Amazon's Project Kuiper: Bringing Internet to Rural Australia by 2026
Amazon's Project Kuiper, their answer to Starlink, is gearing up to bring internet access to rural Australia. They've struck a deal with Australia’s National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) to connect over 300,000 customers by mid-2026. I think it's a smart move for Amazon to target areas where traditional internet infrastructure just can't reach.
Joe Lathan, Project Kuiper’s manager for Australia and New Zealand, highlighted the unique connectivity challenges that Australia's geography presents. He emphasized the partnership with NBN Co represents their commitment to solving these challenges through innovation and collaboration.
This marks the first major partnership for Project Kuiper, which aims to rival SpaceX's Starlink. While Starlink boasts over 8,000 satellites and serves more than 100 countries, Kuiper is still in its early stages, with 78 satellites launched. However, Amazon plans to launch more satellites, with a goal of 3,236 satellites in its constellation. The next launch is scheduled for August 7th.
Although the partnership with NBN Co is significant, it might not be the first Project Kuiper service to go live. Amazon anticipates launching its services to customers in late 2025. We still don’t know exactly where that will be or what it will cost.
Pricing and specific terminal models are still under wraps, but Amazon promises several options. It will be interesting to see how Amazon positions its pricing against Starlink. If they can offer competitive rates, they could really shake things up in the satellite internet market. In my opinion, the competition can only benefit consumers, driving down prices and improving service quality.
Source: The Verge