Vivid Wireless: Seven Network launches broadband

With broadband about to open right up with the National Broadband Network (NBN), Seven Network (yes, those from the telly) are getting into the game. Launching in Perth, Vivid Wireless aims to tap into a hereto under-served market. The new fourth generation (4G) “mobile telecommunications standard” broadband service aims to remould sister brand Unwired and unveil the next generation of wireless broadband.

Vivid Wireless & the emergence of 4G

Vivid Wireless has chosen Perth for phase one due to its largely untapped broadband market (at least in terms of the major broadband carriers). This project will set the Seven Network back a cool $50 million, with launch expected March 2010.

Brand shift: Unwired broadband to change

Seven Network’s Vivid Wireless will actually be operated by established wireless brand Unwired, which is also owned by Seven. Whilst this might appear to be conflicting brands, post-Vivid rollout Unwired will actually shift towards the business market, leaving Vivid to tackle consumer interest.

4G broadband: Next generation wireless

As the name would suggest, 4G is the next step up from the current wireless standard, 3G. Operating on the 2.3GHz band, 4G will run up to ten times faster, averaging speeds of four megabits per second (mbps) and hitting ADSL-quality highs of 20mbps – compared to 3G’s modest 1.5mbps.

On the breakthrough rollout of 4G, Seven’s executive chairman Kerry Stokes said, "We believe in 4G, as it provides an infrastructure and the ability to deliver new and competing telecommunications, data and content services to all Australians."

Timeline: Vivid Wireless 4G broadband

Expected in the first quarter of 2010, Vivid Wireless will be one of the first services (if not the first service) to make 4G widely available for Australian consumers. Vivid will have fierce competition from existing 3G providers, but the company says that it will offer affordable prices and “straightforward and transparent [plans] with no tricky ‘tie-you-down’ terms and conditions.”

Vivid Wireless has not ruled out the possibility of tackling the fixed broadband market following the launch of its 4G wireless broadband product. “The obvious opportunity for us is in the rapidly growing wireless broadband category. Having said that, the performance characteristics, quality of service and price point will be such that our offering will be very competitive with the fixed broadband players too.”

Featuring more broadband black spots than most Australian metropolitan areas, Perth’s market provides the perfect springboard for 4G and could facilitate a new key player in the broadband arena.