NBN Co – the company rolling out the Australian national broadband network – will allow operators of traffic signals, automatic teller machines and other specialised devices to select services over its access network through their retail service providers.
According to NBN Co, its new option – Network Extensions – was designed to extend the availability of select NBN wholesale services to organisations with infrastructure and devices operating outside a residential or business premises location.
“Typically operated by government and commercial organisations, these types of specialised systems include traffic signals, traffic cameras, roadside emergency points, rail boom gates, street light controllers, certain types of CCTV, stand-alone automatic teller machines, environmental sensors and public transport infrastructure,” it said.
Initially available across NBN Co’s Fibre to the Node (FTTN) footprint, the company said Network Extensions will allow infrastructure operators to consolidate their connectivity requirements on the access network, offering operational simplicity and new opportunities for automation, innovation and the world of IoT (Internet of Things).
“These applications have historically been connected by a variety of different technologies due to limited network availability and geographical constraints,” it said. “There are plans for a future expansion of Network Extensions across other fixed line technology areas.”
“This is a market segment characterised by a wide variety of specialised devices and complex services connected by a range of aging networks and technologies,” said NBN Co CTO Ray Owen.
“By bringing this infrastructure onto the NBN access network , operators have significant potential to simplify their operations and explore new innovation opportunities made possible by high-speed broadband and the emerging world of the IoT.”