Internode seeks to double broadband speed

SA-based internet carrier Internode wants to double Australia’s broadband upload speed to 2.5 megabits per second, so long as it can gain regulatory approval.

According to managing director Simon Hackett, the company is waiting for the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) to develop standards for the Annex M, the next step up from ADSL2+, before releasing its proposed service.

Annex M, or ITU G.992.5 Annex M, is an International Telecommunications Union standard to deliver broadband upstream speeds from 1.6 – 2.5 megabits per second (Mbps), Hackett said.

'Upstream' refers to the speed at which data moves from your PC to the internet. Currently, all ADSL2+ providers in Australia use ADSL2+ Annex A, which is limited to an upstream speed of about 1Mbps, Hackett said.

Hackett said ACIF approval of Internode’s Annex M application would also clear the regulatory path for other broadband service providers to offer faster broadband uploads.

“Sending and saving files to VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) will get much faster and peak upstream speeds will be up to 10 times faster than Telstra’s fastest ADSL upstream rates," he claimed. "Downstream data rates for Annex M services remain far beyond those available from Telstra, with speeds as fast as 24 Mbps.”

Margaret Fleming, program manager ACIF, has confirmed it has revised the Unconditional Local Loops Services Network Deployment Rules Industry Code and the exisiting broadband standards to encompass Annex M.

The currently the revised Codes and Standards, to encompass Annex M, were open for public comment and would close on the 9th June and 11th of June respectively, she said.

Once approved it would go to the Australian Communicaitons Media Industry which would then register Annex M. This would ensure there was no interference from outside organisations.