Internode Takes On Telstra With Naked DSL
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Broadband provider, Internode, has launched a trial of its Naked DSL ADSL2+ broadband line along with a broadband phone service – both over a standard copper line – which will rival Telstra’s BigPond offering, according to the company.The service, which will free-up consumers from paying a Telstra line rental charge, aims to prove that ADSL2+ can fill in some existing metropolitan ‘blackspots’ which are the bane of Telstra’s current broadband offering, says Internode.

“We want this trial to prove that Naked DSL allows us to bypass Telstra’s artificial distance limitation, which is imposed on all ‘line sharing’ based ADSL2+ services. By providing greater reach for current ADSL2+ services, Naked DSL has the potential to fill in many metropolitan blackspots and allow our customers to enjoy the benefit of untimed, flat-rate national phone calls and low cost international calls,” said Internode managing director, Simon Hackett.

The offering will feature a single monthly bill for all services, void of line rental charge. Consumers who signed up for the trial will use the integrated Internode NodePhone2 broadband voice service for voice calls.

 


“We also welcome trial participants who have been rejected due to ‘obtuse’ problems such as being on exchanges with multiple MDFs (Main Distribution Frames). In principle, Naked ADSL2+, using the Unbundled Local Loop Service access method, fixes this problem. While it may not be possible in practice, we hope to get some trial participants in that circumstance so we can give it our best shot. We’re happy to do this on a ‘no success, no fee’ basis,” said Hackett.

The two-stage trial follows in-house testing of the Naked DSL service, the first phase for participants based in Adelaide and the second phase extending the trial to Internode ADSL2+ telephone exchanges nationally. Internode aims to launch a commercial service, Internode Ultra, in the first quarter of 2008, said the company.

Hackett said he is particularly keen to hear from anyone rejected by Telstra.

“They are of special interest to us. One reason people can’t get ADSL today is when Telstra reports ‘Transmission Loss Too High’. We believe that Naked DSL can deliver broadband to people Telstra has rejected in the past for that reason.”
 

Internode will choose trial participants to cover various connection modes that range from putting in a new line from scratch to using Naked DSL to replace a standard phone service or an ISDN service.

Intended pricing for the commercial service release has not yet been announced, but the service will feature a single monthly bill, representing a substantial saving compared to paying Telstra for a voice line and separately paying Internode for a broadband service, according to the company.

Trial participants will pay a nominal $40 per month during the trial period.