NBN Co has revealed the first retail service providers (RSPs) to offer NBN trials on mainland Australia.
Twelve RSPs will take part in the mainland trials, taking place over five release sites.
These RSPs are:
- AAPT
- AARNet
- Comscentre
- Exetel
- iiNet
- Internode
- iPrimus
- Nextgen Networks
- Optus
- Platform Networks
- SkyMesh
- Telstra
Jim Hassell, NBN Co head of product development and sales, said: “These RSPs comprise small and large-scale service providers and represent over 95% of the market in the first release sites.
Hassell said that four of the 12 RSPs - iiNet, Internode, iPrimus and Telstra - have already been through the on-boarding process and are therefore ‘NBN-ready’.
The on-boarding program is a process by which NBN Co prepares RSPs for accessing the network effectively and efficiently.
As such, NBN Co expects these four RSPs to be the first to connect customers to the NBN at Armidale - the first of the five releases sites to commence testing.
“This is great news for residents in Armidale and will mean that a limited number of Armidale residents will be the first on mainland Australia to access services over the NBN on a trial basis,” Hassell said.
“The trial will extend to the other first release sites in the months following to eventually cover several hundred end users. This testing phase is a critical step in building the network, working with RSPs and integrating our operating systems as we aim to provide the best possible service when commercial services commence,” Hassell said.
The four NBN-ready RSPs will run preliminary tests over the network and select a limited number of their existing customers to take part in the trial.
Primus Telecommunications CEO Ravi Bhatia said of the iPrimus brand’s inclusion: “Primus is delighted to bring the new generation fibre-to-the-home high-speed services to our customers. We have gained valuable experience from our fibre customers in Tasmania, as well as other greenfield fibre sites around Australia and we believe we have the expertise, people and network to provide our customers with a superior experience.”
Internode Managing Director Simon Hackett said the NBN is the best way to future-proof telecommunications in Australia for the next 50 years. “Accordingly, Internode is very committed to the NBN and expects to engaged with NBN Co in every new service area on the day that each service area opens up in the future,” he said.
The remaining eight RSPs will soon begin the on-boarding process in preparation for participation in the first release site end-user trials.
Hassell said NBN Co is prepared to welcome other RSPs onto the network.
“As the NBN is an open-access wholesale network we will provide access to the network, and its connected customers, to any qualified retail service provider. We look forward to welcoming other RSPs as agreements are put in place,” he said.