BigPond muscles into wireless broadband

The Internet Service Provider is understood to be planning a consumer offering using the same technology as the mobile broadband service offered by its parent Telstra.

Launched last November, the mobile broadband plans -- which cost a hefty $1.50 to $2.90 per hour -- runs on Telstra's CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) mobile phone network and is aimed at business customers. The network offers typical speeds of 300-600 kilobits per second when in a CDMA coverage area enabled for the 1xEV-DO (Evolution Data Only) standard.

However, it is understood only most metropolitan areas and some regional centres are so-covered, with the remainder having to make do with base CDMA access, which Telstra's Web site says "offers typical connectivity speeds of 80-100kbps".

BigPond's wireless broadband entry follows the early success of Telstra's mobile broadband product. In March, the telco giant said 7,000 customers had signed up to its third-generation mobile offerings.

BigPond will have to compete with new wireless telcos Personal Broadband Australia and Unwired, which registered 25,000 customers in May.