Tasmanians will have to wait for Internode's naked DSL services

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 13 August 2009 12:39

IT Industry - Strategy

Earlier this week Internode announced the 'launch' of its naked DSL services, NakedExtreme in Tasmania but it is not presently able to connect any customers to this service.

Announcing the launch, Internode product manager, Jim Kellet, said “We are installing our own equipment in an extra 10 telephone exchanges...That expansion will make Internode's NakedExtreme and Extreme ADSL2+ services available to more than 90,000 Tasmanian premises, including over 12,000 businesses.”

He has since told iTWire that, at present, Internode has DSLAMs in just two Tasmanian exchanges - Bathurst and Davey, both in Hobart - providing its Extreme (ADSL2+ over shared spectrum lines) service  and is not immediately able to upgrade either of these to deliver Naked ADSL services (ADSL over unconditioned local loop lines).

Internode has no ports available on either DSLAM and must also await an air-conditioning upgrade to the Davey exchange. "Bathurst should have more ports by the end of the month, Davey is awaiting an aircon upgrade at the exchange so that'll take a little longer," Kellet said.

Kellet said DSLAM installations and the other exchanges  would take place progressively over the next six months. He listed these as Bellerive, Devonport, Glenorchy, Howrah, Kingston, Launceston,  Lindisfarne, New Town, Sandy Bay and St John and estimated these would give Internode access to about  75 percent of the population.

He added that Internode's market share in Tasmania, as a percentage of all broadband customers, is, surprisingly, second only to that in its home state of South Australia.