Telstra’s new Satellite Home Internet plans are finally available to residential customers, giving Aussies in regional areas a new option for faster and more reliable internet.
Originally announced in July 2023, Telstra’s satellite plans include broadband and home phone services. The plans are offered in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service and are ideal for customers in remote and rural locations who aren’t able to connect to fixed-line NBN.
Starlink first launched in regional Australia in 2021, and is now available to homes and businesses in cities and populated areas. Telstra is the first Australian telco to offer customers Starlink-powered home internet, with the plans expected to provide a higher-speed alternative to NBN Co’s Sky Muster satellite.
How much is Telstra’s Satellite Home Internet?
Telstra is pricing its satellite plan at $125 per month, with an upfront kit fee of $599. The plan includes unlimited monthly data, and an expected speed of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) for downloads, and 10Mbps for uploads.
Telstra is also throwing in a home phone service, with unlimited standard local, national, mobile and 13 calls. Customers will also receive 30 minutes of international calls to any country each month, along with MessageBank access.
Telstra’s Satellite Home Internet plan is offered on a month-to-month basis, so there’s no lock-in contracts or exit fees. However, if you cancel within 24 months, you’ll need to return the included Telstra Smart Modem, or pay a $200 non-return fee.
If you sign up for Telstra satellite, you’ll be sent a do-it-yourself installation kit including a Starlink antenna and kickstand, router, cables and a power supply.
How does Telstra Satellite Home Internet compare to plans from Starlink?
Compared to buying directly from Starlink, you’ll pay less each month with Telstra: Starlink’s plan is priced at $139 monthly, so opting for Telstra could save you $168 per year. But while Starlink reports download speeds as fast as 200Mbps, Telstra’s fine print states that speeds on its Starlink-powered plan will be capped ‘at most times’ and will not exceed 50Mbps.
Starlink charges the same $599 fee for its hardware kit, but Telstra’s plan comes with an added benefit. Customers will receive Telstra’s Smart Modem with 4G backup, which is included free when you stay connected for 24 months.
The Telstra Smart Modem allows customers to connect to Telstra’s 4G network in the event that satellite internet is down. However, this will depend entirely on the availability of 4G at your location — so may not be a huge plus if mobile reception is spotty in your area.
In terms of customer support, Telstra users will have access to all of the telco’s Aussie-based service, including in store, over the phone and through the MyTelstra app. In comparison, help for Australians buying Starlink directly is limited to the service’s online portal.
Ultimately, your decision between the two products will depend on whether you’re happy to settle for potentially slower speeds in exchange for a $14 per month saving with Telstra. You’ll also want to consider if 4G modem backup is worth it, and if you’d prefer to use Telstra’s home-grown customer service if things go wrong.
How does Telstra Satellite Home Internet compare to NBN plans?
The NBN is a multi-technology broadband service that uses a combination of fixed-line fibre, satellite and wireless internet to connect homes and businesses. While most Aussies will be connected via fibre, many regional areas are still limited to NBN’s Sky Muster satellite or fixed wireless connections, which makes Starlink a potentially fast alternative.
Telstra is marketing its satellite internet as a solution for customers who are otherwise unable to access reliable internet, through either NBN or 4G/5G wireless broadband. But if you’re considering Telstra’s Starlink plans simply as an alternative to its current fibre NBN service, sticking with NBN is ultimately the better deal.
Telstra’s home NBN plans are some of the priciest on the market, but are still much cheaper than its Starlink service: currently, unlimited Telstra NBN with NBN 50 speeds is $100 per month. NBN 50 plans in general start as low as $70 from competing providers, so if price is a priority you can easily find a more budget-friendly option by shopping around.
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited Standard (NBN 50) plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our internet comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
Starlink and Telstra Satellite Home Internet use Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, which are positioned close to the earth and can offer a strong signal and quicker response time. When compared to NBN’S Sky Muster, Starlink can deliver a much faster maximum speed in areas where fixed-line broadband isn’t available.
If you’re weighing up Sky Muster and Telstra’s satellite service, unlimited Sky Muster Plus prices start at around $60-$70 per month. However, your speeds are limited to 25Mbps, and data used for video streaming is generally metered.
Last year, NBN Co introduced Sky Muster Plus Premium, which includes completely unlimited data, average speeds of around 50Mbps, and ‘burst speeds’ of up to 100Mbps in off-peak hours. You can expect to pay around $80-$100 each month for these plans, depending on your provider.
Below are several Sky Muster NBN plans for you to compare.
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 Telstra Satellite Home Internet compare to 5G?
If you’re unhappy with NBN, you can also consider switching to a 5G home internet plan. 5G internet with download speeds up to 50Mbps is available from around $60 per month from several providers, while 100Mbps plans begin at about $65 monthly.
Again, your experience will depend on the 5G coverage available at your home, but these plans can be an easy and fast way to get online if your NBN connection isn’t up to scratch. You can compare a range of 5G internet plans below.
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 | |||
Images: Telstra
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