Nextep expands to NBN

NEC subsidiary Nextep has signed a wholesale agreement with NBN Co to offer sub-wholesale services on the National Broadband Network by the middle of the year.

The company will join at least nine other providers actively or seeking to aggregate NBN Co’s wholesale product for fibre, fixed wireless and satellite services on the NBN with other value-adds, that will be packaged for sale to smaller retail service providers.

NEC Australia managing director Alan Hyde said the company had signed the contract after a “lengthy consultation process” with NBN Co.

The agreement comes weeks after NBN Co made concessions to ensure large players signed its standard wholesale agreement.

The Nextep division currently wholesales Optus 3G mobile services and a network of self-operated DSLAM infrastructure it has continued to build out on the back of the Federal Government’s $250 million broadband blackspot program.

Nextep’s wholesale product would tap into NEC Australia’s hosted telephony and contact centre solutions, according to the company.

The division’s parent company would also use the newly signed contract to build out its memorandum of understanding with the Government, signed last year to further develop intelligent transport systems and contribute to other societal issues.