While Aussies living in metro areas are comparatively spoilt for choice when it comes to internet options, rural and regional communities aren’t so lucky. Country customers relying on satellite broadband have been faced with a choice between slower speeds on the NBN’s Sky Muster service, or higher bills with alternatives such as Starlink.
But after reporting that 10,000 Sky Muster customers have disconnected in the last 12 months, NBN Co is recognising the threat Elon Musk’s Starlink service poses – and is making moves to prevent further customer losses. The broadband network is allowing thousands of Sky Muster satellite users to test out a better, faster plan over the next few months.
In late February, NBN Co announced plans to trial a new Sky Muster plan addressing two customer pain points: slow speeds and data restrictions. The trial Sky Muster Plus plan will include 100% unmetered data usage, plus ‘burst speeds’ of up to 100Mbps.
Essentially, this means you can use unlimited data each month without restrictions on downloads, streaming or connecting to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) – on par with the majority of fixed-line NBN plans. It also means customers will have access to much faster burst speeds when available, although typical speeds will most likely vary.
How the Sky Muster trial offers more value
Currently, residential Sky Muster Plus plans come with a peak wholesale speed of 25Mbps, but the potential to reach faster ‘burst’ speeds in some locations when the network is at lower capacity. But in general, customers can expect a maximum peak-hour speed of 25Mbps or less, as well as maximum upload speeds of 5Mbps.
Existing Sky Muster Plus plans also include unmetered data usage for certain activities, plus a monthly capped data allowance for video streaming, and VPN use during peak hours. Social media, music streaming, video calling, general web browsing and file sharing are all uncapped activities and never count towards your data inclusions, but video streaming and VPN use between 4pm and 12am daily will be taken from your monthly allowance. However, unmetered and uncapped video streaming and VPN use is available during the off-peak hours of 12am to 4pm each day.
Comparing the two versions of Sky Muster Plus, it’s clear that the new trial plans offer superior speeds and features, and gives regional customers a chance to use their connection for work, school, and entertainment without the stress or limitations of capped data.
Gavin Williams, NBN Chief Development Officer, Regional and Remote, said in a media release that the trial was made possible by $750 million in upgrades to fixed wireless services, which led to increased satellite capacity due to customers moving from one NBN type to another. The trial will run until May 2023 for up to 10,000 customers, but NBN Co has cautioned that the final commercially-available product may change depending on stakeholder feedback.
“No one knows the unique needs, expectations and everyday online experience of regional and remote broadband users better than those very customers themselves,” Mr Williams said.
“That’s why the feedback gathered from participants in this trial, which will also include internet retailers, will prove extremely valuable ahead of the anticipated launch of the new plan later this year. Any plan launched will go through the usual product development process, including industry consultation.”
Leading Sky Muster provider Activ8me is one of the telcos participating in NBN Co’s trial, and will offer the new unmetered plans to customers on data allowances of 100GB or more.
“Activ8me are excited to be participating in the trial and believe that a product like this will meet the needs of modern families,” Martin Camilleri, Activ8me CEO said.
“We have been advocating for changes like this on behalf of our customers for some time, and we are happy to see NBN Co take this step.”
Sky Muster satellite plans
It’s unconfirmed as to whether NBN Co will change its current pricing model if and when the new version of Sky Muster Plus becomes widely available. To give you an idea of how NBN’s SkyMuster and SkyMuster Plus satellite plans are priced right now, along with typical features and inclusions, we’ve compiled some examples below.
The following table shows selected published NBN Satellite plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see fixed-line plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sky Muster 235GB Sonic
min. cost $64.95 over one month |
200GB | $64.95 | |
 |
Sky Muster Standard Plan
min. cost $64.99 over one month |
250GB | $64.99 | |
 |
Sky Muster Plus
min. cost $69.95 for first month |
Unlimited | $69.95 | |
|
min. cost $99.00 over one month |
Unlimited | $99.00 | Go To Site |
 |
Satellite Medium
min. cost $130 for one month billing period |
Unlimited | $130 | |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
How does the SkyMuster trial compare to Starlink?
Owned by US company SpaceX, Starlink is a high-speed broadband service that uses a network of low-orbit satellites to connect customers worldwide. Now available to residential customers across regional Australia, the service promises fast download speeds and low latency, along with the flexibility to take your service on the road where possible.
Starlink is by far the fastest satellite provider in both Australia and New Zealand, with a median Australian download speed of 106.43Mbps in the last quarter of of 2022, according to research firm Ookla. However, Starlink’s pricing still puts it out of reach for many Aussies, due to a monthly plan cost of $139 plus a $924 hardware fee.
Currently, Starlink is offering Australian customers a ‘start of the year’ hardware discount, reducing the upfront setup costs to $450. This price includes the Starlink receiver, plus a WiFi router, cables and base – you’ll have to install the product yourself, and add-ons such as roof or wall mounts are available to purchase for an additional fee. While it’s certainly a saving on the $900+ standard price, it’s still an expensive outright cost when compared to the zero-dollar set-up fee offered for most NBN connections.
The monthly Starlink plan price is also on the higher end. NBN SkyMuster Plus plans currently range from around $50 per month for 25GB of capped data use, up to $170 or more monthly for 150GB. Certainly, Starlink’s a better deal if you want truly unmetered data and overall faster speeds, but it’s still an pricey option compared to what’s available outside of remote areas.
Read more: Starlink Internet in Australia: Speed, Price and Plans
What about 5G internet?
One wireless alternative to Starlink that’s currently rolling out across Aussie towns and cities is 5G home internet. While not available in the remote and very regional areas serviced by NBN Sky Muster, 5G broadband is an option for more metro-located customers who are considering providers like Starlink due to disappointment with their current NBN plan.
5G home internet plans generally include unlimited data (with the exception of Telstra’s one terabyte plan), and prices begin at around $60 per month for speeds up to 50Mbps, or $70 for 100Mbps. Plans with no speed limits are also available, beginning at $85 per month from Telstra and maxing out at $99 monthly with Optus.
The following table shows selected published 5G home internet plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
5G Home Internet
min. cost $85 over one month |
1TB | $85 | |
 |
Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G
min. cost $675 over first month |
Unlimited | $99 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
The following table shows selected published 5G home internet plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $59.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $59.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
 |
Ultimate 5G Home Broadband Plus
min. cost $65 over one month |
Unlimited | $65 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $64.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $64.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $69.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $69.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $70 over one month |
Unlimited | $70 | Go to Site |
|
Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G
min. cost $655 over first month |
Unlimited | $79 | Link to provider unavailable |
 |
SpinTel 5G Unlimited
min. cost $89 over one month |
Unlimited | $89 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone’s 5G networks are still being rolled out nation-wide, although a large number of Australians already have access; for example, Telstra claims to now cover 80% of the population with its 5G service. So if you’re living in a major city, there’s a good chance you already have 5G coverage. If not, you may instead qualify for 4G home internet, also known as home wireless broadband.
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