SYDNEY – Optus has suspended sales of a 3G wireless
version of its Fusion broadband and telephony plans
– with unconfirmed sources attributing the move to congestion
problems on its 3G mobile network, supposedly part-caused by the Apple iPhone explosion
Fusion offers bundled broadband and telephony plans,
including landline and cable services. In August the carrier
broadened the offering to include Optus Wireless
Fusion (OWF), which it said would allow home phone
and Internet connectivity via a 3G connection – giving
fixed line rates from existing home handsets.
Customers who signed up for OWF would get unlimited
calls to Optus GSM mobiles, along with standard local
and national calls, a free Internet security suite and 2GB
of broadband data, all for $79 a month.
At the time, Optus consumer MD Warren Hardy said:
“Launching OWF uses the strength of our mobile network
to deliver broadband and telephone services to new areas
that were previously dominated by the incumbent … Australians
want a wireless provider that makes life simple,
with easy to install products that are affordable.”
An Optus spokesperson yesterday confirmed to CDN
that Optus had suspended sales of OWF from September
10, but stressed that existing OWF customers would experience
no disruption.
“Optus has made the decision to suspend sales of OWF
to ensure it delivers an optimum experience to customers
using the product,” the spokesperson said, adding that the
carrier would continue to sell Optus Wireless Broadband
(OWB) and Optus Wireless Telephony (OWT) products.
Journalist Angus Kidman, writing on the APC Web site,
says: “A likely factor in the removal of the Wireless Fusion
bundle is the increasing demand on Optus’ 3G network,
which seems to be buckling under the pressure of a new pool
of iPhone users (from both Optus itself and Optus-owned
Virgin) and various network management problems.”
He claimed an APC analysis of 3G broadband plans
in Australia had found that the Optus network had been
performing poorly, and that its 3G service had been ranked
the slowest in the world for iPhone users.
The Optus spokesperson was unable to comment on those reports yesterday.