Australia's Telstra has announced a three-month trial over the first stage of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The operator is planning a 100-customer test run in Tasmania, where the fiber network so far has a reach of at least 2,500 customers.
Speaking at a business lunch in Tasmanian capital Hobart, Telstra CEO David Thodey said the trial would be used to assess the delivery of internet, IPTV and multimedia services.
“It's the first time Telstra has sought to access another network rather than use our own, so it's important we ensure our products and services work smoothly,” he was quoted in The Mercury as saying.
Telstra in June committed to becoming a customer of the wholesale-only network, promising to eventually phase out its extensive copper network in exchange for A$11 billion ($10.5 billion) in compensation.
However, it is still in discussion with the state-owned NBN Co. over the final terms over its participation in the project, which is estimated to cost up to A$43 billion ($40.1b).