Timeline Snapshot: Satellites over Australian skies

By Tony Bundrock, CEO Activ8me
12 January 2015
1980s                    
The National Satellite System group was established as part of the Overseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC) in order to set up Australia’s first national satellite system.
1981      
AUSSAT is created by the Australian Government, to own and operate the National Satellite System.
1985      
Domestic satellite services begin in Australia with the launch of Australia’s first two satellites –AUSSAT A1 and A2. This is the start of remote and rural TV broadcasting.
1987      
AUSSAT A3 satellite is launched.
1992      
Optus successfully bids for the right to be Australia’s first privately owned communications carrier and as part of the licence conditions Optus purchases AUSSAT.  Cable & Wireless and Bell South are the 2 main shareholders in Optus.  Optus launches new satellite B1.
1994      
Optus B3 satellite is launched with the world’s first land mobile satellite telephone service.
2001
Australian Private Networks Pty Ltd formed selling basic satellite internet services to 120 residential customers.
2003
Optus and the Australian Defence Force launch hybrid commercial and military communications satellites, Optus C1.
2005
GE-23 satellite launched into orbit.
IPSTAR Australia, a subsidiary of the Thailand-based Shin Satellite Public Company, launches the IPSTAR service in Australia.  This includes satellite gateways constructed in Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie.  The improved quality of service delivered effective broadband Internet connectivity, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)and video conferencing to remote areas.
Australian Private Networks Pty Ltd commences trading as Activ8me.
2006      
Activ8me first to commercialise IPSTAR satellite services.
Activ8me introduced 256Kbps / 64Kbps at $29.95. First time satellite service is metro-comparable.
Optus launched its 7th satellite, Optus D1.
2007      
Activ8me upgrades customers onits IPSTAR satellite services to 512Kbps / 256Kbps at no charge.
Activ8me first to introduce a satellite VoIP service.
Activ8me reaches 10,000 satellite service installation milestone (the 10,000^th Activ8me customer installed remained with Activ8me for 5 years until moving house in 2012).
Optus launched its 8th satellite, Optus D2.
2008
Activ8me first to introduce ‘Unleashed^TM’ speeds on IPSTAR satellite services – speeds up to 4Mbps/2Mbps.
Activ8me reaches 20,000 satellite service installation milestone (the 20,000^th Activ8me customer installed has now been a long-term Activ8me customer of 6 years).
2009
Activ8me delivers commercial satellite broadband systems in remote mining centres.
Activ8me delivers medical facilities in remote Australia (AMSANT).
Activ8me commences delivery of broadband to customers on Australia’s Islands (such as Lord Howe Island).
Activ8me commences a 4 year programme to install 301 satellite-connected and solar powered public telephones in remote and isolated Indigenous communities for the Australian Government (Indigenous Communications Program later renamed Remote Community Telecommunications).
Activ8me start a three year partnership to sell the Optus Thuraya range of satellite handsets. Thuraya’s SG2510 satellite telephone is the world’s first smart satellite handset.
Optus launches its 9th satellite, Optus D3.
2010
Activ8me reaches 40,000 satellite service installation milestone.
2011
Activ8me signed up to sell next generation satellite broadband as a National Broadband Network provider.
2012
Activ8me approved as a nbn retail service provider for fibre and fixed wireless.
Activ8me is the firstcompany in Australia to connect the first fixed wireless customer to the nbn.
2014      
Activ8me upgrades 301 satellite-connected and solar powered public telephones to deliver public WiFi access in remote and isolated Indigenous communities for the Australian Government (Indigenous Communications Program later renamed Remote Community Telecommunications).
Optus launched its 10th satellite, Optus-10.
2015
nbn launches the SkyMustersatellite into orbit (Oct).
nbn Sky Muster satellite at its desired location above New Guinea (Oct).
Activ8me is the first company to receive the new nbn satellite dish and modem (Nov).
New nbn satellite service installed in Activ8me’s test facility (Dec).
Commencement of testing: nbn beam test phase and field trial with Activ8me customers selected at the discretion of nbn (Dec).
2016
Commercial launch of new nbn satellite services.
With the advent of two new dedicated nbn broadband satellites which will deliver up to a combined 135Gbps of capacity, compared to the current nbn Interim Satellite Service (ISS) with less than 4Gbps of capacity, the new satellites are designed to deliver download speeds of up to 25Mbps – around five times what people are able to access on the current nbn Interim Satellite Service (ISS).

Register your interest for updates on the new nbn satellite
If you haven’t yet registered your interest for updates on the new nbn satellite, you can still do so by clicking here. We are taking registrations from everyone, so if you have friends and/or neighbours interested in a new satellite service, please encourage them to register as well.
If you have problems clicking the link above you can register for updates by:
Visiting: https://activ8me.net.au/register-interest-ltss
Or, go to the Activ8me website > Click ‘Contact Us’> Select ‘Register Interest New NBN Satellite’