OPTUS TURNS COPPER INTO GOLD FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

SMEs win as Optus delivers DirectLine over DSL

Optus today launched the next generation of Voice over DSL (VoDSL) technology to deliver better, cheaper voice and data services to the small and medium sized market (SME).

This product will turn a business' existing telephone line into a multiple line for voice and high-speed data connection.

"The potential applications are limited only by the imagination of business customers. A real estate agent, for example could turn its existing line into several phone and data lines - so one agent could email a prospective homebuyer a photo of a house while another closes a deal over the phone," said John Simon, Director for Optus Business.

DSL uses smart electronics to carry several phone and data lines over the existing copper cable. It takes 100-year-old infrastructure and updates it for the information age. Mr Simon said VoDSL will give SMEs more choice in how they run their business and more control over their technology costs.

"Unlike Telstra's ISDN, Voice over DSL provides SMEs with an integrated voice and data solution at an affordable rate. In the past this technology has normally only been deployed by large corporates, but now Optus makes it a reality for small businesses," Mr Simon said.

Optus' DirectLine over DSL offers a voice and internet access solution that gives SMEs fully supported local and long distance telephony services and broadband access to the internet.

"DirectLine over DSL is the ideal solution for businesses that find the speed and reliability of dial-up internet are insufficient to meet their communication needs - it will let them be permanently connected to the web.

"One DSL service can be the equivalent of up to eight existing phone lines - so customers do not have to invest in expensive infrastructure such as a PABX," Mr Simon said.

Gartner's Vice President and Research Director, Geoff Johnson, said VoDSL is ideally suited to the small business market.

"By 2004, the residential market will account for over 50 percent of commercial VoDSL ports. However, given the higher proportion of lines and revenue per line for small business customers, the small business segment will provide revenue of $6 billion by 2004, representing over 80 percent of total revenue," Mr Johnson said.

DirectLine over DSL is available from today, enabled over XYZed's DSL network. Businesses have the choice of two packages; one offering four voice lines and an internet access service; and the other offering eight voice lines and an optional internet access service.

DirectLine over DSL packages have a once off connection fee of $480.00 for four lines and $960.00 for eight lines with a minimum connection period of 12 months.

"With DirectLine over DSL, Optus is once again proving that it delivers the most innovative and forward looking services to help SMEs enhance the way they conduct business," Mr Simon said.

Media contact:
Luisa Ford
Optus Corporate Affairs
Phone: +61 2 9342 5045