nbn® Sky Muster® satellite explained

We currently have two nbn Sky Muster satellite offerings in market:

nbn Sky Muster Plus Premium plans

• These are our most popular plans as they offer uncapped data usage for all your internet activities and a choice of speeds.^{#^}
• Find out more about our nbn Sky Muster Plus Premium plans.

nbn Sky Muster plans

• With these plans, 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.
• nbn Sky Muster plans have two wholesale speeds tiers available. Speeds that you actually experience will fluctuate but wholesale speeds will peak at 12/1Mbps or 25/5 Mbps depending on the tier chosen.

nbn provides wholesale services to phone and internet providers. Note that your experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn network, depends on the nbn network technology and configuration over which services are delivered to your premises, whether you are using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like your equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan, signal reception or how your provider designs its network). Wholesale speeds for an nbn Sky Muster plan may be reduced if the metered data allowance is exceeded. Satellite end users may also experience latency.

^#Fair Use Policy and shaping apply.

^{^}Your experience, including speeds, depends on whether you are using the internet during the busy period, concurrent usage, specific locations from time to time and, some factors outside of nbn’s control (like your equipment, software or signal reception). You may also experience latency.

Data is how much content you download and upload from and to the internet, whereas speed is how fast this data travels between the internet and your devices. For example, every time you stream an online video, you’re downloading data. If you’re posting an image or saving a file to ‘the cloud’, you’re uploading data. The amount of data you require from your internet plan will be dependent on the kinds of activities you enjoy doing and how often. For any nbn Sky Muster plan with a data allowance, all data usage will be counted. For any Sky Muster Plus Premium Plan, all data usage is uncapped.^# 

Speeds will fluctuate over time. Your experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn broadband access network, depends on many factors including the nbn access network technology and configuration over which services are delivered to your premises, whether you are using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like your equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan, signal reception, or how your provider designs its network). Satellite users may experience latency.

To proactively protect and ensure the fair access to the nbn broadband access network for all users, nbn may from time to time, at its discretion, shape the following activities to maximum wholesale upload and download speeds of 256kbps: 

• streaming video between midnight and 4pm 
• VPN between midnight and 4pm 
• uploads and downloads via peer to peer  
• uploads and downloads to cloud storage platforms 
• PC and smartphone operating system updates  
• software/application updates  
• gaming software updates 
• any other activity related to applications which nbn cannot identify.

Other activity that nbn considers may cause adverse network impacts may also be added to the above list to be shaped. Other exclusions and fair use conditions may apply.^#

^#Fair Use Policy and shaping apply. Examples of unfair use include: routinely transferring large files greater than 20MB via email; downloading software, application or operating system updates for more than 20 unique devices; masking, manipulating or changing the signature of traffic to: present metered use as unmetered use, present one type of unmetered use as a different type of unmetered use, or otherwise avoid accurate data transfer measurement; performing excessive automated polling, refreshing or scraping of websites. It is also unfair use to knowingly allow any of these things. For further details on fair use conditions, contact your preferred internet service provider.

nbn is a wholesaler and does not set retail prices. Please check with an nbn Sky Muster satellite service provider for specific plan costs.

As nbn is a wholesaler, you’ll need to speak to an nbn Sky Muster satellite provider to find out whether they offer plans powered by nbn Sky Muster Plus Premium. In most cases, the change should be able to be completed without a further installation, as all nbn Sky Muster services use the same nbn equipment.^~ Please confirm with your preferred nbn Satellite service provider(s) whether they’ll offer any additional equipment or charge any fees.

^~nbn will assess whether an installation is standard, because practical and optimal installations differ at different locations. Ask your provider if they have any other fees.

Sky Muster™ satellite installation requests may require in-home cabling and include multiple devices to be installed inside and outside of your premises. The nbn™ equipment to be installed may include, a satellite dish (outside), an nbn™ modem (inside), a power pack (inside), and a wall outlet (inside). Your phone or internet provider will supply a gateway (router/modem) and the Ethernet cable to connect the devices as required.

Depending on the internal or external locations, the devices installed may differ to the ones shown in the following diagram.

The satellite dish may alternatively be mounted on your roof or gutter.

nbn does not currently charge your service provider for a professional standard installation which meets nbn’s requirements^~. Wiring and cabling changes, or the installation of additional wall outlets, may incur a fee. Ask your provider if any other fees will apply.

^~nbn will assess whether an installation is standard, because practical and optimal installations differ at different locations. 

nbn does not currently charge your service provider for standard satellite equipment - being a small satellite dish (typically 80 to 120cm in diameter) and an nbn connection box at the point where the cable from the dish enters your home or business - as nbn owns and maintains such equipment. Check with your preferred provider whether they have any other required equipment or other fees.

Satellite broadband is the delivery of broadband data using satellite signals. A small antenna or dish is installed on the roof (or other nbn-approved location) of a home or business to transmit and receive data from a satellite orbiting the earth. The satellite then transmits the data back to a network of satellite ground stations (much larger satellite dishes) and these connect to the internet via your preferred internet service provider.

These considerations may help if you’re experiencing performance or speed issues on your Sky Muster™ satellite service:

• Networking equipment: Check the quality of your networking equipment, for example, a better router/modem could improve your experience.
• Wi-Fi signal strength: Wi-Fi modems can vary in signal strength, so it’s best to check with your provider if the modem that they’ve supplied meets your performance expectations.
• Where you position your Wi-Fi modem: Other electronics can impact your Wi-Fi signal – mobile phones, microwaves and TVs rely on radio signals. Having your router placed as far away from these devices as possible can help.
• The number of devices online at the same time: If you regularly have many users and devices actively online at the same time, and stream videos on a regular basis, ask your provider about whether a plan based on a higher wholesale speed tier is available.
• Network congestion: How your provider configures their network and manages traffic (particularly during peak periods when more people are online) can have an effect on your internet experience – particularly during peak usage times. Ask your provider how they approach their congestion during peak times to help you to understand what’s right for you.

If you’re still experiencing issues with your nbn™ service, you’ll need to chat with your provider for further assistance.

Read more on optimising your experience at home.

Typically, most people use their nbn Sky Muster satellite service at the same time in the evening between 7 and 11pm. During this busy time, the end user experience may be impacted, including slower speeds.

For details on how nbn Sky Muster Plus traffic is managed, including during and outside these hours, visit our Sky Muster Plus Premium page or contact an nbn satellite service provider.

The existing copper lines and services at your premises will not be altered or changed by an nbn™ Sky Muster™ satellite installation.

In Sky Muster™ satellite areas, premises will have the choice to keep their existing phone service over the copper network active, or switch over to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service on the nbn™ access network through a preferred phone and internet provider – connecting your new phone via the nbn™ supplied equipment. Your provider can assist with your phone and internet services.

Read more about the services that may be affected.

We have recently signed a contract with Amazon Project Kuiper to offer a new LEO satellite service powered by Amazon Kuiper to customers in nbn’s satellite footprint, which is predominantly based in regional and remote parts of the country.

Details around availability, timings, plans and more will be provided as we move through the usual product development and consultation process. 

If you would like to be kept informed of these developments, you can register your interest for updates.

Your eligibility for different service technologies (i.e. Fixed Wireless, Sky Muster™ satellite or Fixed Line) depends on which access technology is available at your premises.

Check your address to find out what’s available at your premises today.

We have recently signed a contract with Amazon Project Kuiper to offer a new LEO satellite service powered by Amazon Kuiper to customers in nbn’s satellite footprint, which is predominantly based in regional and remote parts of the country.

Details around availability, timings, plans and more will be provided as we move through the usual product development and consultation process. 

If you would like to be kept informed of these developments, you can register your interest for updates.

The nbn™ Sky Muster™ Fair Use Policy forms part of the agreement between nbn and internet service providers and is designed to help ensure fair access to the nbn™ Sky Muster^™ satellite network – especially during peak usage times. Internet services providers may have their own fair use conditions that apply to your retail contract. For more information, contact your internet service provider.

Since the introduction of our Sky Muster Plus Premium plans in late 2023, we have received positive feedback from customers, particularly around the range of plans, uncapped data inclusions and value for money. 

Following consultation with internet providers, we made the decision to remove our Sky Muster Plus capped plans which included a data allowance for video streaming and VPN use in the evening (4pm – 12am midnight). This change took effect on 1 March 2025. 

Customers on these capped plans were automatically migrated to an nbn Sky Muster Plus Premium plan in accordance with mapping we shared with your internet provider. 

You are not required to stay on your assigned Premium plan for any particular period of time.  If you wish to change your plan, understand any changes to billing, or examine what other options are available, please contact your service provider directly.

We continue to offer nbn Sky Muster and nbn Sky Muster Plus Premium plans to eligible customers. 

nbn Sky Muster plans are not impacted by these changes.