Australians can now pre-order Elon Musk's space internet

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 09 February 2021

Elon Musk is known for a lot of things - dating Grimes, founding Tesla, and making problematic tweets - but he's also developing a satellite internet system known as Starlink. Starlink launched in "beta" in the US in October last year, and Australians are now able to get in on Musk's space internet action.

Starlink has started accepting pre-orders for Australian addresses, with the goal of delivering services in mid-to-late 2021. The company does however note that availability will be limited (satellite internet has limited capacity) and orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.

During beta, Starlink is targeting download speeds of 50Mbps to 150Mbps, with latency of 20ms to 40ms. Starlink plans will also have unlimited data during the beta period, but this could change at a later date. While those download speeds are in-line with what you can expect from a fixed-line NBN service, they represent a significant improvement over Sky Muster Satellite NBN, where plans max out at 25Mbps.

Sky Muster NBN plans also have fairly modest data caps. For example, $54.95 per month will get you a SkyMesh Satellite NBN plan with 65GB of anytime data and 135GB of data for use in off-peak hours.

Of course, a Starlink plan will cost you a whole lot more. The provider has just a single option billed at $139 per month. You'll also need to pay $709 in setup fees, and $100 in shipping and handling. You'll also need to pay a $139 deposit upfront. It is fully refundable however. The Starlink website does however note that placing a deposit does not guarantee a service.

For comparison, most NBN 100 plans will set you back between $80 and $100 per month when you exclude promotional discounts. Here are a few popular NBN 100 plans:

#1	Dodo	Dodo 100/17 Mbps typical evening speed Unlimited Data $62.99/mth Min. cost $62.99 Deal: Incl. $30/mth discount for 6 months based on the standard price $92.99/mth*. Ends 08.12.26. T&Cs apply.	100%	Go to Site
#2	amaysim	amaysim 100/18 Mbps typical evening speed Unlimited Data $50/mth Min. cost $50 Deal: Includes $40/mth off for the first 6 months ($30 NBN Sale + $10 Standard Intro Offer), then $90/mth. Ends 20.10.26	52%	Go to Site
#3	Superloop	Superloop 95/17 Mbps typical evening speed Unlimited Data $74/mth Min. cost $74 Deal: Incl. $21/mth off 6 months! $74/mth for 6 mths, then $95/mth + Bundle & Save	44%	Go to Site
#4	iiNet	iiNet 99/17 Mbps typical evening speed Unlimited Data $69.99/mth Min. cost $79.99 Deal: Includes $25/mth off for 6 mths - $69.99/mth for first 6 months, then $94.99/mth. Use code SAVE25FOR6	25%	Link not supplied
#5	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom 100/17 Mbps typical evening speed Unlimited Data $67.90/mth Min. cost $67.90 Deal: Includes $25/mth off for the first 6 mths, $67.90/mth for first 6 months, then $92.90/mth.	25%	Go to Site

$139 per month is also enough to get an NBN 1000 plan on most providers. Of course, NBN 1000 plans are only available to those with an FTTP NBN connection and a small number of HFC connections. If Musk is able to deliver on his promise of unlimited satellite internet with speeds of around 100Mbps, it could be a boon for those in regional and rural Australia forced to deal with Sky Muster or Fixed Wireless - even if the service itself is more expensive.

Starlink orders include a Starlink dish, mounting tripod for ground level use, and a WiFi Router.

Pre-orders can be made through the Starlink website.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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