- NBN CO has announced a partnership with Amazon Project Kuiper
- Launch in mid -2026 it promises to bring faster satellite internet to rural Australia
- It is initially launched in Tasmania before moving north through the country
When we are still closer to the impending NBN speed upgrades over the regular line network, NBN Co has today (August 5) announced a partnership with Amazon’s project Kuiper Satellite Internet Service to improve the connection for Australians in rural areas, regional and remote areas.
This would be an upgrade to the current Sky Muster Service offered by NBN Co to rural areas and regional Australia, which currently has about 307,000 premises within its geostationary footprint.
The satellites currently in use are approaching their ending period, although NBN Co says there is plenty of time to secure a smooth transition for its Sky Muster customers.
Read on to find out more.
What is Project Kuiper?
Amazon began research and development for Project Kuiper for approx. seven years ago, back in 2018. The first two prototype satellites were launched in October 2023, and a full-scale implementation started in April 2025 with 27 production satellites. The Kuiper Internet Service project will eventually see approx. 3,200 Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites inserted at an altitude of about 600 km.
NBN Co has said that early signs show a great promise and has earmarked mid-2026, as when satellite-internet plans (alias Sky Muster) become available to customers starting with Tasmania.
It is expected that a further roll -out after a launch in the southern areas of the country will take place to the north over a period of weeks to months.
Who can get Project Kuiper?
The Kuiper Satellite Internet Service project will be available to all current Sky Muster and Sky Muster Plus customers together with everyone in the current geostationary satellite footprint – approx. 300,000 homes – all of which will eventually migrate over to the new service or be offered the chance to sign up.
It will not be an immediate change as NBN Co says its two sky macates -satellites will remain in operation until “about 2032” to help make the transition as smooth as possible.
After today’s message, NBN CO begins further conversations with Project Kuiper and Retail Service Providers (PSPS) to determine pricing and the speeds that customers can expect.
How fast is Project Kuiper?
While accurate speeds are not yet determined, NBN Co says that customers who are serviced via satellite internet can expect “Broadband of the city’s quality”. Sky Muster Services Max is currently at 100 Mbps, and Project Kuiper claims its service can achieve up to 400 Mbps download speeds for home customers or up to 1 Gbps for corporate customers.
Something else?
Of the partnership, NBN Co CEO Ellie Sweeney, “Leo Satellite Broadband, provided by NBN Co and driven by Amazon’s project Kuiper, will be a big leap forward for customers in parts of regional, rural and remote Australia.
“Australians deserve to have access to fast, efficient broadband, whether they live in a larger city, on the outskirts of a village or miles from their closest neighbor … By upgrading to the next generation of Leo -Satellite Broadband, driven by the Kuiper project, we work to bring the best available technology to Aussies in the bush.”
