The nbn® have announced that the Interim Satellite Service (ISS) will be shutting down on the 28th of February 2017. This discontinuation means that subscribers of the satellite service are at risk of being left without internet if they are unaware that the service is being shut down by the nbn®.
All subscribers of the interim satellite service are urged by the nbn® to make the switch to its nbn® Fixed Wireless or the new Sky Muster® satellite service that are available. The Sky Muster® satellite service is the successor of the ISS. The nbn® launched two satellites in 2015 and 2016 to be able to provide a better satellite internet connection compared to the ISS.
According to Queensland Country Life, the imminent shutdown of the ISS will affect ALL ISS subscribers that have connected to the service from 2011 and 2013. For the many subscribers in Queensland who have yet to upgrade from the ISS, they have until the end of February to make the switch from ISS to either Fixed Wireless or Sky Muster®; or run the risk of being left with no internet connection.
“The switch won’t be automatic”
For subscribers of the ISS in Queensland that includes rural and regional residents as well as farmers, organisations and small businesses, they can determine if they are still on ISS with the following ways:
- If you got connected to the nbn® satellite service between July 2011 and December 2013 (when nbn® ISS services were installed).
- Call your current satellite service provider and ask if you are on the ISS.
- Contact the nbn® directly by calling 1800 687 626.
Affected subscribers who wish to make the switch should contact an official nbn® Retail Service Provider (RSP) like Activ8me, who will coordinate with an authorised network installation personnel that will set up a Fixed Wireless or Sky Muster®, depending on the premises’ footprint in the network’s rollout map.