NBNCo Signs $200m deal with Optus for Interim Satellite

Australia's NBN Co. awarded a five-year contract valued at up to $200 million to Optus to supply managed services for the national broadband network's Interim Satellite Service.


NBN Co plans to offer a wholesale Interim Satellite Service capable of peak download speeds up to 6 Mbps, to be available via participating retail service providers. The first service are expected to be available across Australia and Tasmania beginning in July.


The interim service will leverage Optus' existing Premium Broadband Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) and capacity on Optus' D-Series satellites. Optus will be responsible for managing the project and will partner with Gilat Satellite Networks Australia to deploy VSAT network equipment at a number of satellite gateways and end user premises throughout Australia.


A second contract valued at just over $100 million has been signed with IPstar for additional satellite capacity.


NBN Co's satellite and fixed-wireless services are intended to serve the seven per cent of the nation's premises that its fibre optic cable rollout will be unable to reach. NBN Co is currently finalizing contracts for its fixed wireless service, which is due to be available from mid 2012.
http://www.nbnco.com.auhttp://www.optus.com.au