Australia’s digital infrastructure is reaching for the stars – literally. In a landmark deal, NBN Co has selected Amazon’s Project Kuiper to deliver satellite broadband to regional, rural and remote communities. The partnership marks a major step in closing Australia’s connectivity gap, with 3,200 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites set to beam high-speed, low-latency internet across the nation by mid-2026.

This collaboration between the government-owned NBN Co and Amazon will allow hundreds of thousands of Australians currently relying on NBN’s ageing Sky Muster satellites to transition to faster, more reliable LEO broadband – rivaling Elon Musk’s Starlink in reach and performance.

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Key Points

• Amazon’s Project Kuiper will launch 3,200 LEO satellites to provide broadband to regional and remote Australia.
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• NBN Co plans to connect more than 300,000 premises via participating Retail Service Providers.
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• Service launch expected mid-2026, with multiple satellite launches already underway.
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• Partnership replaces NBN’s geostationary Sky Muster satellites with next-generation LEO technology.
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• Aims to enhance telehealth, education, and emergency communications in remote communities.
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• Starlink now faces its first serious competition in the Australian satellite broadband market.

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Project Significance

Project Kuiper represents a new phase in Australia’s digital infrastructure – where space technology meets the national broadband network. Reliable internet is more than a convenience for people in the bush; it’s a lifeline for education, healthcare, small business, and emergency services.

By partnering with Amazon, NBN Co is betting on low orbit satellite technology to deliver faster speeds, lower latency, and greater resilience than traditional geostationary systems. The project also marks a critical step toward national digital equity, ensuring every Australian – regardless of postcode – can access modern online services.

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Further Details: Building Australia’s Digital Backbone in Space

Amazon’s Project Kuiper will launch 24 scheduled from August 2025. Once complete, the 3,200-strong constellation will rival Starlink’s 8,000 satellites and form part of a global network delivering high-speed internet almost anywhere on Earth.

For NBN Co, the move away from Sky Muster’s two ageing satellites – 36,000 km above Earth – to Kuiper’s LEO network, just 600 km from the surface, means massive gains in speed and reliability.

Industry experts say the partnership is part of a broader shift toward multi-orbit connectivity, where LEO, fibre, microwave and radio systems operate together to provide resilience against natural disasters and network outages.

Still, the new technology brings new challenges. With thousands of satellites set to orbit above, astronomers and locals are already noticing the streaking trails of light in Australia’s night skies – a reminder that every leap in connectivity comes with trade-offs.