While Internode has sold wireless broadband using Unwired's
network for some time, in the past few weeks the offering has
been put on ice.
"Sorry, but Internode is currently not selling new 'Internode Broadband Wireless -- Powered by Unwired' services," the ISP's Web site currently states.
"Existing customers are not affected by this decision, and remain fully supported. Further information will be available in the near future."
Pressed for more details on the forums of broadband information site Whirlpool, Internode boss Simon Hackett remained tight-lipped for the most part.
He maintained that Internode had not broken its partnership with Unwired, but wouldn't elaborate further apart from adding the cryptic statement that "something" was definitely happening.
Your writer suspects that the problem is in the nature of a commercial dispute, rather than a technical one, given Unwired appears to have rosy relationships with other partners.
For example, just yesterday Unwired announced an expansion of its partnership with fellow wireless telco Big Air.
The new deal gives Big Air the right to sell Unwired's laptop card and sell services in Melbourne, where Unwired is currently rolling out its network.
Hackett did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the Unwired suspension.
A spokesperson for Unwired told your writer the company realised its services weren't "a core product of Internode". "But we do have a good relationship with them, and we do look forward to continuing this relationship in future," they said. "Obviously this will have no impact on their current customers."
However further details are likely to emerge this Friday when Unwired CEO David Spence presents his company's annual results in a Webcast to the market.
What do you think is the cause of Internode's Unwired move? Drop me a line directly at renai.lemay@zdnet.com.au or post some feedback below this article.
You will notice that Unwired only granted BigAir access to the Melbourne market, and the PCMCIA market ONCE they signed a NEW, much less favourable contract.
I guess Internode hasn't signed their new contract?