Optus has forged a partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink to provide enterprise-level internet services, targeting remote Australian towns.
The deal marks a significant move in the race to dominate the lucrative satellite internet market, positioning Optus to compete against Telstra and TPG.
Optus' enterprise vice-president Ben Vella highlighted the potential for the new satellite product to serve emergency services and logistics sectors by offering reliable, high-speed connectivity during critical events.
"It can, essentially, in some instances, save lives where you can now communicate and coordinate better," Vella said.
Optus is not only focused on rural areas but expects demand from businesses on city outskirts and mobile enterprises such as pop-up stores and construction sites where internet needs to be relocated frequently.
Offering speeds with a latency of less than 99 milliseconds, the service is priced from A$7,521 per month for vehicle use while fixed plans start at A$462 per month with 50GB of priority data and peak download speeds of 350 megabits per second.
Optus' ambition extends beyond satellite internet with Vella stating the future lies in a "blend" of fibre and satellite technologies. The company aims to position itself as a “one-stop shop”, handling everything from installation to support for its Starlink hardware.
This initiative follows Optus' earlier ventures into direct-to-handset satellite communications and marks the company's latest effort to expand its service offerings following the collapse of its smart home installation business.