NBN's Amazon Leo satellite service slips to around mid-2027 for most customers

NBN Co says eligible customers can generally expect to begin moving to its low Earth orbit service from around mid-2027, with testing later this year and customer trials before launch. Rollout will be progressive across the satellite footprint as capacity becomes available.

That is later than the position in February, when NBN Co said it was planning to reach the first Australian customers in the fourth quarter of 2026, based on Amazon’s progress at the time. It said then that the rollout depended on Amazon Leo’s global deployment plans.

What customers get

Introductory plans will offer uncapped data, subject to fair use, at wholesale speeds of up to 50/10 Mbps and up to 100/20 Mbps. Higher speeds may follow. About 300,000 premises sit in the existing satellite footprint.

For eligible customers, NBN Co plans to supply a standard professional installation and equipment, including a Wi-Fi router, at no upfront wholesale charge. Self-installation will also be offered. Pricing will not vary by location.

In February, NBN Co proposed early-upgrade wholesale prices of $35.84 a month for customers on 12/1 and 25/5 Sky Muster plans moving to 50/10, and $46.08 for Sky Muster Plus 50 customers. It has since said special offers will apply to eligible customers, so retail prices remain to be seen.

What about Sky Muster?

Existing services are generally expected to keep running during the move. NBN Co committed in February to operate the Sky Muster satellites until at least 2028.

Amazon’s side

CNBC reported in July that Amazon had more than 390 satellites in orbit, which it said was enough for initial service at certain latitudes later in 2026.

What it means

Sky Muster customers have no action to take yet. Anyone comparing Starlink now should weigh a contract or hardware cost against a service that is still at least months away and whose retail pricing is unknown.