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Telecommunications Soul gets access to Optus DSLAM network
Telecommunications Soul gets access to Optus DSLAM network | Soul gets access to Optus DSLAM network |
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| by Stuart Corner | |
| Tuesday, 02 May 2006 | |
  
Soul announced last month that it was rolling out Nokia DSLAMs in regional exchanges and gearing up to offer ADSL2+ broadband Internet access and IPTV. It also said that it would obtain coverage of metropolitan areas via a resale agreement with another DSLAM network operator, but did not name Optus at that time. B Digital, a reseller of Optus mobile services which claims to be the largest mobile reseller in Australia and in which Soul has a 46 percent stake also announced a three year extension of its mobile resale agreement which Optus said would be worth $100 million per annum. B Digital also offers telephone and broadband services via resale and is extending its agreement with Optus to include data services. Soul chairman, Rob Millner, said:" We believe this alliance with Optus will enable us to continue to invest in regional telecommunications and multimedia services in Australia whilst still having a capital city capability through the Optus alliance." However, he added: "we also retain the flexibility to invest in capital cities where it is prudent to do so. This agreement highlights Soul’s commitment to alliances which encourage the use of alternative, competitive infrastructure to the incumbent by utilising existing infrastructure and supporting investment in areas where competitive infrastructure does not exist." Nokia announced last month that, through is value-added Melbourne reseller CommTel Network Solutions, it had signed an agreement for the supply and implementation of DSLAMs, the Nokia D500 IP multiservice access node, with Soul. The company plans to have Nokia DSLAMs in 70 regional exchanges by the end of August. Nokia said the D500 had been selected "due to its unique ability to provide fast Internet access in excess of 24Mbps, IPTV, and VoIP in conjunction with Soul's SIP-based softswitch." According to Nokia, "The 60Gbps scalable capacity provided in every Nokia D500 ...[provides] capacity for up to 200 simultaneous fast-switching multicast video channels. CommTel has also sold the D500 to Cook Islands Telecom. Soul CEO, Michael Simmons said in April that Soul had completed IPTV trials from an exchange in Newcastle using Nokia DSLAM to deliver HDTV. "It worked beautifully. The quality was identical to broadcast," he claimed. Simmons said Soul was currently sourcing content for its IPTV service and had yet to select a supplier of set top boxes to deliver the service. "We have been trialling about 12 set top boxes but have not chosen one yet." A VoIP service, which Soul has dubbed Residential Voice Over Broadband (RVOB) will also be launched on the Nokia DSLAMs in May. Soul will partner with Netcomm to promote a "premium grade" DSL service with a home phone. Thanks to its acquisition of the former Comindico network, Soul claims to be the only operator other than Telstra with the ability to inter-connect at all Telstra exchanges via the SPT Broadband network; the only operator other than Telstra with a distributed core switching capability; the largest operator of MPLS based IP networks; the only operator with interconnect at all Telstra 66 call collection areas for voice and data. The company has a complex ownership structure. ASX listed SP Telemedia (ASX: SOT) is 51 percent owned by ASX-listed Washington H Soul Pattinson, one of Australia's oldest listed companies. SOT owns 100 percent of NBN Television, 50 percent of SPT Telecommunications Ltd, which trades as Soul, and 100 percent of Soul Pattinson Telecommunications Pty Ltd, which holds the carrier licence and which also now trades as Soul. It also owns 50 percent of SPTCom, the former Comindico, which also trades as Soul. ASX-listed B Digital, 46 percent owned by SOT, owns the other 50 percent of SPTCom, 100 percent of Digiplus and 50 percent of Kooee Communications. The other 50 percent of SPT Telecommunications is owned by WIN Television, owned by WIN Corporation of which the major shareholder is Bruce Gordon. |
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