A grassroots internet revolution is underway in regional Australia, as small telecommunications companies and farmers try to help end the data drought.

Some telcos are setting up fixed wireless networks and selling internet plans with unlimited data, a precious resource which rural people consistently say they are crying out for.

Red WiFi in Dalby, on Queensland's Darling Downs, runs high-speed fibre cable from the base of a tower in town, to their first broadcast location at the top of a local grain silo.

Red WiFi co-founder Steve Stephens said the network could keep expanding, as long as they had enough elevated spots on which to place their wireless dishes.

"If there's already existing infrastructure there, so a business owns a bucket elevator or a silo or a building, we will approach them and ask if we can broadcast off their location and, generally speaking, they are very happy," he said.

"In return, they get free internet or we negotiate something.

"And then from there we have antennas right around, 90 degree sector antennas, and that gives the whole town internet.

"From that site we go to our next site, 40 kilometres out of town, with our next wireless link, and that connects those two together and there is another 30-odd kilometres. And so on."

Families, businesses churning through expensive data quotas

Todd Jorgensen from Associated Grain said he was only too happy to help out.

"I already own the infrastructure and we have got a number of tall structures throughout the town," he explained.

"It is no skin off my nose if it does not cost me anything. It enables a small business to get a bit more traction and allows the community that I work with to get better internet connection."

Limited and expensive data is one of the most pressing issues raised amongst rural Australians, particularly for businesses and families who churn through their quotas quickly.

Sky Muster II launched this week from South America. ( Supplied: NBN Co )

The Federal Government and the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) is currently working towards connecting 240,000 rural homes to the NBN through that satellite technology called Sky Muster. Currently, 31,000 are using the service.

The second Sky Muster satellite was launched from South America this week.

But it came after a disastrous time for existing customers, who have battled drop-outs and slow speeds for days due to a wide network outage caused by a system upgrade.

The NBN previously said that the South Australian power outage compounded the problem, but issues like latency, dodgy installations and a shortage of data have meant that more people are looking for alternative ways to connect.

NBN Co's regional affairs spokesperson, Joe Dennis, said the company was working through those problems.

"The last thing anyone wants is frustrated end users. We are doing everything we can to improve that," he said.

"That includes making sure that installers turn up on time and when they say they are going to. We want to make sure that the installation happens right the first time."

Grazier broadcast wi-fi to home from shed

Meg Kummerow, from Bongeen, near Dalby, runs a business selling drones to farmers and churns through lots of data, uploading images and using social media.

But under a fair use policy, internet providers are only allowed to sell Sky Muster customers plans that include peak data allowances of 70 gigabytes.

Meg Kummerow's using fixed wireless internet at Bongeen property. ( ABC News: Lucy Barbour )

That is why she chose not to have Sky Muster installed. The grassroots fixed wireless option was cheaper, and did not have any data limits. But her decision was also a moral one.

"I did not feel right taking on Sky Muster when there were people out there who needed it more than what I did considering I had access to other internet such as Vodafone and the likes," she said.

Sheep grazier, Nigel Spoljaric shares that view. He lives just outside Bombala, in southern New South Wales, and his house is in a mobile and internet black spot.

When a new wireless tower was built in town, he realised he could get a signal from it from his shearing shed. But the NBN Co maintained that he was only eligible for Sky Muster based on his home address.

"It was easier just to hang up and ring again and finally find someone whose probably more country-orientated in the NBN and knowing how desperate people were trying to get fixed wireless to their place," he recalled.

Bombola farmer Nigel Spoljaric can beam wireless internet into his house from a signal from in his shed. ( ABC News: Lucy Barbour )

Eventually, the NBN Co agreed to give him fixed wireless from a newly created address — his shearing shed.

"I set up my little network beams … and shot it over about 5 kilometres across the property, down into our house where are today," he said.

He said the results had been phenomenal.

"Over the school holidays, we had family down and everyone had smartphones, everyone wanted to know the wireless key," he said.

"Everyone was on their social media, the kids were watching movies, we were doing research on other stuff, it was really positive."

Joe Dennis said that NBN Co was working with regional Australians to make opportunities like Mr Spoljaric's easier.

"NBN actually does have Sky Muster demonstration trucks and we are now going around places like the Henty Field days and AgQuip and other agricultural events around Australia so that we actually can get out on the ground and talk to people about how they can connect," he said.

Watch Lucy Barbour's story on Landline, Sunday at midday on ABC TV.