NBN is starting to test its new satellite service

Speeds and feeds make ADSL users envious.

NBN is preparing to make its long-term satellite service commercially available in April, with the first customers due to start trialling the service within weeks.

The company today provided the “first outing” for broadband services over the Sky Muster satellite that it launched into orbit in October last year.

It is one of two satellites that will eventually make up the NBN long-term satellite service. The other satellite will be launched later this year.

“It’s about four months since the [first] Sky Muster satellite was launched,” NBN’s executive general manager for new developments, wireless and satellite Gavin Williams told Information Age.

“Since then we’ve been progressing with testing.”

Loral Space Systems – which launched the satellite into orbit – performed testing of the satellite itself before handing over to Optus, which has responsibility for tracking, telemetry and control.

The long-term satellite service will use 101 “spot beams” – effectively coverage zones – to service users in Australia and surrounding island territories.

In commissioning and testing the performance of each of those beams, an “end user service” has been installed in each, Williams said.

Click HERE to read the whole story.