NBN Sky Muster satellite: plans, speeds and what's changing
Sky Muster is nbn's satellite service for homes and businesses in regional and remote Australia that can't get a fixed line or Fixed Wireless, including Norfolk, Christmas, Lord Howe and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It uses two geostationary satellites launched in 2015 and 2016, and you buy it from an NBN provider like any other NBN plan. Sky Muster Plus Premium plans come with uncapped data and speed tiers of up to 100/5 Mbps; of the providers we checked on 2 October 2026, SkyMesh, Activ8me, MultiWave Connect and Pivotel sell them.
Sky Muster is due for a big change. nbn has signed with Amazon to deliver a low-earth-orbit service, nbn LEO, and in August 2026 said eligible customers can generally expect to start moving to it from around mid-2027. This page covers the current plans, speeds and latency, the LEO transition, and how Sky Muster compares with Starlink and Fixed Wireless.
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How Sky Muster works
nbn launched its first Sky Muster satellite on 1 October 2015 and Sky Muster II on 6 October 2016. Both sit in geostationary orbit, about 36,000 km above the equator. At your home, nbn installs a satellite dish outside, and an nbn modem, power pack and wall outlet inside. Your router or computer connects to the nbn modem.
The distance is Sky Muster's main limitation. nbn describes each request as a round trip of about 72,000 km, which adds delay (latency) that you notice in video calls and online games, even when download speeds are good.
Sky Muster plans and speeds
There are two families of Sky Muster plan: standard Sky Muster, with a monthly data allowance, and Sky Muster Plus Premium, with uncapped data. nbn withdrew the older capped Sky Muster Plus plans on 1 March 2025.
| Plan | Wholesale speed (down/up) | Typical busy-period download (7-11pm) | Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Muster Plus Premium high tier | 100/5 Mbps, upload bursts to 10 Mbps | 63 Mbps | Uncapped |
| Sky Muster Plus Premium mid tier | 50/5 Mbps, upload bursts to 10 Mbps | 38 Mbps | Uncapped |
| Sky Muster Plus Premium entry tier | 25/5 Mbps | 21 Mbps | Uncapped |
| Sky Muster | 25/5 or 12/1 Mbps | Not published | All data counts towards the provider's monthly allowance |
Who sells Sky Muster plans
nbn's list of Sky Muster providers (last updated October 2024) names nine providers. These are the ones whose current satellite plans we could check on their own sites. Providers' published busy-period speeds can lag nbn's: MultiWave Connect and Pivotel show 36 Mbps for the mid tier, where nbn's latest figure is 38 Mbps.
| Provider | Plans sold | Plus Premium tiers (published typical busy-period download) | Standard Sky Muster data | Minimum term | Set-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyMesh | Plus Premium (Ultra25, Ultra50 and Ultra100) | 25, 50 and 100 Mbps tiers; busy-period speeds not shown on its plans page | Not shown on its plans page | Month to month, no lock-in | Free standard installation; no connection, set-up or activation fees |
| Activ8me | Standard Sky Muster and Plus Premium | Shown after an address check | Monthly peak and off-peak allowances; slowed to 128 kbps once used | Month to month | No set-up or cancellation fees |
| MultiWave Connect | Plus Premium | 25/5 (21 Mbps), 50/5 (36 Mbps) and 100/5 (63 Mbps) | Not offered on its plans page | Month to month | Free standard installation; bring your own modem |
| Pivotel | Plus Premium | 25/5 (21 Mbps), 50/5 (36 Mbps) and 100/5 (63 Mbps) | Not offered on its plans page | Month to month | Free standard installation; bring your own router |
How much does Sky Muster cost?
Providers set Sky Muster prices, so they vary. We don't quote them because they change, but you can compare on the same points as any NBN plan: the tier (Plus Premium entry, mid or high), the monthly price, any data or fair-use terms on standard Sky Muster plans, installation, and the modem.
Specialist regional providers sell most Sky Muster plans; the table above shows four we checked. SkyMesh is a provider, not the network, so "SkyMesh or Sky Muster" isn't a choice between two services.
The move to nbn LEO satellites
On 5 August 2025 nbn announced it had selected Amazon's Project Kuiper (renamed Amazon Leo in November 2025) to deliver a low-earth-orbit satellite service. At the time nbn said Amazon planned to launch in Australia from the middle of 2026; its update of 27 August 2026 says eligible customers can generally expect to start moving to nbn LEO from around mid-2027.
nbn says the launch plans will have uncapped data and speeds of up to 50/10 Mbps and up to 100/20 Mbps. Existing Sky Muster services are expected to keep working while customers move, and nbn says it will keep operating the two Sky Muster satellites until the transition is done; they are expected to remain viable until about 2032.
If you are on Sky Muster now, you don't need to do anything yet. nbn and your provider will tell you when LEO is available at your address.
Sky Muster vs Starlink
The ACCC's first satellite broadband report, in December 2024, found Starlink outperformed Sky Muster on both speed and latency; Starlink averaged 165.5 Mbps in busy hours with latency of about 30 ms. Sky Muster Plus Premium's typical busy-period speeds are 21 to 63 Mbps depending on the tier, and its latency is much higher because of the geostationary orbit.
Sky Muster still has points in its favour: nbn installs the equipment, you buy it from an NBN provider with Australian support, and Plus Premium data is uncapped. Starlink needs you to buy or rent the kit and install it with a clear view of the sky. With nbn LEO promising speeds of up to 100/20 Mbps, some Sky Muster customers may prefer to wait for the transition.
Sky Muster vs Fixed Wireless
If your address can get nbn Fixed Wireless, it is generally the better choice: much lower latency, and tiers of up to 400 Mbps where eligible. The 2024 Fixed Wireless upgrade gave more than 120,000 premises that were previously on satellite access to Fixed Wireless for the first time, so it is worth rechecking your address on nbn's address checker. See our Fixed Wireless guide.
Who can get Sky Muster, and how to connect
Sky Muster is for premises nbn has designated for satellite, because a fixed line or Fixed Wireless isn't available there. nbn said in August 2025 that there were more than 300,000 premises within its satellite footprint. nbn's address checker shows whether your address is a satellite premises.
To connect, choose a provider from nbn's list of Sky Muster providers and order a plan. An nbn installer then fits the dish and the indoor equipment; your provider will confirm the appointment and tell you whether it charges any setup fee.
Getting the most from Sky Muster
Choose the Plus Premium tier that matches your household, since data is uncapped on all three. Keep the dish's view of the sky clear of new tree growth. For video calls, close other uploads and downloads first; the upload speed on Sky Muster is limited. And because latency is built in, fast-paced online games will feel laggy whatever the download speed.
General information only. We don't compare every provider or plan in the market, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through our links.
What to watch for
- The LEO transition. Watch for notices from nbn or your provider from around mid-2027.
- Latency. Video calls and online gaming will always feel slower on geostationary satellite.
- Fixed Wireless availability. Recheck your address; the 2024 upgrade extended coverage to many former satellite homes.
- Fair-use terms on standard Sky Muster plans, where all data counts towards the monthly allowance.
Common questions
Is Starlink better than Sky Muster?
On measured performance, yes: the ACCC's December 2024 report found Starlink delivered higher speeds and lower latency than Sky Muster. Sky Muster Plus Premium offers uncapped data with nbn-installed equipment, and nbn plans to move eligible customers to a faster low-orbit service from around mid-2027.
Which providers sell Sky Muster?
nbn lists nine Sky Muster providers. Of those we checked on 2 October 2026, SkyMesh, Activ8me, MultiWave Connect and Pivotel all sell Sky Muster Plus Premium with uncapped data on month-to-month terms, and Activ8me also sells standard Sky Muster plans with monthly data allowances.
How much does Sky Muster cost?
Sky Muster prices are set by each NBN provider and change, so we don't quote them. Compare providers on the Plus Premium tier you need, the monthly price, installation and the modem, using nbn's list of Sky Muster providers.
Are SkyMesh and Sky Muster the same?
No. Sky Muster is nbn's satellite network; SkyMesh is one of the providers that sells Sky Muster plans. Other providers sell Sky Muster too.
What speed does Sky Muster get?
nbn's Sky Muster Plus Premium tiers are 25/5, 50/5 and 100/5 Mbps, with typical busy-period (7pm to 11pm) download speeds of 21, 38 and 63 Mbps. Standard Sky Muster plans run at up to 12/1 or 25/5 Mbps.
Is Sky Muster being replaced?
Yes, over time. nbn has chosen Amazon's low-earth-orbit network for a service called nbn LEO and expects eligible customers to start moving from around mid-2027. Sky Muster will keep running during the move, and nbn expects the satellites to remain viable until about 2032.