National broadband innovator Internode has more than doubled its traffic with global partner NTT Australia as business demand for its Internet services has boomed.

Since the partnership started in 2003, Internode has experienced a continued ramping of customer numbers and traffic as business dependence on and exploitation of the Internet has increased. NTT Australia provides Internode with international IP backbone services.

An important factor for Internode is the IPv6-enablement of the NTT Communications (NTT Com) Global IP Network. IPv6 describes Internet Protocol version 6, the "next generation" protocol that overcomes problems with the current generation IPv4. Problems include an increasing shortage of IPv4 addresses. IPv6 adds many improvements to IPv4 in areas such as routing and network auto configuration.

NTT Australia Sales Director Chris Bouziannis said the NTT Com network's physical redundancy of international links and its IPv6-enablement were key benefits to Internode. "Our partnership equips Internode with important resources for its continued growth," he said.

"Since it started one year ago, traffic volumes have grown more than 100 per cent. We see each other as blue chip organisations that are both quality-driven and customer focus-driven."

"IPv6 is not a big thing in Australia yet, but it is elsewhere and it will happen in Australia."

NTT Australia has dual cable links connecting Australia with the rest of the world. The AJC link hooks it up through Asia while the Southern Cross link connects through America and Europe.

Internode CEO Simon Hackett said the company had chosen to partner with NTT Australia for its global IP connectivity, especially its strength in the Asia Pacific region.

"As we build out our national network, we work with NTT Australia as our partner to guarantee we can fulfil our customer promise of high quality fully redundant global reach," he said.

NTT Australia has experienced strong growth during the past six years, providing international data services to many blue chip companies. The company provides the Australian presence of NTT Com, whose holding company is the world’s largest carrier based on market capitalisation.

With a staff of about 70, NTT Australia Group provides international data services including Frame Relay, IP VPNs (Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks), ATMs (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), IPLC and IP connectivity service IPBB (Internet Protocol Back Bone).