National broadband company Internode will boost its network capacity to the US by 40 per cent immediately, using a fully redundant route via Asia provided by Australia-Japan Cable (AJC).

While the new link, which goes live in January 2007, will initially boost Internode’s Australia-US data traffic capacity by 40 per cent, it can more than double as required. Internode already has nearly 3 gigabits per second (Gbps) of dedicated capacity to the US via the Southern Cross Cable fibre-optic link.

This latest capacity increase dramatically boosts the performance resiliency and geographic diversity of Internode’s international network. Throughout 2006, Internode has experienced an unprecedented level of growth - doubling its size during the year - so this extra international capacity is key to underpinning the Internode network’s high-level performance with many extra customers.

Internode has signed a five-year agreement for AJC to supply an initial 1.2 Gbps capacity, with a simple upgrade path to 4.8 Gbps capacity - dual STM-16 - to meet increased demand from its ADSL2+ and ADSL customers. The company will also launch new enhanced ADSL1 plans, running as fast as 8 megabits per second (Mbps) once the new AJC link goes live on January 10, 2007.

Internode managing director Simon Hackett said the AJC deal gave Internode both extra capacity, which could grow as needed, and route redundancy, through the South Pacific and Asia. "We are doing this to make sure the Internode network continues to keep ahead of customer demand," he said.

"Our signup rate continues to grow, unabated, at rates higher than we’ve ever had before. Once the AJC link goes live, we will release our upgraded ADSL1 plans, which will create even more demand. We’re holding off on releasing our new plans because we don’t want capacity to run dry just before it is about to be expanded in a massive way."

"The beauty of the AJC link to the US is that it increases our capacity by 40 per cent - with the ability to more than double it as required - and provides us with route redundancy, via Japan, so our US links become disaster-proof - able to keep working even if an entire cable system fails. It also creates new business opportunities for Internode. We are already looking at creating break-out capacity into Asia via Japan."

About Internode

Internode is an Internet age carrier committed to using broadband technology to redefine the national telecommunications environment. The Australian-owned company is a trailblazer that delivers the cost and convenience of broadband telecommunications to individuals and businesses throughout Australia.

About AJC

Australia Japan Cable (Holdings) Limited provides a state-of-the-art submarine optical fibre cable network between Australia and Japan, with additional connectivity in Guam. In the Northern Hemisphere, high capacity, low cost information super-highways link North America, Asia and Europe. Australia is directly connected to these information super-highways via the Australia Japan Cable. At 320 + 320 Gb/s, the cable is one of Australia’s major international communications links. The cable architecture, combined with the latest technology, allows us to provide Australian and International carriers with innovative product options and network security to and from Australia.