Their new products will include a top of the line US$140 per month 50/20Mbps service, and their lower speed/lower cost 20/5Mbps, 10/2Mbps and bottom of the range 5/2Mbps.
Here in Australia Pivit have recently announced their new generation of fibre broadband plans which they have called Fi-Band. Available at all Pivit Fibre connected residential estates (Coomera Waters, Kelvin Grove Urban Village, Prince Henry at Little Bay and Sanctuary Cove), the new services deliver the fastest Internet upload speed available in Australia with the new 'TenTen' plans providing simultaneous 10Mbps download and upload speeds.
Peter Geale, Sales and Marketing Manager at Pivit commented that "10Mbps upload speed means that uploading photos to share with friends and family, or even a video to YouTube or other video sharing web sites is now a breeze. 10Mbps is more than 10 times the speed of the fastest upstream service offered by ADSL2+ services."
However, this is still not as fast as the download speed of up to 24Mbps offered by ADSL2+ (although this is limited to a very few). TransACT have introduced their Broadband offerings for their FTTH estate (Forde), which includes a 30/10Mbps product, but at a very pricey $134 per month. This also does not include the ISP fees which are an additional charge starting from $9.90 per month for a basic 200Mbytes, and $40 per month for a typical 10Gbyte service.
We are still far from the 1 Gb/s service available from HKBN or Via Europa, but we're getting there.
Speculation is rife as to who has submitted the bond. We know for sure that TERRiA and Telstra have entered the race as they have publicly announced their intentions. But there are a few interesting developments.
TransACT have lodged their own bond while being part of the TERRiA consortium. Chief executive Ivan Slavich said the TERRiA bid was the first priority, but a bond had been lodged to maintain flexibility. "We're part of the TERRiA consortium, but we're keeping our options open," Mr Slavich said. "We're very much committed to the consortium but a lot of other things need to happen between now and when the bid needs to be lodged". Some speculate that TransACT may be bidding directly just for a state based bid, however TransACT, who recently took control of Neighbourhood Cable, also has network in Geelong and Ballarat and Bendigo. Optus, another of the TERRiA consortium members also lodged their own bond backed by Singtel.
Sources close to Macquarie Bank confirmed that it had lodged a bond, taking the approach of a utility access model which would be separated from the retail providers. If this is true, their bid is most likely to be supported by industry and the state governments who have been demanding operational separation of the network from the retail providers.
It is also believed that the Canadian-based Axia NetMedia and the Tasmanian Government may have lodged bonds, however neither party have publicly commented if this is true - adhering to the rules of the tender.
EDIT: According to MIS Australia, the Tasmanian goverment has confirmed its lodgement of the $5m bond and will be making a State based bid to specifically address the state's broadband disadvantage relative to the rest of the nation.
So in all, there seems to be 6 bidders in the game.
However they still have a major hurdle to overcome and that is to bed down a financial backer for the project. The consortium members don't expect to inject substantial amounts of their own funds into the project (mainly because they dont have enough). iiNet, TransACT, Internode, SOUL and Macquarie are small players (in terms of the project) and it is only TransACT, AAPT, Primus, Soul and Optus who have any significant fibre optic (or Microwave in the case of Soul) infrastructure of their own. iiNet, Internode and Primus have invested heavily into exchange based DSL technology, but they have very little capacity (particularly Internode who is privately owned) to contribute to the five billion dollars needed [on top of the government's $5b] by the consortium.
They are a bit of a hodge-podge consortium:
- iiNet (who recently acquired Westnet for $81m) are the third largest Internet service provider in Australia, but lease all their fibre from third parties. Just over 40% of iiNet is owned by Amcom and AAPT. Perhaps the second largest exchange based DSLAM network in Australia, second only to Telstra.
- Internode is the darling of the Australian ISP community. A great small/medium business success story with private investment by Simon Hackett creating a national IP based Internet Service Provider. But other than exchanged based ADSL2+ DSLAMs (as opposed to MSANs which can also support voice - as opposed to VoIP), a bit of fibre around CBD Adelaide and a regional Wireless network in the Coorong and York Peninsula they dont have much to offer - other than great customer service.
- AAPT who recently merged with Powertel, have a national transmission network (on the back of the Optus National Fibre backbone), but very little suburban based infrastructure. Most of their network is CBD based, with some metro coverage through the Powertel acquisition, certainly not enough for a deep fibre project. However for some time now New Zealand Telecom has been trying to sell off its ownership of AAPT - and no one wants to buy.
- TransACT, a Canberra based FTTC operator who spent $500 million dollars connecting 30,000 subscribers and has been bailed out twice.
- Primus, an interesting company who fly underneath the radar most of the time. Has some fibre in the major CBDs, MSANs installed into various exchanges around Australia. A bit of a dark horse, but certainly limited capacity.
- Macquarie, who? No not the bank (bet the Tudehope's wish they were related though), but Macquarie Telecom a publicly listed company. Have been around since 1992 predominately as a network reseller. Voted several times as the leading Corporate Telecoms Provider. But they don't own much (if any) network infrastructure.
- Soul who recently merged with TPG Internet to become the forth largest ISP in Australia has a significant national IP network (formally the Commindico Network) built on leased capacity from Optus and Telstra. They have a fully interconnected voice network into all 66 (or there abouts) Call Collection Areas (CCAs) across Australia and with the TPG acquisition a large exchange based DSLAM network.
- Optus, really the only one of the consortium with the financial muscle and the network to make this bid a success. They currently pass some two million homes with HFC which could be used as the start of a FTTN/FTTH network. But does it have the backing of its parent SingTel?
TERRiA has also made an announcement regarding structural separation, something to which they are strongly committed. According to Mr Michael Egan, the recently appointed Chairman of the group (and former Treasurer of NSW government):
"Over the next few weeks, TERRiA will finalise a competitive broadband model where the vested interests of individual companies are structurally separated to protect the consumer. This model will include details of board membership, management, operations, accountability and ultimate ownership. TERRiA’s member companies have a proven history of rolling out new-age networks that have brought faster speeds and lower cost broadband to Australians. TERRiA’s NBN model is designed to ensure that the new network is properly structured from the start, providing an equal, accessible and affordable platform for all users."
All sounds exciting; but are they the White Knight for the poor suffering Australian broadband user?
Adam Internet
URL: http://www.adam.net.au/
Phone: (08) 8423 4055
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail provider delivering services over the Opticomm network
Country: AU
States: SA
Arise
URL: http://www.arise.com.au/
Phone: 1300 733 66
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: Small operator in Melbourne delivering services in the VicUrban Aurora Estate. Its parent company, IP systems was recently sold to Amcom Telecommunications.
Country: AU
States: VIC
BES/E-Wire
URL: http://www.e-wire.net.au/
Phone: 1300 135 231
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: The first commercial FTTH operator in Australia deploying services into greenfield estates. Still has connected more fibre services than any competitor in Australia. Only deliveres broadband and TV services. Going to find it difficult to compete with the full triple play service providers.
Country: AU
States: WA
Cirrus Communications
URL: http://www.cirruscomms.com.au/
Phone: 1300 552 698
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail provider delivering services over the Opticomm network
Country: AU
States: QLD
ClubLinks
URL: http://www.clubcomutilities.com.au/
Phone: 1300 880 809
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: Private FTTH operator for Golf course Estates Sandhurst and Sanctuary Waters.
Country: AU
States: VIC
Comverge
URL: http://www.clubcomutilities.com.au/
Phone: 03 8706 0000
Type: Claims to be open access
Desc: Small operator in Victoria. Seems to have taken over the clubcomutility sites. Uses a collection of 3 devices to deliver the functionality of a triple play network. Technology based on EPON rather than the NBN compliant GPON.
Country: AU
States: VIC
Exetel
URL: http://www.exetel.com.au/
Phone:
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail provider delivering services over the Opticomm and NBNT networks. Also participating in the Telstra FTTH trial in Point Cook.
Country: AU
States: NSW, VIC and TAS
FuzeConnect
URL: http://www.fuzeconnect.com.au/
Phone: 1300 881 917
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: New FTTH operator based in NSW. Has several projects around the country. Its parent company has been in operation for over 15 years. Technology based on EPON rather than the NBN compliant GPON.
Country: AU
States: ALL
HaleNet
URL: http://www.halenet.com.au/
Phone: (07) 4681 4999
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: Small operator in regional Queensland. Services a small community called Stanthorpe, west of Toowoomba.
Country: AU
States: QLD
NBN Co
URL: http://www.nbnco.net.au/
Phone: 02 9926 1900
Type: Open Access, wholesale only network operator
Desc: The government owned, National Broadband Network company rolling FTTP services in brownfield communities across Australia
Country: AU
States: All
iiNet
URL: http://www.iinet.com.au/
Phone: 13 19 17
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail provider delivering services over the Opticomm, NBNT and TransACT networks
Country: AU
States: All
Internode
URL: http://www.internode.com.au/
Phone: 13 66 33
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail provider delivering services over the Opticomm and NBNT networks. Also participating in the Telstra FTTH trial in Point Cook.
Country: AU
States: All
Opticomm
URL: http://www.opticomm.net.au/
Phone: (03) 9646 5236
Type: Open Access, wholesale only network operator
Desc: The largest FTTH operator in Australia. Currently has 50% of the FTTH market in Australia with some 180,000 homes under contract and over 40 projects across all states. Also won the contract to design and build (active components) and operate (end to end) the initial stages of the NBN Tasmanian rollout. Part of the $1.3billion Hills group of companies. Unlike other operators who subcontract a lot of work, has its own field service team within the Hills group of companies.
Country: AU
States: ALL
Primus
URL: http://www.primus.com.au/
Phone: 13 17 89
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail provider delivering services over the Opticomm and NBNT networks
Country: AU
States: All
Pivit
URL: http://www.pivit.com.au/
Phone: 1300 66 33 20
Type: Vertically Integrated, Wholesale
Desc: Privately owned company that has been around 10 years. Its parent Delfcam started operations in 1998 as a PABX service provider. Pivit delivered its first FTTH customer connection in 2004 and has 3 residential estates under contract.
Country: AU
States: QLD, NSW
Inspired i-Land (formally TasTel)
URL: http://www.tastel.com.au/
Phone: 1300 550 580
Type: Retailer
Desc: The former retailer of a JV between AAPT and Aurora Energy, Inspired i-Land delivers services over the Tasmanian Government TasCOLT project.
Country: AU
States: Tas
Pacific.Net
URL: http://http//www.tpnet.co.nz/
Phone: +64 3 543 9094
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: Small boutique operatator in Nelson, at the tip of the South Island of New Zealand.
Country: NZ
States: -
TelecomNZ
URL: http://www.telecom.co.nz/
Phone:
Type: Retailer
Desc: The former Telecom New Zealand retail division which has now been structurally seperated from the wholesale organisation. Previously had three estates in the North Island. Not sure if these have been taken over by TelecomWholesale.
Country: NZ
States: -
TelecomWholesale
URL: http://www.telecomwholesale.co.nz/
Phone:
Type: Wholesale
Desc: The former Telecom New Zealand wholesale division which has now been structurally seperated from the retail organisation
Country: NZ
States: -
Telstra
URL: http://www.telstrasmartcommunity.com/
Phone: 1800 204 128.
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: Australia's incumbant Carrier with revenues of $20billion per year. A slow starter with FTTH, but has recently signed contracts with 68 developers across the country.
Country: AU
States: ALL
TelstraClear
URL: http://www.telstraclear.co.nz/
Phone:
Type: Vertically Integrated
Desc: New Zealand arm of Telstra Australia. Currently only has 1 estates near Christchurh.
Country: NZ
States: -
TransACT
URL: http://www.transact.com.au/
Phone: 13 30 61
Type: ISP wholesale access, voice and video vertically integrated.
Desc: Since 2001 TransACT has been rolling out a hybrid FTTC network to provide Canberra and Queanbeyan with broadband and telephony communication services. Orginally using VDSL equipment, they migrated to traditional DSLAM deployments in Telstra exchanges. TransACT is now retrofitting VDSL2 into their FTTC network that passes some 60,000 premises, and supplying FTTP in mainly greenfields areas. TransACT now services over 50,000 customers and provides FTTP services to five new suburbs and is the preferred provider for an additional five suburbs/towns in the ACT and NSW. 50% owner of ISP grapevine who operates over the TransACT network.
Country: AU
States: ACT, NSW
WorldxChange
URL: http://www.xnet.co.nz/
Phone: 0800 123 456 (NZ)
Type: Retailer
Desc: A retail service provider working in conjunction with TelecomWholesale to deliver FTTH into greenfield estates in New Zealand.
Country: NZ
States: -
To see the list of communities that there operators deliver services go to the Australian and New Zealand Communities Map
