Ericsson is bringing to Australia a bundle of products and services that may provide carriers and would-be carriers with an economical way of delivering broadband services including telephony, video and high-speed Internet into the home via optical fibre.
Neither Telstra nor Opus are offering cable on new estates, and ADSL does not provide a platform for a full range of services.
The system is intended mainly for new residential developments, and a key component is the use of blown fibre. Microducts -- plastic tubes with a diameter similar to a drinking straw -- are installed as the premises are built. When the occupier orders services, an installer uses a compressed air gun to blow the fibre through the microduct from the home to a street cabinet that may be several hundred metres away. A residential gateway connects the fibre to copper wiring within the house and provides two phone lines with separate numbers plus a 10oBaseT Ethernet connection for data and video. Installation takes around 15 minutes.