[LINK] Gillard announced a $620 million deal for two NBN broadband satellites.

[Jan Whitaker]

At 08:29 PM 8/02/2012, Nick Ross wrote:

>Seconded. Anyone know anyone?

Interesting Howard era policy:

http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/economics_ctte/space_08/submissions/sub63.pdf

(Satellites from Optus to 2009)

Commonwealth Agencies discouraged from dealing with Optus: On 30 
March 2007, AGIMO wrote to Optus regarding the use of alternative 
legal terms for satellite services. The letter purported to prohibit 
Optus from offering satellite services to Commonwealth Agencies or 
even participating in discussions without AGIMO approval. AGIMO also 
contacted various key agencies such as Defence and Centrelink, 
warning them that dealing with Optus under alternative terms was a 
breach of Government policy.

and this:

30. Satellite Operators Restricted from Offering Capacity Directly: 
If Agencies may only purchase satellite capacity from WoGTA 
signatories without additional terms, no geo-stationary satellite 
operators will be able to offer capacity directly. The effect of this 
policy is that in the absence of special Ministerial permission, the 
Commonwealth is restricted to:
(a) purchasing satellite capacity from resellers who have agreed to 
comply with the WoGTA terms, not satellite operators; and
(b) using satellite capacity operated outside of Australia, rather 
than Australian operated satellite capacity.
----------

Found another article that says the interim services for NBN acquired 
by Optus is only 6Mpbs down, 1 up. Maybe the new purchases are for 
better speed.
http://www.content-technology.com/asiapacificnews/?p=1274

The Interim Satellite Service is a first stage solution, planned to 
provide up to 6Mbps download and 1Mbps upload broadband services to 
eligible Australian households, small business and indigenous communities.
The agreement with Optus provides for an initial network of 11 
SkyEdge II hubs and 20,000 SkyEdge II VSATs expected to be deployed 
within up to three years. The agreement stipulates a possible 
expansion of the network to include hubs and up to 48,000 VSATs. 
Gilat's new Australian subsidiary, Gilat Satellite Networks Australia 
Pty Ltd., will undertake responsibility for end-to-end VSAT 
installation, as well as hub maintenance and operation in three 
geographical locations, for a period of five years. The agreement 
represents a potential value of up to $120 million, subject to final 
design and implementation of the fully expanded network.
The hubs are planned to be commissioned and VSAT service to commence 
operation in 2011. The satellite network will utilize Optus' existing 
Ku capacity and IPSTAR's multi-spotbeam capacity available over Australia.

And if anyone needs a refresher on satellites, data rates, and 
environmental factors, check this:
http://www.satsig.net/ about half-way down the page. They also 
provide access provider info.

[funny aside; when I was doing the search, one of the websites came 
up with a caution signal (I use Web Of Trust add-on with Firefox for 
this). I though, hm, who is it? Check this out: 
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2011/166



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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