[LINK] Satellite? Wireless! No, FTTN! Maybe satellite, followed by ... errr ...

[David Boxall]

In some ways, the ideologically-induced chaos is fun to watch.

The scene: Sarabah, QLD (inland from the Gold Coast).
The problem: current NBN Interim Satellite (ISS) subscriber told by 
their ISP that their application for Long-Term Satellite (LTSS, aka Sky 
Muster) - lodged in January - is invalid, because their area is due to 
be covered by fixed wireless (which couldn't have been on record in 
January or it wouldn't have been possible for them to apply). 
Unfortunately, the wireless will not be available before February 2017, 
when NBN's lease on the satellite expires.
Complication: a check of current NBN records shows that they'll be 
covered by FTTN from late 2017/early 2018 - maybe.

This is the response from a representative of the ISP:
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/BIRRR/permalink/496381437237215/?comment_id=496395963902429>
> ... if you're on an Interim Satellite Service now, nbn co will keep 
> you on that until your tower is built and you can get a Fixed Wireless 
> service. If the tower isn't ready for service by February 2017, you 
> will get a Sky Muster service before they shut down the ISS. If you 
> get a good signal to the new tower, you'll get Fixed Wireless and they 
> will recover the Sky Muster equipment. If you don't have line of sight 
> to the new tower, you will keep your Sky Muster service. It's a bit 
> convoluted, but it's the best way for nbn co to ensure that they don't 
> roll out Sky Muster equipment that has to be replaced with Fixed 
> Wireless in a short time. Sorry, but at least you have some form of 
> broadband, there are others who have nothing much who won't be able to 
> get Sky Muster because a Fixed Wireless tower is being built nearby, 
> albeit well into the future.

There are several services using the same satellite as ISS 
<https://birrraus.com/2015/10/20/satellite-types/>, but it's nearing 
end-of-life <https://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=28786>. All 
subscribers to those services will lose Internet access when the 
satellite fails. Presumably, to avoid political fallout, any that don't 
yet have whatever service is supposed to cover them in the longer term 
before then will end up on Sky Muster, only to be transferred off it at 
some later date.

My situation is similar: applied for Sky Muster, because I was told that 
was all that would be provided. Last I heard, my address was in line for 
fixed wireless, 
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/BIRRR/permalink/494900224052003/?comment_id=494905544051471&reply_comment_id=494989214043104> 
but the build date is May next year. I'm currently on ISS, so it looks 
like I'll have LTSS for a couple of months before transferring to wireless.

Fun to watch, but I wonder how many $Billions will be wasted?

-- 
David Boxall                    |  In a hierarchical organization,
                                 |  the higher the level,
http://david.boxall.id.au       |  the greater the confusion.
                                 |                     --Dow's Law.