Internode buys Victor Harbor link capacity

ISP Internode has taken capacity on the Government-funded Victor Harbor backhaul link, using it to enable ADSL2+ service expansion in the South Australian coastal region.

Managing director Simon Hackett told iTnews that the company had deployed its own DSLAMs in the South Australian coastal town of Victor Harbor, offering ADSL2+ services to residents.

Hackett said the investment was only made "economically possible... because of the Federal Government's RBBP [regional backbone blackspots program] investment in backhaul".

The RBBP link connected Victor Harbor, Strathalbyn and Goolwa with Mt Barker, where it interconnected with a major link running between Adelaide with Victoria.

The RBBP link enabled Internode to service towns other than than Victor Harbor.

Hackett said capacity would be used to supplement Internode's own microwave backhaul link at Mt Barker.

"That existing microwave link that we put in ourselves some time back is at capacity now, so the new fibre link lets us keep adding new customers in Mt Barker to our existing Internode built DSLAM there," he said.

"It provides us with future proof scaling of capacity."

Internode also planned to expand its DSLAM network to Goolwa and Strathalbyn in the area.

Further afield, it was targeting Alice Springs and Darwin for future growth, also on the back of backhaul investments made by the Government under the RBBP.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said in a statement that Internode's expansion into the Victor Harbor region "represents a substantial improvement to the ADSL1 services previously on offer" to residents and businesses.