Fiber to the Premises (FTTP)-based broadband may be at the core of Australia's NBN Co.'s National Broadband Network, but the realities of the country's tough terrain is forcing the service provider to use satellites in areas that can't be reached with fiber.
NBN Co. will spend up to $876.5 million on two KA band satellites to connect those homes that won't be able to connect to the under-construction FTTP network that will include Alcatel-Lucent. The two satellites will deliver about 2 percent of the NBN's total capacity.
"The fact is even within 40 or 50 kilometers of Sydney and Melbourne there are places you can only get to with satellite," said Mike Quigley, NBN Co. CEO. "Fiber is too difficult to get to them and the terrain is such that you just can't get propagation of the wireless signal effectively and get a reliable service."
For more:
- TeleGeography has this article
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