Soul To Provide WiMax Backhaul Fibre

Pay TV and would-be WiMax network operator will team with mushrooming operator Soul to deliver wireless broadband to regional Australia.

Soul will bring its IP data and voice network to the party providing regional PayTV operator with the necessary backhaul and switching services and Internet connectivity for the new network.

Covering some 750,000 homes in 25 regional Australian locations by the end of 2007, the WiMax network will face stiff competition from alternative technologies such as the 3G infrastructures being built up by the major Telco’s such as Telstra, Three and Optus/Vodafone.

Initially the network will provide much needed access to broadband internet for regional consumers, but the infrastructure will ultimately be suitable for IPTV-style deployments and Video on Demand.

SmartOffice News believes the CEO of Singapore-based Video on Demand licensing operator Anytime, Craig Zimbulis met with Austar and Soul on a recent visit to Australia.

Austar CEO John Porter said the arrangement with Soul is a strong signal that alliances are the key to delivering world-class, standards based, broadband infrastructure to regional Australia. The two will likely turn to the Federal Governments for additional funding to help build out the required infrastructure.

“We’re pleased to see Government recognise the role of such alliances for the Broadband Connect funds, and we look forward to continuing discussions with the Minister on that front,” said Porter.

“We have enjoyed a long history with Soul. They have provided the network for the 38,000 customers on our award winning dial up Austarnet service. As another regionally focused company with its own extensive backhaul and customer access network, Soul was a natural and competitively priced partner for us.

The Chairman of SP Telemedia (“SOUL”), Rob Millner said the Soul network is the ideal partner for the provision of services to Austar to complete its regional broadband wireless network and provide the capability for Austar to deliver a wide range of IP services.

“The alliance between Soul and Austar will allow us to introduce alternative, competitive broadband infrastructure to regional Australia which is a key objective for the Federal Government under the Broadband ‘Connect’ program. Meanwhile, we’re also looking at opportunities to deliver voice services to consumers (using VoIP technology) as part of the Austar broadband service”, he said.

Austar will continue to work with metropolitan operator, Unwired Australia, as both parties build interoperable, WiMax-compliant networks to allow roaming between the regional Austar and metropolitan Unwired network.