More than 1100 interim satellite users in Eden-Monaro are a step closer to having access to fast, reliable broadband with the successful launch of the first of NBN’s two world-class communication satellites.
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The town of Bombala will be connected to the fixed wireless network, but this will only extend to the outskirts of towns.
People living on the land more than 15 minutes out of town will only be serviced via satellite and those using similar services will migrate across to the NBN communication satellite once the service is live mid next year.
After years of development and $2billion, the NBN satellite is above Australian skies and set to link with the Wolumla ground station.
The ground station at Wolumla is one of 10 across Australia, and the only ground station other than Kalgoorlie with four satellite dishes pointed skyward.
The satellite was launched successfully aboard a 780-tonne French made Arianespace rocket from French-run Guiana in South America early last Thursday morning.
The second NBN satellite is scheduled for launch in early 2016 and users will be able to connect broadband and voice services from around April next year following beam commissioning and product testing.
Households and businesses will be able to choose from a range of monthly download plans across two different speed tiers.
If testing is successful, the satellites will provide a better standard of internet to homes and businesses currently unable to access speedy fixed-line broadband services from April next year.
The satellites should deliver internet speeds equivalent to fixed line ADSL2+.
When operational, NBN’s satellite broadband service will cover more than 400,000 homes and businesses across Australia.
A region-by-region rollout plan is being developed to manage connections to the new service as all users will require a new external receiver dish and modem to connect to the NBN satellite service.
