Optus to launch 'cellcasts', ADSL2+

Optus has partnered with Macquarie Radio Network to offer Optus’ mobile phone customers a mobile podcasting service – ‘Mobile Cellcasting’.

The service, developed in conjunction with OnMobile’s mobile platform, allows users to dial a number via the handset to access regularly updated content.

Initially users will be able to access podcasts from MRN broadcasters like Ray Hadley and on topics like travel and lifestyle.

In related news, Optus has also announced that it is poised to enter the ADSL2+ market with the availability of the high-speed internet service for its wholesale customers just around the corner.

Currently, the company is running business readiness testing with its wholesale partners Exetel, iseek Communication and Internode for the roll out of residential broadband and telephony services over copper on the unbundled local loop (ULL) service.

Optus plans on making the new ADSL2+ service available to other wholesale partners in the last quarter of the year.

Predictably, Optus Wholesale acting MD David Katz said the new service would provide the wholesale market with a viable alternative to the Telstra.

"This service will provide the first true alternative to the incumbent's Local Call Resale service. There are direct financial benefits from having wholesale customers directly connected to our network,” he said in a statement.

Katz said Optus had also invested in a new IT system to interface with its wholesale customers to allow the automatic provisioning of new ULL telephony and ADSL2+ services.

"Wholesale customers will have the option of a web or business-to-business (B2B) interface to provision services automatically. Both interfaces offer real time service qualifications, order placement and order status,” he said.

A customer care centre with 30 Sydney-based staff had also been created to provide a single customer interface for all billing, fault, activation and provisioning and queries from our wholesale customers.

As at June 30, 148 exchanges had been rolled out with 30,000 residential customers provisioned with Optus Direct services on the ULL network.