Vocus adds secure connectivity for Starlink

Vocus has added layer 2 integration with the Starlink network in Australia, to allow enterprise and government customers to extend secure private networks to remote locations without their data travelling over the internet.

One of the first products available on the platform will be Vocus IP WAN over Starlink Ethernet Access.

The service allows organisations to maintain the same security profile for satellite-connected sites as with their land-based network-connected locations, said Vocus.

Vocus has created a private interconnect pathway using private peering points with Starlink in Sydney and Perth. This allows data travelling via Starlink’s satellites and ground stations, to be directed into Vocus’ network rather than the public internet.

While Starlink has transformed satellite connectivity with its low earth orbit (LEO) performance, standard Starlink services aren’t designed to meet all enterprise requirements.

Vocus head of space and wireless operations Ashley Neale said the Starlink network offers a level of performance comparable to traditional geostationary satellite services.

“[However], some organisations face limitations with the standard offering,” said Neale. “Our customers are meticulous about protecting their customers’ personal data.

“Critical infrastructure operators like water utilities and power grid operators often have strict security policies that prohibit their crucial control data from travelling over the public internet.”

Neale also noted that many enterprise applications and cloud firewalls require fixed, static IP addresses rather than the dynamic addressing available with standard Starlink services.

An upcoming Vocus Enterprise Internet service for Starlink will provide static IP addresses, improving compatibility with cloud firewalls and business applications.

Customers will be able to establish a single, controlled internet access point through a Vocus firewall, reducing deployment time, simplifying management, and lowering costs while maintaining security.

This approach is particularly valuable for remote locations including schools where internet access requires content filtering and centralised management.

Vocus’ Starlink solutions focus on seamless network integration for enterprise and government clients, making satellite-connected sites function similarly to fibre-connected locations.

“Our Layer 2 integration with Starlink enables organisations to apply the same security policies and private IP addressing to their remote sites as they do to their core locations, creating a uniform network experience,” Neale explained.

“There is no need for the service to be tunnelled over the Internet to be part of a private VPN, the traffic is transmitted on a different network layer to the internet and inaccessible to internet users.”

The service also supports quality of service profiles, supporting critical applications like voice, video and telemetry to perform even when the connection is under heavy network load.

NBN customers will be provided with Vocus Starlink Ethernet Access, a migration path off Layer 2 Business Satellite Services, as NBN Co prepares to discontinue it in December 2025.

Vocus is also preparing to integrate additional LEO satellite networks as they become available.

Recently Vocus became a key part of global satellite provider Telesat’s plans for its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites launch scheduled for late 2026.