Credit: Dreamstime
Spirit Telecom has acquired 10Gbps E-band radio equipment and professional services from NEC Australia in order to upgrade its 10Gb network.
The publicly-listed telecommunications provider said this is part of its $1.2 million investment into a network expansion that will "significantly expand the network reach and provide customers with internet services 10 times faster than what they’re used to".
Specifically, NEC will supply 70 iPASOLINK EX-A terminals with 10Gbps full duplex throughput over the Spirit network, as part of their existing contract.
"In Melbourne and Geelong alone, the upgrade will mean more 30,000 new businesses will potentially have access to one of the leading alternatives to the NBN and super-fast connections that aren’t impacted by fibre outages," Spirit told shareholders on 16 November.
This is the phase one of the project, after this is complete, Spirit will upgrade Brisbane and the Gold Coast networks.
Sprit telecom has a NEC Wireless backhaul footprint in the Gold Coast through the acquisition of World Without Wires with over 40 iPASOLINK IX radio terminals deployed to provide high capacity backhaul for corporate voice and data services.
“We’ll be working on continuously expanding our network to ensure those who are looking for a tangible alternative to the NBN or DSL connections have somewhere to turn," said Geoff Neate, managing director at Spirit Telecom.
According to Dainen Keogh, Spirit’s CTO, the new network will increase in "speed and range by a factor of 10, meaning we will be able to, at a minimum, service 10 times more customers with our super-fast internet.”
In October, Spirit was awarded a $1.7 million contract to deliver high-speed broadband to the Victorian city of Horsham as an alternative to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
As part of this contract, Spirit will build and maintain the network, which will count on five towers, as part of the local Government's Connecting Regional Communities Program.
The project is expected to be delivered by the end of 2019, with services available in limited areas in mid-2019.
The fixed-wireless service will cover all of Horsham including the CBD, its enterprise park, Aerodrome and freight terminal.
The technology, according to Spirit Telecom, is the only that has been ratified as part of 5G.
