M2 serves up NBN wholesale offerings
M2 has entered into NBN wholesale aggregation and backhaul with the launch of NBN Connect, which includes a reseller offering.
Scott Carter, M2 chief operating officer, says a the offerings will provide a platform for existing service provider and new market entrants to offer a high quality, efficient and scalable solution to cost effectively offer their customers NBN services.
"A key barrier to greater consumer choice in NBN is the relatively high fixed costs associated with connecting to the NBN's points of interconnects for service providers," Carter says.
"This is especially true for new market entrants, where the fixed costs of entering the retail broadband market can be a multi-million dollar exercise to gain access to the NBN's POIs.
"M2's NBN Connect mitigates these obstacles," he says.
The company syas NBN Connect will reduce key barrier for both new and existing service providers by deploying a scaled model of wholesale services, from simple Layer 2 connectivity services to a full service 'turn-key' solution for nationally recognised brands.
Three service offerings are available. Brand Connect is the bespoke, full service product designed to decrease time to market and provide a cost effective solution for recognised brands seeking to extend their product offerings and capitalise on the NBN opportunity.
M2 will manage as many or as few of the service aspects on behalf of clients, including voice and internet provisioning, product management, billing services, reporting and front line customer service.
Reseller Connect, targeted at telecommunication resellers, offers a Layer 3 service providing access to a broad range of NBN services, with service options including voice and internet provisioning and customer fulfilment.
Meanwhile Network Connect will provide a Layer 2 service providing full NBN access, aggregated on a state or national basis.
John Simon, NBN Co chief customer officer, says the company is encouraged to see the detail of M2's NBN Connect service, which will offer more choice for providers to offer retail services on a national basis.
"As Bill Morrow has often said, our preference is for the market to solve gaps in service and moves such as this one are great signs," Simon says. "More competition will drive greater choice for consumers, which can only be a good thing for families and business owners.
The ACCC recently gave Vocus the greenlight to acquire M2 in a deal which will create a $3 billion full-service vertically integrated telco, and a clear fourth challenger in the Australian telco market by capitalisation.
