The Sky Muster Satellite

Continuous complaints to Senator Mitch Fifield regarding the Sky Muster satellite, won't call it a service, because it's hardly that, has not instigated many replies. Mostly that the ISP should be contacted. However the long delay in the modem picking up the satellite signal is the responsibility of the Sky Muster satellite maintainers. Because any configurations and problems has to be directed to them by the ISP. The length of time before connection is just one of the issues where the Sky Muster Satellite business fails. However, I digress.

My latest contact with the Senator has generated a reply, which was a little miracle in itself, till I read the content. It was a breast beating, look at me, look at me letter. It's main thrust, from the constructor of the missive, Lynne Thomson - Assistant Director - Broadband Implementation, was to speak of the accolade the Sky Muster Satellite system had received:

[quote]
Despite your reservations, you may be interested to know that the Sky Muster satellite service recently won the Broadband Delivering Social Impact’ award at the 2017 Broadband Awards in Berlin. The National Broadband Network (the network) even surpassed operators such as China Unicorn and Spain's Telefonica to win the award. The network's fixed wireless service was also shortlisted in the Best Fixed Wireless category.
[end quote]

This wasn't an award for excellence of service, but rather an award for supposedly delivering wide coverage of internet service. Lynne Thomson also failed to mention what criteria were involved in this. It was the idea of internet coverage that was being praised not any efficiency or reliability of service.

The reference to "Best Fixed Wireless category" also didn't mention the criteria as to why short listed and not being a winner.

This also was mentioned in the letter:
[quote]
You may also be aware that Qantas is trialling Wi-Fi on aircraft using idle capacity on the Sky Muster satellites. The trial will also allow nbn to develop other health and education products that will benefit regional consumers, as well as increasing the return on taxpayer investment in the satellite service. NBN is already considering whether similar inflight Wi—Fi products could assist community groups, such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
[end quote]

Again, the trials are ongoing, probably because there is a reliability issue, especially for the Flying Doctor Service. The slow modem pickup of the satellite bandwidth, could be a problem when flying.

It has been exposed recently, that some of the largest ISP's have done the wrong thing by choking back their customers speed, but charging them for something that wasn't delivered but was more expensive. However, the NBN has much to explain. The service was not awarded anything for either reliability or speed, because these categories would find the NBN Fixed Wireless or Satellite as being very much inferior to anything else in the world.

However, it is customary for governments of every persuasion to attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the general public, and for business to make as much money as possible by cheating their customers in a way that will only receive a slap on the wrist.