Poor internet speed through the National Broadband Network could hamper plans for Australia's largest amateur-access telescope to take part in global research.

Staff at the Milroy Observatory at Coonabarabran in western New South Wales had hoped the NBN would solve their three-year struggle to find a reliable internet connection.

The telescope is being used by a group of universities and other interested astronomers wanting to monitor skies from their computers.

The owner David Baker said the NBN satellite did not provide a strong enough connection to allow global access to the telescope.

"We're very frustrated after all the promises that the new NBN was going to be the answer to all of our problems."

Mr Baker said a test was conducted last week where the telescope was remotely used from America, but the delay was too long.

"The biggest problem is that it's just not fast enough."

"When we screen share to America, it takes up to two minutes for a movement on the screen here in Australia to be seen on the screen in America. That's just too long."

American company says NBN isn't reliable in rural NSW

The head of Astronomical Consultants, the American company working to establish the remote control access said the NBN could not support the technology.

Peter Mac said remote research opportunities would not be possible if an alternative internet connection could not be found.

"It won't be possible to use the telescope without a good service," Dr Mac said.

"The new service just isn't all that it was made out to be and unfortunately it's so slow and has so many drop outs, of 30 minutes or more, that it is essentially not usable for us."

Dr Mac fears they were running out of options.

A picture taken of the Orion Nebula using the Milroy Telescope ( (Milroy Observatory) )

National Broadband Network says the observatory could pay for better infrastructure

The NBN has suggested the Milroy Observatory could pay for additional infrastructure to boost its internet so it can take part in global research.

The NBN's spokeswoman Kelly Stevens said upload speeds in Australia were not as fast as download speeds, which the observatory relies on for remote access.

Ms Stevens said the observatory could pay for a fibre optic option to boost its connection.

"They would end up getting a fixed line solution but they needed to pay the difference in cost," Ms Kelly Stevens said.

"The cost is not actually about the package, the cost is about building the infrastructure to get the fibre to their premises."

Ms Stevens also said the observatory should report its reliability issues to its provider.

Editor's note (December 14, 2016): This article has been amended to reflect the telescope mentioned is Australia's largest amateur-access telescope, not the Southern Hemisphere's largest telescope.