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Trials of fixed voice services delivered via LEO satellites are now underway in Australia as part of the government's plan to modernize universal telecommunications services.
The Australian government has announced that trials of fixed voice services delivered via low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are now underway, with trial sites being established in 50 regional and remote locations across Australia.
The trials are part of the government's plan to modernize the country's universal telecommunications services.
As the only LEO satellite service commercially available to residential users, Starlink will be tested in parallel with NBN fixed wireless and satellite services to provide comparison.
Scyne Advisory, which won the AU$6 million (US$4 million) contract from the federal government, will run the trials for ten months until September 30, 2025. It will track the reliability and quality of voice calls and test the impact of weather conditions on services.
Scyne Advisory is the former public sector consulting arm of PwC in Australia.
Trials outside the NBN fixed line footprint
The trials will be located outside the NBN fixed line footprint in regions where baseline service quality is most important because fewer service options are available. Exact locations will be finalized in the coming months.
Data collected will be independent of industry and made publicly available beginning next month.
"The Albanese Government is committed to modernizing telco services in the interest of all Australians, particularly those living in rural and regional Australia, and I look forward to data from the trials helping us to consider and deliver a more modern and effective universal service framework," said Communications Minister Michelle Rowland in a statement.
The Australian government has been reviewing the country's universal telecommunications service arrangements in light of changes in available technologies and consumer preferences in recent years.
By the end of 2024, the government expects over 97% of Australian premises to have access to high-speed NBN broadband services capable of supporting high-quality voice services. Satellite and other technologies also promise to bring more voice options to Australia's most remote areas.
However, the government pointed out that changes to current arrangements will only be considered if there are tested and proven alternatives to existing technologies and services.
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