Telstra details fibre plans on Gold Coast

Telstra Country Wide area general manager for the Gold Coast, John Lister and Telstra technology innovation and products fixed-access general manager Jim More officially announced Telstra's FTTP plans at one of the selected sites, a multi-dwelling development at Emerald Lakes.

The AU$700 million development covers 200 hectares and has more than 1400 residences.

During the Gold Coast IT forum this morning, More said that depending on the outcome of the commercial pilot, it was anticipated that FTTP would be added to Telstra's range of access technologies to be selectively deployed by commercial negotiation to new estates and multi-dwelling unit developments over the next 4 to 7 years.

"FTTP is another string in our technology bow. It will play a future role in Telstra's network, along with copper, radio and satellite technologies, to ensure our customers have access to the latest innovative products and services," More said.

"We believe FTTP technology will be an economically efficient and innovative next generation access infrastructure," he added.

FTTP is an access infrastructure than can deliver telephony, broadband data and digital subscription television services to customer premises on an optical fibre platform.

More clarified that "FTTP would not replace Telstra's existing copper access network" and that copper would continue to be an effective medium for the delivery of voice and broadband data services for many years.

"FTTP is emerging in the global environment as an economic way to deliver voice, data and digital subscription television services in new residential estates and larger unit developments. We are working with the industry to deploy it to residential customers as quickly as possible," More said.

Lister enumerated the benefits of FTTP technology for residential customers, including rapid access to broadband data services without service qualification checks, digital subscription television and multiple voice telephony services with fewer delays.

"Customers will have easier and ready access to future enhanced products and services from the same access platform," Lister said.