NEC to expand broadband services following NBN Co contract

NEC Australia has signed a wholesale broadband agreement with NBN Co allowing it to offer broadband services over the National Broadband Network by mid-2012.

The company will provide wholesale aggregation services, just as data and voice, through its Nextep division to small and medium internet service providers and Cloud services companies.

NEC Australia Nextep general manager, Mark Ruby, told Computerworld Australia that ISPs will as well gain access to the company's Cloud telephony and Cloud contact centre offerings just as virtual PABX.

Alternative for ISPs

"These offerings will provide an alternative for ISPs, telcos or IT businesses that may if not be edged out of the market by the major providers to purchase wholesale services," Ruby said.

Nextep operates its own regional digital subscriber line access multiplexer network which covers 92 per cent of Australia. In December last year, NEC Australia added 62 new DSLAMs across five backbone lines in remote areas of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory and West Australia.

The Nextep fibre network is part of a $250 million NBN Regional Backbone Blackspots Program to provide coverage for remote areas.