NBN Co is preparing to kick off a trial that will test speeds of almost 10Gbps enterprise services soon. This can be attributed to the fact that the network operator is considering adding new turbo-charged Enterprise Ethernet services to its product arsenal.

At the moment, the Enterprise Ethernet family of products of NBN Co ranges from 10Mbps to “close to 1Gbps” as the company describes it. According to the company, they are “creating greater ICT industry engagement with a new business nbn ICT Channel Program offering training for technology providers and consultants and accreditation for technology businesses.”

NBN Co also released a test agreement indicating that a 10Gbps trial bandwidth profile will actually have a theoretical throughput rate of 9970Mbps. This can be due to the normal equipment used as well as network overheads.

The trial is set to kick off in early May. It is also set to run until the end of June at the very least. The overall goal of this trial is to let NBN Co test the performance of the services, which includes the achievable maximum Layer 2 information rate and associated frame size. This also includes the deployment of a new business NTD that is equipped with a 10Gbps port. According to NBN Co, the company would also seek to evaluate associate order and installation processes.

A lineup of nine new Enterprise Ethernet bandwidth profiles will be tested by NBN Co. This lineup will begin at 2Gbps and will be gradually increased in 1Gbps leaps until it reaches 10Gbps.

The participating end-users will be limited to a maximum of nine per RSP. In this case, each end-user will be located at a maximum of three premises. The trial is also limited to 14 exchange sites.

However, while it is understood that NBN Co only aims to evaluate the appetite for demand for such services, the company also risks reviving debate as to whether it is competing with the fibre operations of its largest RSPs at that bandwidth level. This is due to the unclear definitions involved in determining what may be an aggregated access loop on one hand or a de facto backhaul or middle mile product on the other.

Stephen Rue, NBN Co chief executive, stated at the company’s results briefing for the six months to the end of December that the company had just passed 10,000 Enterprise Ethernet services, as well citing “good progress” on selling its business satellite services.