nbn has signed its first agreement for its Cell Site Access Service (CSAS) product with Vodafone Hutchison Australia, allowing mobile operators to use the NBN network to expand their mobile coverage.
CSAS aims to create further community benefits in regional Australia from the rollout of the NBN.
nbn’s first Cell Site Access Service (CSAS) customer, Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA), will shortly switch on new coverage in Molong, NSW by using tower sharing and fibre services supplied by the NBN network.
The Molong area has been identified as needing improved mobile coverage in phase one of the federal government’s Mobile Blackspot Program, and is the first black spot area to be addressed directly with the help of nbn infrastructure and products.
CSAS allows mobile operators to connect mobile sites using the NBN network.
In this instance VHA has installed an extra set of antennas on the Molong NBN Fixed-Wireless tower and used CSAS to carry the mobile voice and data signals back to the nbn Point of Interconnection in Dubbo.
The CSAS service enables nbn to further leverage investment in both its fibre and fixed wireless networks for the greater benefit of regional and rural Australians.
nbn Chief Customer Officer, John Simon, said, “This is genuinely exciting news for the community of Molong and for nbn.
“The good thing about this is not just that we are helping to deliver a new service for end-users but also that we offering customers new products to help them extend their portfolio and spread their networks.
“The nbn CSAS product also offers additional potential for operators including other wireless applications such as deployment of Wi-Fi or small cell coverage.
“By offering this new product and making the most of our network and existing infrastructure, nbn is delivering new value to the community.”
