Melbourne-based Spirit Telecom has claimed it can outpace NBN services with a faster symmetrical residential internet service for multi-dwelling units.
The telco, which is also an NBN reseller, is offering upload and download speeds up to 200Mbps. The speed tiers include 12/12Mbps, 25/25Mbps, 50/50Mbps, 100/100Mbps and 200/200Mbps.
The Spirit Telecom service, called UFi, is available in the Melbourne metropolitan area to buildings connected to Spirit, and where owners agree to have networking installed.
Spirit is using fibre to the basement supplied by Vocus or AAPT. Several sub-contractors are involved in installing the cabling inside buildings, including Fixtel, Dock.com and My Tradesman.
The company tested its symmetrical service by “quietly upgrading” more than 500 students at the YMCA College Square campuses in Swanston and Lygon to up to 100/100Mbps – the maximum speed the network in the building is capable of.
Among the hardware used are Cisco 2950/60 and Cisco 2960G switches, as well as MikroTik or Asus wireless access points at the customer edge.
In August, Spirit Telecom launched its 200Mbps service in the Triptych apartments in Southbank, Melbourne, which “bypassed” the building’s copper via an internal network.
Despite Spirit's claim, an NBN Co spokesperson said that symmetrical NBN services are offered to retail service providers.
Symmetrical NBN services speeds offered to retail service providers include 5Mbps, 10Mbps, 20Mbps and 40Mbps with a "committed information rate". Additional speed tiers are being considered as market need arises, a spokesperson stated.
Asymmetrical NBN services made available to retail service providers include 12/1Mbps, 25/5Mbps, 25/10Mbps, 50/20 Mbps and 100/40Mbps. The spokesperson stated that these make up the "vast majority" of speed tiers ordered on the NBN. However retail service providers are also offered higher speed tiers of 250/100Mbps, 500/200Mbps and 1000/400Mbps.
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