Primus to trial telephony services on the NBN

Primus will work with NBN Co to trial new software which will enable consumers and businesses to easily switch from the copper network to the NBN.

The trial is part of NBN Co’s UNI-V Enhancement Program, which will allow telephone service to be rolled out to homes in Australia under the NBN.

To date, homeowners have been able to retain their phone number using an existing analog phone or providing a phone number on a broadband data connection which required new customer equipment. However, the trial with Primus is expected to allow customers to keep their number in either circumstance.

“We understand that there will be a number of people who only want a telephone service and that we need to offer quality telephone services while making the transition to fibre as easy and straightforward as possible,” Ralph Steffens said in a statement, NBN Co chief operating officer.

“By undertaking these tests we want to ensure it is easy for retail service providers to offer their customers the services they are familiar with using the equipment they already have.

Primus and NBN Co will work together to develop a test plan, which will cover SIP (session initiation protocol) level testing and electrical interface testing, with Primus to carry out the tests and report to NBN Co.

“Our objective in working with NBN Co is to ensure our customers get an equal or better quality voice connection whilst transitioning from copper to fibre,” Tom Mazerski said in a statement, Primus’ chief executive officer.

Primus was chosen by NBN Co to carry out the trial after it opened expressions of interest from retail service providers. Primus received accreditation from NBN Co late last year to provide fixed-line phone services to customers on the NBN.

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