the different types of
    nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plans?

  • Under the Sky Muster® Plus Premium plans, there are now three available levels:

    • Sky Muster® Plus Premium – high tier option: Replaces the current nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Premium plan and offers uncapped data use* with maximum wholesale speeds of 100/5 Mbps at least once every 24 hours and an anticipated typical busy period wholesale download speed of 48 Mbps.
    • Sky Muster® Plus Premium – mid-tier option: A new plan that offers uncapped data use* with maximum wholesale speeds of 50/5 Mbps at least once every 24 hours and an anticipated typical busy period wholesale download speed of 31 Mbps.
    • Sky Muster® Plus Premium – entry tier option: A new plan that offers uncapped data use* with maximum wholesale speeds of 25/5 Mbps at least once every 24 hours and an anticipated typical busy period wholesale download speed of 16 Mbps.

    No new equipment or installation is needed for nbn® Sky Muster® or Sky Muster® Plus customers if they want to upgrade to an nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Premium plan.

    You can also purchase a dedicated static IP (internet protocol) address under a Sky Muster® Plus or Sky Muster® Plus Premium plan. This is useful for users who wish to access their network remotely. The new optional feature of static IP addresses is available to Retail Service Providers at an additional monthly wholesale cost.

    For more information on these points, visit the nbn website.

  • Internet

    All your questions about nbn® Sky Muster® answered

    • 1 What costs are associated with a nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plan?

      There are a number of ways costs can be applied to your plan.

      • Firstly, your internet plan has a fixed monthly cost, which is billed consistently on the same day every month. This date typically marks the reset of your monthly data allowance, ensuring you start fresh each month.
      • Your internet service provider might also impose additional one-time fees. These could cover setup, equipment (like routers or Analogue Telephone Adapters for VoIP), activation, speed tier changes, or early termination. You should carefully check all the possible fees that may apply to each plan as they differ with each provider.

      Look for each plan’s Critical Information Summary (CIS) and compare plan costs. These are located on all providers’ websites and can be requested in-store. The CIS contains information about the plan, such as the price, fees for leaving the contract early, contract length, download limits, etc.

    • 2 How is data managed with a nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plan?

      Data allowance, measured in gigabytes (GB), is the amount of internet content you can use monthly. How much data you need depends on what you do and how long you spend online. Basic tasks like emails and browsing use little data while streaming movies or gaming consumes more.

      If you use up your data within one month, your provider might slow your connection until the next billing cycle. This is called “shaping.” For Sky Muster® plans, some providers offer additional metered data blocks, and you can upgrade at any time.

      How data is managed varies by nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plan type:

      • With nbn® Sky Muster®, all data counts towards your monthly data allowance at a wholesale level, and there is a set amount per month to use for online activities.
      • With nbn® Sky Muster® Plus, plans include different data usage allowances. These plans metre your video streaming and VPN traffic usage between 4 pm and midnight. However, all other internet activities on nbn® Sky Muster® Plus plans will not count towards your monthly data allowance.
      • With nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Premium plans, you can enjoy uncapped data usage for all your internet activities and a choice of speeds.

      Note: Exclusions and fair use policies apply to all nbn® Sky Muster® Plus Plans. Visit nbnco.com.au/skymuster-plus for more info or contact a participating phone and internet provider. Contact a participating nbn® Satellite service provider for details on fair use conditions.

    • 3 What is metered and unmetered content?

      The content you use the internet for is categorised as metered, unmetered, or shaped.

      • Metered content counts toward your included monthly data limit
      • Unmetered content is not included in your data usage, allowing unlimited usage of included activities without speed changes.
      • Shaped data occurs when you’ve used all your monthly data, slowing your connection significantly.
    • 4 What does Peak/ Off Peak mean?
      1. Standard Sky Muster® plans metered for all internet usage divide the data allowance between peak and off-peak times.
        • Peak hours are between 7am and 1am at your local time (18 hours of the day).
        • Off-peak hours are between 1am and 7am at your local time (6 hours of the day).

        Standard Sky Muster® plans that offer larger data allowances in off-peak times are often better value for money but may require you to use the internet at a time that does not suit your needs. Peak hours are likely to be the hours when you most want to use the internet.

        Visit this tech tip article for tips.

      2. Sky Muster® Plus plans only have a peak period for VPN and Video streaming usage, which is between 4 pm and midnight daily.
      3. Sky Muster Plus Premium is uncapped for all internet usage, so there is no peak or off-peak period; you can use any application anytime, as there isn’t a monthly data usage allowance.
    • 5 Am I locked into a contract with nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plans?

      Some contracts are available month to month, while others will have a minimum duration (such as one or two years) with the option to get reduced pricing or to bundle equipment. Longer contracts may not have upfront equipment and activation fees, but may add a charge if you want to end your service before the contract has run its full time.

      If you need assistance in understanding a contract, there is good information on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) website.

    • 6 Is there a Fair Use Policy in place for nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plans?

      nbn® Sky Muster® satellite plans follow a Fair Use Policy that sets rules for providers offering this service. Its goal is to ensure fair access to all customers.

      This policy regulates peak and off-peak data use, limits on ports per modem, and data volume quotas per connection. Breaching this policy could result in speed reduction, data limitation, or service suspension as determined by your provider or nbn®.

      Your internet service provider might also have its own fair use conditions outlined in your contract. For specifics regarding how the Fair Use Policy impacts your provider’s services, review your contract thoroughly and contact them for clarification if needed.

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