NBN Co has shifted around 42,000 premises designated to receive fixed wireless into its fixed-line and satellite footprints instead after being unable to secure land or support to build new towers.

The change was partially revealed in NBN Co’s weekly numbers, where the total satellite footprint has gone from 410,000 premises at the end of March to 430,163 premises at the end of May.

Most of the premises were added to the Sky Muster footprint over a fortnight, and iTnews can now reveal they had previously been designated to be served by fixed wireless.

An NBN Co spokesperson told iTnews that the network builder has actually changed the access technology choice for 42,000 premises.

“These changes are mainly the result of some areas that were originally designated as fixed wireless sites, where NBN Co was unable to secure a suitable site for a variety of reasons, including planning approvals, landholder agreement or community objections,” NBN Co’s spokesperson said.

“The changes will mean that around 22,000 premises that were planned to be served by fixed wireless or satellite technologies will instead be served by fixed line technology, and around 20,000 premises that were planned to be served by fixed wireless will instead be served by satellite.”

NBN Co said it had communicated the changes to internet service providers and had updated its maps to reflect the changes.

It is unclear which suburbs are impacted by the shift.

However, the issue of designated wireless areas being flipped to satellite did receive some attention back in February when at least 450 properties on the outskirts of the Mylor township, 20km from the Adelaide CBD, were shifted to Sky Muster when tower negotiations between NBN Co and a private landowner fell through.

Coinciding with the shift, the Government said today that NBN Co now had more than 100,000 active connections on Sky Muster.