TransACT, a Canberra-based IP carrier, has set its sights on allowing its customers to dynamically control the amount of bandwidth they use in real time.
Robin Eckermann, chief architect at TransACT, said although the technology exists for provisioning to be done in real time by the carrier, he is unaware of any Australian companies allowing customers to control it.
“We already have a real-time bandwith control system in place, but would like to extend this to our 5000 business and 65,000 residential customers,” Eckermann said. “Some of the work involves products from Juniper Networks, our network infrastructure vendor, and some of it will require custom development.”
TransACT is looking to implement the system – which will integrate with the company’s billing transaction database – within the next 12 months.
“The most difficult part of a project like this is building the interface, which will be Web-based, with the customer,” he said. “The system will allow permanent and temporary changes so businesses will be able to increase their bandwidth during peak periods and reduce it if they no longer need the higher capacity.”
Eckermann claims TransACT operates the most advanced IP network in Australia “by a country mile”.
“TransACT’s model is radically different and was viewed with enormous scepticism,” Eckermann said. “We had to go back to fundamental design principles and built one open network.”
The carrier’s infrastructure consists of Juniper Networks ERX-1400 Edge Routers that can switch 52Mbps of traffic to each customer through its VDSL (Very High Data Rate DSL) service.
“After looking at the architecture and scalability of four or five vendors, we chose Juniper because the network covers the whole city and as such requires robust equipment at the heart of the network,” Eckermann said.
Fibre is available within 300 metres of any building throughout the TransACT network; however, businesses can be connected directly.
“Businesses can get whatever bandwidth they want,” Eckermann said.