Skip to content
Wisenet background
Ben Hamilton05/10/15 20:161 min read

Sky Muster NBN Satellite Offers e-Learning For All Australians

Sky Muster Satellite opens e-learning opportunities

Thursday's successful launch of the NBN Co's Sky Muster Satellite means high speed internet access for 200,000 Australians living in remote and regional areas is a significant step closer!

Rockets and satellites are risky business - a launch failure (i.e. an explosion) would be an expensive and major setback for the NBN (despite a $50 million insurance policy price tag). Satellites take years to build; launch windows are expensive and rare. Fortunately, it was a text book launch and all systems are GO!

Fast, but fast enough?

The massive $500 million, 6-tonne satellite promises speeds of up to 25MBps to users across the country who can't access other forms of broadband. There is some debate as to whether those speeds will actually be achieved, especially in peak usage periods. I have lived in regional Australia and welcome any improvement on the diabolically slow speeds of the current satellite services, which are often less than a dial up connection.  

NBN Satellite Coverage

The good news is that the price point for services will be the same as what city folks pay for their broadband: about $70 a month.

There are still some risks:

  • The satellite has another ten days to reach its final orbit at 36,000km above the earth.
  • Several months of testing required
  • Commerical services can only be offered in April 2016
  • A twin satellite is scheduled for launch next year, increasing capacity to 400,000 users.

e-Learning for Everyone

Our politicitians love talking about EduTech and e-learning as a big use case for the NBN. I can't help but agree. Certainly, registered training organisations stand to benefit with the potential to offer online learning courses via an e-learning strategy to another 400,000 new customers. 

That said, if you don't already have online learning systems in place then its time get started!

Launch your first e-learning system in 30 days, tops!


Rumble in the Amazon Jungle

 

How does your registered training organisation plan to use the new Sky Muster Satellite? Comment below!

 Image Source: NBN Co

avatar

Ben Hamilton

Ben is the CEO & Co-Founder of Wisenet. The self-professed Troubleshooter is passionate about human rights, education, and science and technology. Besides whipping up delicious meals that create food envy, Ben enjoys extracting real business value from new and disruptive technology, and his current work at Wisenet revolves around creating products and services that remove operational complexities. He is currently based in Singapore.

COMMENTS

RELATED ARTICLES