Launched last month, Internode's Naked ADSL2+ plan offers customers a broadband service without costly line rental charges. Over a dial tone-free line, Internode provides its Naked ADSL2+ customers with an ADSL2+ broadband plan, including the NodePhone1 voice-over-broadband phone service.

Internode initially offered Naked ADSL2+ only on new lines. From today, April 14, Internode is taking orders to convert an existing phone service to Naked ADSL2+, significantly widening its potential market.

Internode product manager Jim Kellett said the first month's demand for Naked ADSL2+ services had outstripped expectations. "Our Naked ADSL2+ service is proving extremely popular, with more than 1000 signups since we launched a few weeks ago," he said.

"To meet that demand, we are offering to convert a current telephone service to Naked ADSL2+ at any of the 350 exchanges where this service is available. At $129, the 'Convert' option has the advantage of being $20 cheaper than a new connection. It's also expected to be much quicker - typically two to four weeks instead of as long as six weeks."

Mr. Kellett said the new Convert option would solve two problems identified in the first month of Naked ADSL2+ installations:

• It allows people who live in apartments, where phones are connected via in-building cables rather than directly from the exchange, to order a Naked ADSL2+ service.
• As no on-site work is required, it eliminates the need for customers to take a day off work to allow a telecom technician to connect up wiring in the customer's premises.

Mr. Kellett said Internode was unable to accept Naked ADSL2+ orders from residents who lacked a continuous copper path to the exchange or whose phone line used a Spectrum Shared ADSL service such as ADSL2+. "At present, Telstra offers no process to move customers from Spectrum Shared to the Unbundled Local Loop service required for Naked ADSL2+," he said.

"Such customers can move to Naked by disconnecting their Shared Spectrum service first, before converting the voice line to Naked mode - although this involves a period of ‘down time'. However, the one-step Convert process will work fine if the line does not have ADSL or uses ADSL from a Telstra DSLAM, such as BigPond or a Telstra Wholesale service used by many ISPs including Internode."

For specific details about Internode's Naked ADSL2+ plans, visit www.internode.on.net/naked.