Optus will offer a residential DSL product following the completion of a wholesale agreement with Telstra Wholesale.

Optus will use the Telstra Wholesale DSL network to access the last mile of copper between Telstra exchanges and customer premises. After being aggregated, services will be fed into the Optus network and overlayed with Optus systems.

Martin Dalgleish, Managing Director, Optus Consumer and Multimedia said the long-term agreement gives Optus the ability to offer DSL to homes not serviced by Optus's broadband cable.

"Following successful negotiations with Telstra, we are satisfied the product we bring to market will be in line with what customers expect from Optus. We will offer value, reliability and speed.

"Optus continues to enjoy majority marketshare for cable broadband services - and this agreement will see us increase our broadband footprint beyond the eastern states and grow marketshare," Mr Dalgleish said.

"Optus's success in broadband and dial-up internet is due to the quality and reliability of these products as well as our innovative pricing and bundling.

"These elements of success will be seen in the new product," he said.

OptusNet DSL will offer flat rate pricing, speed throttling instead of charging for excess downloads and unique, personalised content. Final launch plans and pricing will be announced shortly.

In keeping with Consumer and Multimedia's focus on bundling, OptusNet DSL will be available with telephony and will offer benefits like free calls and discounts on installation. Optus expects the majority of customers will purchase OptusNet DSL in a bundle.

Mr Dalgleish said the agreement allows Optus to enter the residential DSL market, but does not preclude Optus from building its own DSL infrastructure in the future.

Award-winning OptusNet is the second largest ISP in Australia. It has more than 524,000 dial-up customers and 125,000 broadband customers.

To register interest in the product consumers can call 1800 501 888.

For more information:
Melissa Favero
Optus Corporate Affairs
Tel: (02) 9342 5030