NBN Co's Interim Satellite Service
NBN Co Ltd (NBN Co) provides an Interim Satellite Service through its retail service providers. This service targets those end users without access to a commercial, metro-comparable broadband service.
About the Interim Satellite Service
NBN Co developed the Interim Satellite Service (ISS) to provide an improved service to regional and rural Australians now, ahead of the rollout of NBN Co’s Long Term Satellite Service which will be available in mid 2015.
The ISS offers eligible end users access to a broadband service with speeds of 6 megabits per second download and 1 megabit per second upload. In addition, the end user is provided with free installation of new customer premises equipment. Only one NBN ISS service will be provided per eligible premises.
Eligible users
An end user may be eligible if:
According to the Broadband Service Locator (BSL), the premises do not have access to a metro-comparable broadband service and is one of the following:
- a residential customer
- a small business
- an Indigenous community organisation
- a not-for-profit organisation
- an education facility
- a health facility
- a local government facility.
Metro-comparable service
A metro-comparable broadband service is defined to mean a service with the following features:
- Access to the internet at a peak data speed of at least 512/128 kbps and 3GB per month usage allowance (with no restrictions within these limits on downloads, uploads or usage time)
- A price to the end user over three years of no more than $2500 (inc GST) including equipment, installation, connection, account establishment, travel costs and ongoing provision of the service
and
- The service provider offering the broadband service can install the service within a reasonable period of time.
For illustrative purposes, commercial broadband services that fall within the metro-comparable service definition include:
- ADSL or ADSL 2+
- 3G or 4G wireless
and
- fixed wireless services that are listed on the BSL.
More information
More information on NBN Co’s ISS can be found on its website:
State, territory and local governments are encouraged to contact the Department via email on ISSeligibility@dbcde.gov.au to discuss eligibility for identified premises in the first instance.
All other applicants should contact the NBN Co Contact Centre on freecall 1800 687 626 weekdays between 8.30 am and 5:00 pm, or info@nbnco.com.au, to discuss eligibility.
Important information for existing Australian Broadband Guarantee customers
The Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) program ended on 30 June 2011.
However, the rights of existing ABG customers are not affected, including the right to a three-year offer of service without any increase in the monthly price of the service supplied. For more information about customer rights, please contact the Department via a free call on 1800 883 488 weekdays between 8.30 am and 5.00 pm (eastern time), or abg@dbcde.gov.au.
