Internode releases NBN plans
Internode today announced 15 fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) plans for the National Broadband Network (NBN) Stage 1 pilot program in Tasmania, with installations expected to be started from early July.
(Credit: Internode)
Internode has a free fibre set-up offer for consumers in the three coverage areas of Stage 1; the Hobart suburb, Midway Point, and two Tasmanian towns Smithton and Scottsdale.
The 15 plans are broken into three tiers of pricing, with entry level at speeds of 25Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream, mid level at 50Mbps/4Mbps and high level at 100Mbps/8Mbps. Plans start from $29.95 per month for 15GB of data allowance at the 25Mbps/2Mbps speeds — $10 cheaper than Internode's cheapest broadband plan, which is an attempt to make FTTH more attractive to consumers.
"We believe price is the catalyst for rapid adoption," said Internode's managing director Simon Hackett. "Customers, both in Tasmania and nationally, should keep in mind that this initiative is designed as a pilot program. These prices and products may bear little resemblance to what emerges under the NBN proper, but it's a great start to offer plans that are affordable for ordinary people."
The highest priced and fastest plan is $139.95 at 100Mbps/8Mbps with 200GB of quota, which is $20 cheaper than iiNet's top tier "Fibre 7" plan: $159.95 for 180GB at the same speeds.
Internode is the last of the three internet service providers chosen to offer FTTH services using the NBN Tasmania fibre-optic network to reveal NBN pricing. Primus was the first to announce its FTTH prices on 19 May, with entry-level plans starting from $39.95 per month for 15GB at 25Mbps speeds.
The FTTH pricing plans offered by Internode have a life span to 30 June 2011 and are to be treated as a market test. Customers that purchase Internode FTTH plans can choose to keep their existing traditional landline telephone or use the company's NodePhone internet telephony services, as fixed-line phone service through the NBN premises telephone port will not be available from Internode.