NBN to double data limits for Sky Muster retail service providers

NBN Co is increasing data limits that retail service providers can offer from its wholesale satellite service Sky Muster.

RSPs will have the average peak data allowance they can offer to customers increased from 30GB per month to 45GB per month.

Maximum usage during peak periods will double from 75GB per month to up to 150GB per month. Total usage during peak and non-peak times will also double from 150GB to 300GB per month.

The new limits will come into effect in October. It will still be up to the discretion of each RSP whether to pass on the new data limits to customers, though NBN Co said it expects the majority of customers to receive larger peak and off-peak plans at a similar cost.

Chief executive Bill Morrow said NBN was comfortable that Sky Muster has the capacity for RSPs to offer increased data packages since the second satellite was repurposed to share the data load.

"We will continue to optimise the pricing model and data plans of the Sky Muster service with further offerings on business and education services expected to be available in the next 12-18 months,” he added.

According to NBN's wholesale market report, there were 54,829 long-term satellite services by the end of 2016. Telcos that can offer services from Sky Muster is limited to a number of RSPs, which includes Activ8me, Ant Communications, Clear Networks, Harbour ISP, IPSTAR, Reachnet and Sky Mesh.