Grey nomads travelling in the remotest parts of the country are among those who could benefit from the unveiling of a new satellite broadband plan.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Australians living in all corners of the country – and everywhere in between – will have access to “fast and affordable” broadband from 2015.
The Government has signed a contract with an American company, Space Systems/Loral, for the delivery of two satellites worth $620 million.
“They will deliver, along with the fixed wireless and fibre networks of the national broadband network, universal broadband coverage across the entire Australian continent, and its external territories for the first time,” Ms Gillard said in a statement. “This will ensure high speed broadband is delivered to Australia’s remotest towns, such as Calvert in the Northern Territory and Bandya in Western Australia.”
The Prime Minister said that under the national broadband network, most Australians would benefit from fibre direct to the home but those living in remote areas required a different solution.
In conjunction with the fibre and fixed-wireless networks, the satellites mean that when completed, NBN Co will be able to offer peak speeds of 12 megabit per second download / 1 megabit per second upload, at uniform national wholesale prices, to every home and business in Australia.
The satellites will be launched six months apart in 2015.
