Want Faster Internet for Your Rural Home? An NBN Connection Could be the Answer

Whether you’re working from home, video calling relatives who live some distance away or browsing the latest viral posts, a reliable Internet connection is not something anyone wants to take for granted.

As the National Broadband Network is rolled out across the country, many people in the rural parts of Australia need the reliable connection of the NBN more than ever.

Rural internet options in Australia

There are three options for those Australians living in rural areas wanting to connect to the NBN: fixed line, wireless and satellite. All three are great options for accessing a healthy Internet connection, and we’ve taken a look at what’s involved in each so you can find the one that suits your needs best.

Fixed line

The multi-technology mix rollout is progressing at a steady pace, with hundreds of suburbs and towns on the current rollout map, with additional hundreds lined up over the next few years.

As part of the original initiative, there’s no city favouritism. Country and rural communities are prioritised just as commonly as urban and suburban communities. Even if you’re out beyond the black stump, there’s a pretty decent chance you might qualify for fixed line services.

If you’re among the lucky ones who already have it (check here to see if you are), then look no further. Head straight over to our NBN page and check out the difference in speed for yourself!

Wireless NBN

Wireless NBN access is a 4G, wire-free alternative to fixed access that operates much like a mobile phone network. However, unlike regular mobile wireless it’s designed to operate with a specific number of households in mind, which means that there will be little peak hour congestion.

All you’ll need is an antenna directed towards one of the NBN Co’s facilities and an installed communications box. You’ll also need to be on the wireless network coverage list, and have a line of sight towards the facility.

This plan is perfect for anyone just out of the reach of the regular network, as it extends the footprint of the NBN rollout by a significant amount in certain areas.

To check if you’re eligible for this, head over to our checker and click the little box down the bottom that says ‘show service type’. If your house is covered by dots rather than lines, then you can get wireless NBN.

Satellite NBN

So you’re not on the cards for either the fixed or wireless NBN. Don’t worry, and don’t give up hope just yet!

Enter Sky Muster, a 1.8 billion dollar satellite (nicknamed by 6 year old Northern Territory competition winner Bailey Brooks), aimed at providing rural Australians with speeds of up to 25mpbs down\5mpbs up.

This is a godsend for any of us stuck out in small towns; it’s hard to get infrastructure out to the bush, but the NBN satellite does exactly that. No more buffering bars or stalled downloads! For a lot of suffering rural Australians, the NBN is the solution they’ve been waiting for.

At any point in time, the Sky Muster is shooting just over 100 beams at the surface of the country, covering a huge area of space. These beams are split into two groups – wide spots for low density areas, and focused spots for high density areas.

What this means is rural Australians are going to be increasingly able to get internationally competitive internet speeds, no matter if they’re in a major country town or in the middle of the red centre.

All you need to access the service is an NBN co satellite dish (unfortunately, a regular TV dish won’t cut the mustard for such a complex operation), and fulfil the eligibility requirements for the network. Installation, as with the majority of NBN co products, has already been covered for you by the Australian Government, and partly through your own tax dollars.

Additionally, if you’re already on the NBN interim satellite network, you’ll be upgraded for free to the new service as soon as it’s available for you.

There’s over 400,000 properties currently on the map – and whilst we don’t offer Sky Muster directly we can see if it’s the best option for your location or if there may be a better one, simply contact us to find out.

What works for me?

If you’re lucky enough to be eligible, there’s no time like the present to sign up! Upgrading to a decent, quality internet service shouldn’t be something only people in major metropolitan centres can do. Regional access has been a priority of the NBN rollout to date, and it’s something that everybody can look forward to in the coming years.

If you’re stuck between options or not quite sure which suits your property, feel free to get in contact with our team at Aussie Broadband.

Give us a call on 1300 880 905 or use the form on our contact page. Our technicians will be able to quickly and efficiently provide you with the information you need, craft a perfect plan for your requirements, and show you how to best go about connecting to the network.