Cape Town, 15 Sep 2005
Telkom could put 4MB connections into homes next year, but it will only be for triple play subscription services and not Internet connectivity.
Telkom`s Russell Achterberg told ITWeb during the Brainstorm Cape conference yesterday that the utility is testing the system with a content provider and various technicalities of the triple play offering, including the financial model, still have to be worked out.
Achterberg is responsible for Telkom`s IP network and services technical product development.
Triple play is the term for the bundling of a video, voice and data service that was originally developed for the corporate market and is now seen as a key home entertainment offering.
Telkom announced in May that it would begin triple play trials. It had secured deals with pay-TV station M-Net and satellite TV broadcaster MultiChoice with the aim to offer DVD-quality broadcasts, video and music on demand, downloaded from a content server.
"A triple play roll-out will be initially limited to gated communities and new infrastructure developments. However, it will also present us with an opportunity to extend our fibre network and bring it closer to the consumer and so limit the copper connection to about 1.5km," says Achterberg.
He says the reason for not bundling Internet connectivity with the 4MB offering is because it would interfere with the current 3GB cap placed on it.
"Triple play will work independently of the Internet connection, although both services will be through the same twisted pair copper cable."
Achterberg says Telkom`s view that Internet bandwidth connectivity has to be managed is correct even though it has been criticised for its stance.
"Several countries are now placing some sort of cap on their Internet connectivity after having left it unmanaged for several years. We have been heavily criticised for doing this from the start, but I think we have been vindicated."
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Telkom to trial video-on-demand
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