The Top Sky Muster NBN Satellite Providers
While the NBN has seen many Australians take their first step into truly high-speed internet in cities and urban areas, those in the more remote parts of the vast Australian continent have not been forgotten in the NBN rollout. Internet access in remote regions has always been problematic, but that all changed with the launch of two dedicated NBN satellites a few years back. Named “Sky Muster,” they deliver reliable, fast broadband to the most hard-to-reach parts of the country – and the service keeps seeing improvements.
If you’re in one of these areas, you’ll have a range of NBN satellite plans to choose from – but thanks to a recent change introduced by the NBN, Sky Muster users can now enjoy unlimited data for almost everything on the internet that isn’t video streaming, without any extra cost. The Sky Muster plans that allow this are known as “Sky Muster Plus” and as you’ll see from the list of NBN satellite providers below, they’re surprisingly well priced.
- $55/mth for 6 mths! Ends 31 July
- No Lock-in Contract
- Ideal for households of 2-3
- 19Mbps typical evening speed
NBN Sky Muster - 150GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 15GB peak, 135GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup and cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 150GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 15GB peak, 135GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 175GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 45GB peak, 130GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 175GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 45GB peak, 130GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 200GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 60GB peak, 140GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 200GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 60GB peak, 140GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 25GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 50GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- Inc. $5/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local & national calls
- Included modem
- 10Mbps typical evening speed
- Includes nbnTM broadband $45, 100GB Data (S)
- VoIP (M)
- $5 discount from nbnTM plan. Discounted rate ($40)
- Limited Offer Plan reverts to Standard monthly fee of $45 after 24 months
NBN Sky Muster - 225GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 80GB peak, 145GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- $65/mth for 6 mths! Ends 31 July
- No Lock-in Contract
- Ideal for households of 3-4
- For gaming & video streaming
- 38Mbps typical evening speed
NBN Sky Muster - 225GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 80GB peak, 145GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 100GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 50GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- Inc. $5/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local & national calls
- Included modem
- 10Mbps typical evening speed
- Includes nbnTM broadband $55, Unlimited Data
- VoIP (M)
- $5 discount from nbnTM plan. Discounted rate ($50)
- Limited Offer Plan reverts to Standard monthly fee of $55 after 24 months
- 50GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
- Inc. $20/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- Included modem
- 19Mbps typical evening speed
- Unlimited nbnTM Broadband Standard $75/mth
- VoIP Large $30
- Bundle $75 limited offer includes a $20 per month discount for the first 24 months then this bundle plan reverts back to $95 per month
- Inc. $20/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- Included modem
- 38Mbps typical evening speed
- Unlimited nbnTM Broadband Turbo $75/mth
- VoIP Large $30
- Bundle $85 limited offer includes a $20 per month discount for the first 24 months then this bundle plan reverts back to $105 per month
- $85/mth for 6 mths! Ends 31 July
- No Lock-in Contract
- Ideal for households of 3+
- For gaming & HD video streaming
- 76Mbps typical evening speed
NBN Sky Muster - 250GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 90GB peak, 160GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 24 Month Contract
- Family Zone Box included
- Calls to 13 numbers: 40c per call
- Included WiFi Modem
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- 5GB mobile data
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet, mobile & home phone
- Unlimited mobile talk & text
- Included modem
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 150GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 75GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 275GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 110GB peak, 165GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 100GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 200GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 100GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 250GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 125GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 150GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 300GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 150GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
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Last audited 27 June 2020
Sky Muster Plus and Unlimited Data
A while back, a separate group of NBN Sky Muster plans were introduced, known as Sky Muster Plus. These plans still have a data limit (how much depends on what you’re willing to spend per month) but they came with unlimited data for basic internet usage like banking and browsing.
As of April 2020, though, NBN has made all internet usage eligible for unlimited data, except for two things – video streaming and connections made through a VPN. This gives a huge amount of freedom to Sky Muster users, and you’ll now be able to choose your Sky Muster Plus plan based solely on how much streaming video you watch.
How Does it Work?
With many remote communities and properties far away from the nearest mobile tower or wireless access point, connecting them to the NBN was going to require thinking big – because wired technologies like HFC or Fibre to the Node simply aren’t possible in such areas. The solution was to use satellites to provide the connection – meaning you’re literally getting your broadband from space! Satellite broadband can deliver decent broadband speeds (up to 25 Mbps) across wide areas of remote Australia – all you need is a satellite dish mounted on your property, which is supplied for free by the NBN.
There is one minor downside to satellite NBN – latency (the time information takes to get from the server to you and vice versa) is unavoidably high, since the signal has a very long distance to travel. In reality, though, this won’t affect normal internet use at all, including streaming video. Where it’ll be more noticeable is with time-sensitive uses like video chat, Skype calls or online video games. It’s only around a third of a second, though, which is fine for most people.
How Do You Get Satellite NBN Connected?
The Sky Muster service is designed for regional and remote communities, which means many more city-focused internet providers won’t have satellite available as an option. Fortunately there are several well respected and highly experienced companies that have embraced NBN satellite plans, and that means you’re still going to have plenty of choice when it comes to providers and plans.
The first thing you need to do is pick a provider – use our list above to get an idea of plans and prices that are available, including any special offers. Then get in touch with them to check whether you’re eligible for Sky Muster. It’s very possible that your wider area could be served by fixed wireless instead, but the provider will be able to check your address on the NBN’s database and let you know what your connection options are.
With your new Sky Muster connection ordered, you’ll then be given a date when a NBN technician will arrive to install your satellite dish and supporting devices. Note that you can’t use an existing satellite dish you may have (for example, Foxtel) – the one used for Sky Muster is custom-designed for the purpose. The dish can live either on your roof or on the side of an exterior wall – it’s not especially large – and will be connected to a box known as the Network Termination Device (NTD) inside. It’s this you connect your modem/router to.
What Speed Tiers Are Available?
With standard Sky Muster plans, there are two speed tiers available, NBN 12 (12 Mbps) and NBN 25 (25 Mbps). While the lower NBN12 tier is perfectly adequate for general internet usage – it’s faster than most ADSL connections, after all – if you’re planning on doing things that require a bit more speed, such as video streaming or chatting, go for the faster NBN25 options, which actually don’t cost all that much more..
Sky Muster Plus is now rated up to NBN 50 (that’s up to 50 Mbps – dependent on how busy the network is) which is great news for those who want to stream video. A 200GB plan can be had for not much more than an urban NBN connection costs, and that’s plenty for moderate streaming. And remember, all other usage is unlimited!
Is Satellite Worth It Compared to Other NBN Options?
If you do have access to other forms of NBN in your area, then you’d want to check out your options with those first, before deciding on satellite. For most people who’d consider it, though, satellite will be the only means of connecting to the NBN that’s available to them, and with improvements to the service and pricing since it launched, Sky Muster now gives even the most remote communities the option of effectively unlimited broadband at a decent speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Streaming Services Count Towards the Data Limit?
While NBN doesn’t give a complete list of which streaming services and sites that trigger usage of your monthly data, it’s safe to say that if it plays video – even embedded video like you’ll often see on news sites – then it’s going to be counted. Netflix, Stan, Foxtel, YouTube, TikTok, iView, 9now and Amazon Prime Video are examples of what’s included. If it plays video, it’s going to count – unless it’s embedded video on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr and LinkedIn, which are all unmetered.
Why Does Using a VPN Count Towards the Data Limit?
While many use VPNs for added privacy and security for day to day internet activity, they can also be used to stream video – and because all VPN traffic is encrypted, the NBN can’t tell what type of content you’re viewing, so they can’t tell what’s video streaming and what’s not. If you want to take advantage of unlimited data on Sky Muster Plus, you’ll need to disable that VPN.
Why Are There Separate Peak and Off-Peak Data Limits?
Because the Sky Muster satellites are a shared, limited resource, the hours where they see the heaviest usage (7am to 1am) are designated as “peak”. Your Sky Muster plan will have a data limit for peak and another for off-peak – as an example, a 200GB plan might offer 100GB peak and the other 100GB for off-peak (1am-7am) use only. If you’re budgeting for your streaming usage, it’s important to take this into account.
Are There any Other “Gotchas”?
NBN says that they may, if needed, slow down activities such as game updates, computer and phone updates or downloads and uploads to cloud servers if the network gets too congested. This only applies between 4pm and 11pm, so if you set your computer to only update outside those hours (most game consoles update in the early morning by default) you’ll be fine.
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