Internode strikes new Optus SHDSL deal

Last mile savings result in price cut for broadband services.

Internode has inked a new wholesale deal with Optus that will allow it to slash the prices of its ultra symmetric high-speed DSL (SHDSL) broadband plans by as much as half.

New prices started at $300 per month and ranged up to $1,200 per month for the symmetrical 4 Mbps unlimited plan, which used to cost $2,450 a month.

Product manager Jim Kellett said the ISP had rolled price reductions from the new Optus agreement and from recent international capacity deals "into one big price reduction" for Ultra SHDSL services.

Internode's SHDSL service ran on an Optus wholesale platform and was available from over 350 exchanges nationwide.

"We've hit such a volume they've [Optus] reduced the price," Kellett said.

"The underlying cost of the last mile has come down significantly and the cost [of data] has also been reduced via recent international capacity upgrades."

Existing customers would have to complete their current two-year contracts before they could switch to the new pricing.

"When they're out of contract we have several hundred customers that want to move across sharp-ish," Kellett said.

"We'll [transition across customers to the new pricing] where we can of course."

Kellett believed the new prices could allow Internode to double its take-up rate for the Ultra SHDSL service.

Internode offered separate Extreme SHDSL in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide with speeds from 5 Mbps to 40 Mbps.

The ISP also today unveiled an offer for its 10Mbps Extreme symmetrical bandwidth service with 100 GB per month of download quota for $1000 per month, with no installation charges on a 24-month term.