BellSouth Adds Home Networking Service

BellSouth has become the third RBOC to launch a home networking product for the mass market in conjunction with supplier 2Wire Inc.

The carrier’s FastAccess HomeNetworking Service, like similar services put in play by Verizon Communications and SBC Communications, targets DSL customers who want to connect more than one PC to their high speed data service in a straightforward plug and play manner that uses in home telephone wiring. The 2Wire system using version 2.0 of the Home Phoneline Networking Alliance protocol, supports distribution of signals at data rates of up to 10mbps, although BellSouth is touting 8.5mbps as the top operating speed.

The 2Wire 1000 residential gateway employed by BellSouth includes the DSL modem, a router and “professional grade” firewall and can be purchased for as little as $149, said Randy Kinkaid, senior director of consumer broadband sales and marketing at BellSouth. DSL customers also pay a $10 monthly service charge, which gives them access to 24 hour help service supplied through BellSouth rather than the vendor.

“Our research shows that 70 percent of our FastAccess (DSL) customers have more than one PC,” Kinkaid said. “We’ve designed this for customers who don’t want to string wires and install routers to create home networks, but the product speaks to professional requirements as well. As far as I know, this is the only consumer networking offering with this level of security.”

Kinkaid said BellSouth is looking at wireless options as well but has not reached a confidence level with regard to the security and interference qualities in wireless that it has with the wireline version. SBC is offering a wireless as well as wireline version of the 2Wire product, while Verizon, like BellSouth, is looking at wireless as it proceeds with its own 2Wire based HPNA offering.

The BellSouth service is available throughout its regional service base. Users configure and order the system at the carrier’s web site and install it themselves. Up to four PCs can operate over the DSL link simultaneously, Kinkaid said, adding that the networking gateway can be used to interconnect printers and file servers as well.

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