NBN Co’s interim satellites are reaching full capacity and the government-owned company has started turning away new customers in rural Victoria. These customers must rely on existing broadband infrastructure until NBN Co launches two custom-made satellites in 2015.
Satellite beams covering NSW, Tasmania and Queensland were also close to capacity, while those covering central and western Australia had some space left.
NBN Co only has enough space for 48,000 customers nationally on its interim satellite and has already connected 42,044 premises, according to figures released this week.
However, the new satellites would have capacity for 200,000 customers, and download speeds of up to 25 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 5 Mbps.
“We are not taking any new orders for service on the interim satellite Melbourne beam – there is a wait list for service if equipment is already installed at premises,” NBN Co spokeswoman Simone Bergholcs told Fairfax Media. “There was always going to be a gap in capacity between the Interim satellite and NBN Co’s long-term satellite – and that is why the successful launch of the long-term satellite is so important as it has greater capacity and will be able to offer more services to end users.”
Ms Bergholcs added that people living near state borders may still be able to access another state’s beam and should contact NBN Co.
NBN Co currently expects to deliver broadband via satellite to about 3 per cent of premises in rural and remote Australia. The rest of the country would be connected through fixed-wireless or fixed-infrastructure.
One man, who didn’t want to be named, told Fairfax he was angry to find out the Melbourne beam was full after he and his wife purchased a house in Mount Bruno, near Wangaratta in north-east Victoria. They had checked before purchasing that the property would be eligible for NBN Co’s satellite service.
“We were really disappointed that they did not tell us that it was approaching full capacity either when they gave us the initial advice, or any time since,” he said.
“If you look at the NBN Co website it looks like it is full steam ahead for interim satellite registrations until you enter your property address.”
The couple plan to live in Mount Bruno and need access to the internet for work. Their fixed telephone lines may not be able to carry ADSL broadband and mobile broadband was not fast enough and too expensive, he said.
“It is a major issue for us… If we can’t get the satellite and can’t get ADSL we’ll have to rent office space in Glenrowan or Wangaratta until the NBN permanent satellite is launched in 2015,” he said.
