• NBN Co selects Amazon's Project Kuiper for satellite internet services.
• The deal targets 300,000 homes lacking terrestrial coverage.
• This choice represents a shift away from reliance on Starlink.

The Australian government-owned internet network, NBN Co, has contracted Amazon's Project Kuiper satellite service to provide connectivity to users who cannot access its terrestrial network. This decision marks a departure from Elon Musk's Starlink, despite Starlink being the world's largest provider of satellite internet services, currently serving over 250,000 customers in Australia, according to industry data. The initiative aims to offer high-speed internet to approximately 300,000 homes and businesses that fall outside NBN's terrestrial reach, according to bangkokpost and Reuters.

Starting in 2024, satellites linked to Amazon's Project Kuiper will commence operations, replacing two Australian government-operated satellites set to be decommissioned in 2032. The partnership, whose financial specifics have not been disclosed, signifies a strategic move towards enhancing digital connectivity in remote areas, with Gavin Williams, NBN's chief development officer, affirming their optimism about Kuiper’s capabilities: "We have every confidence that we've got a partner in Kuiper that will do what they say they're going to do," as stated in reports by India Times and Reuters.

The deal represents a "missed opportunity" for Starlink, given its established market presence with a significantly larger operational satellite count—over 8,000 compared to Kuiper’s current 78. This decision by NBN Co follows a comprehensive procurement process, although specifics on why Amazon was favored over Starlink have not been clarified. Analyst Paul Budde noted that considerations regarding "sovereign risk" and reliance on an "unpredictable America" could have influenced the decision, as reported by Reuters.