Johannesburg, 07 Feb 2007
Adoption of broadband services has taken off dramatically over the last six to 12 months, driving competitiveness among Internet service providers.
To meet the demands of its growing customer base, MWeb has selected Billion's standard, wireless and VOIP ADSL modems from distributor and agent Nology.
The devices assist to deliver reliable, fast Internet access to consumers and business users at a competitive price.
"Broadband is the one of the biggest opportunities for ISPs at the moment. Online communication is simply the way things are done today and users want permanent, hassle-free Internet access 24/7. Take-up is being driven by a drop in price, a shift in the way people live and work using digital communication mediums, and a growing understanding of broadband technology," says Bernard Kur, MWeb Business.
MWeb's focus is on the consumer and small business market. "Our ADSL offering plays a particularly important role in our broadband strategy and we pride ourselves on the use of leading-edge technology, a broad range of tailored options, as well as expert customer service," says Kur.
"The Billion range of modems has provided us with the reliability and ease of installation we need to ensure that we meet our consumer and SME customers' service requirements."
Broadband ADSL makes use of an existing telephone line. The signal is split into two channels, one for voice communications and the other for a high-speed data connection. MWeb then utilises the data channel to bring high-speed, always-on Internet to its customers. A modem needs to be purchased by the client to send and receive data signal.
"Hardware (the modem) is an essential part in ensuring our ASDL offering is competitive," says Julie-Anne Doyle, head of products at MWeb. "We wanted solutions that not only met the functional requirements of our different market segments, but were reliable, easy to use and install, and cost-effective.
"We also wanted a partner that would deal with the hardware technology and delivery to our clients' premises, leaving us to focus on our core service offering - connectivity."
The Billion routers were subject to extensive testing before they were selected. Distributor and agent, Nology, does the warehousing of the products and delivers direct to MWeb's clients.
"Because technology often presents a barrier to consumers, Nology has developed a setup wizard for our clients to enable easy configuration. Nology has bent over backward to fulfil client orders and their support has proven invaluable," says Doyle.
Adds Kur: "Nology's service levels are superb. Their on-time delivery and extended support ensures we have the products we need when we need them, and our customers' needs are met promptly."
Nology distributes quality, security-driven broadband and communication equipment for the South African SOHO and SME market, serving the whole of SA through selected wholesale and retail distribution channels.
The Billion communication products, established in 1992, have been awarded a number of honours. Billion offers a comprehensive range of ADSL/ADSL2+, and VPN Router products to meet the growing demands of varying broadband market segments.
For consumers, small office/home office (SOHO) and business clients, MWeb has selected the following modem routers from distributor and agent Nology:
* Billion's 5200G (wireless) with a integrated four-port Ethernet switch;
* Billion's 7300G (wireless) with quality of service control for traffic prioritisation and bandwidth management; and
* Billion's 7401VGP with VOIP functionality.
The 5200G is an economical ADSL2+ firewall router with 802.11g wireless AP, ideally designed for home and SOHO users. With integrated Wireless 802.11g AP, the router enables users to surf the Internet anywhere in the home.
Going online is just "plug and play" with an integrated four-port Ethernet switch, easy installation and network management. A powerful SOHO firewall protects users against hackers when browsing the Internet, while VPN pass-through delivers secure access.
Along with the built-in NAT firewall feature, the router also provides advanced hacker pattern-filtering protection. It can automatically detect and block denial-of-service attacks (DoS). In addition, it supports packet filtering for high-level security control.
The 7300(G) comes with an integrated 802.11g wireless access point and is backward compatible with existing 802.11b equipment. Wireless protected access and wireless encryption protocol features enhance the security level of data protection and access control via wireless LAN.
If the network requires wider coverage, the built-in wireless distribution system repeater function allows users to expand the wireless network without using wires at all.
Its user-friendly design supports all kinds of operating systems so that users can significantly save on configuration efforts. The quality of service feature ensures a smooth Net connection for inbound and outbound data with minimum traffic congestion.
Rich firewall security features such as SPI, DoS-attack prevention and URL content filtering are integrated to provide users unparalleled protection from hacker attacks.
Billion's 7401V(G)P series is a VOIP router with powerful functionality, ideally designed for home and SOHO users to enjoy economical VOIP calls, while having mobility and high-speed, safe Internet access.
VOIP calls are enabled by simply connecting the device to a regular Telkom telephone handset and making calls over the ADSL connection. The additional FXO port enables users to make calls through a PSTN, or fixed-line, while sharing high-speed Internet access.
Says Kur: "There has been positive feedback from our clients - it means everything is working well. This is what Billion products offer us, cutting our support and maintenance costs and ensuring higher levels of customer satisfaction."
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