# Optus Launches ADSL2+ Services, Offers Wholesale Access > The history behind Optus Direct: customer migrations from December 2005, the March 2006 broadband announcement and the distinction between a retail launch and planned wholesale access. - Canonical URL: https://techxtelco.com/news/optus-launches-adsl2-services/ - Published: 2006-03-30 - Updated: 2026-09-10 - Topics: Internet, History - Author: Michel Elijah - Image: https://anrkjmgqmwfosbvyzrzc.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/optus-adsl2/optus-adsl2-hero.webp - Publisher: Tech X Telco (https://techxtelco.com) Historical coverage, reviewed 9 September 2026. This page concerns the 2005–2006 rollout. Prices and migration arrangements below describe that period, not offers available today. **Quick answer** On 30 March 2006, Optus announced its Direct broadband network with download speeds of up to 20Mbps. It said customer migrations had begun in December 2005; wholesale DSL was still being tested, with commercial readiness expected in the second half of 2006. [Optus: Optus steps up competition with broadband network](https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2006/03/optus-steps-up-competition-with-broadband-network) ## Three dates that should not be confused ### The rollout at a glance Unit: months from December 2005 - Customer migrations: 0 – 3 From December 2005, as described retrospectively by Optus. - Public announcement: 3 – 4 30 March 2006: the dated announcement and the historical date attached to this article. - Expected wholesale readiness: 6 – 12 Second half of 2006: the window stated at the announcement, not a confirmed launch date. Read these milestones in order: customer migrations, the public announcement, then a planned wholesale service. A later industry policy report also dates Optus’s consumer ULL-based services to December 2005. This supports the early service history without establishing that every migrated connection immediately delivered the later advertised maximum speed. Source: [A Competitive Model for National Broadband Upgrade, executive summary page ix](https://www.optus.com.au/content/dam/optus/documents/about-us/media-centre/speeches-and-reports/2006/07/FTTN_10july_2006.pdf). ## What changed with Optus Direct? ### What Optus announced SingTel’s 2005/2006 annual report described these investment plans and advertised capabilities. They are historical claims, not current offers or measured customer results. - Investment: A$150 million for the access-network rollout. - Intended reach: Another 2.9 million homes and businesses, alongside the existing cable network. - Advertised speed: Up to 20Mbps download. Actual performance was not measured for this review. Source: [SingTel Annual Report 2005/2006, pages 34–35](https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/investorRelations/annualReports/2006/attachment_hub_7FBEBD76-6457-4CC0-A4CF-F7B5BC8D4672_OFR.pdf). The February 2006 investor presentation set milestones of 100 exchanges by April 2006 and 340 by March 2007. Those figures were targets at the time of that presentation. The March announcement subsequently reported service at 100 exchanges. ### Exchange milestones: targets versus what was reported Type: bar Unit: exchanges - April 2006 target: 100 - Reported, March 2006: 100 - March 2007 target: 340 Source: both targets come from the Optus investor presentation of February 2006; the reported figure is from the 30 March 2006 announcement. The March 2007 figure was a target; this review did not verify whether it was met. Source: [Optus Australian Regulatory Update, slide 9](https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/investorRelations/stockExchange/2006/Paul%20Fletcher%20Feb06.pdf). ## How the network worked The unconditioned local loop, or ULL, let a competing provider use the copper connection between a customer’s premises and a Telstra exchange while supplying its own network equipment. The industry report presents this as a way to compete at the network level, rather than simply resell an incumbent’s finished broadband product. It is an industry policy argument, not a neutral verdict on every competition claim. Source: [A Competitive Model for National Broadband Upgrade, executive summary page ix](https://www.optus.com.au/content/dam/optus/documents/about-us/media-centre/speeches-and-reports/2006/07/FTTN_10july_2006.pdf). ## Wholesale access: a plan, not a same-day launch Retail broadband and wholesale supply are different milestones. The historical headline is retained, but “offers wholesale access” must be read alongside the announcement’s qualification: testing was underway and commercial readiness was expected later. This article does not establish an exact subsequent wholesale launch date. Source: [Optus: Optus steps up competition with broadband network](https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2006/03/optus-steps-up-competition-with-broadband-network). ## What the old prices actually meant The announcement named DSL Direct for broadband and Local Direct for home telephony. Direct required Optus home telephony. It described a local-call reduction from 22c to 20c and a possible A$4 monthly line-rental saving, depending on the existing plan. Source: [Optus: Optus steps up competition with broadband network](https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2006/03/optus-steps-up-competition-with-broadband-network). SingTel’s annual report separately records the A$19.95 entry-level broadband plan and a 30-day trial. That entry price should not be presented as a complete household bill or a present-day deal. The earlier page’s additional data allowances, modem price and promotion conditions are omitted here because their original offer terms have not been verified in this review. Source: [SingTel Annual Report 2005/2006, pages 34–35](https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/investorRelations/annualReports/2006/attachment_hub_7FBEBD76-6457-4CC0-A4CF-F7B5BC8D4672_OFR.pdf). ## Editorial record and corrections The original title and URL are retained. The archive records a 30 March 2006 publication date; that metadata is preserved separately from this review date. It is not independent proof of when Tech X Telco first published the page. This revision removes promotional language, separates announced plans from completed events, and replaces present-tense shopping advice with historical context. The claim that migration was “seamless” has been removed: a company statement about migration is not evidence of every customer’s experience. The archived byline is credited by Wikipedia to Michel Elijah. This revised text is attributed to the Tech X Telco Editorial Team rather than presented as new reporting by the archived author. The untouched WordPress export remains the preservation source. ## Sources and scope The linked provider announcement and investor material document what the companies said at the time. The policy report provides contemporary context. No customer connection, speed or migration was tested for this retrospective review. ### Documents checked for this review Each source was read on 9 September 2026. Dates are the documents’ own. - [Optus: Optus steps up competition with broadband network](https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2006/03/optus-steps-up-competition-with-broadband-network): 2006-03-30. Rendered official release read in browser. - [SingTel Annual Report 2005/2006, pages 34–35](https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/investorRelations/annualReports/2006/attachment_hub_7FBEBD76-6457-4CC0-A4CF-F7B5BC8D4672_OFR.pdf): 2005/2006 reporting year. Official PDF text, PDF pages 13–14. - [A Competitive Model for National Broadband Upgrade, executive summary page ix](https://www.optus.com.au/content/dam/optus/documents/about-us/media-centre/speeches-and-reports/2006/07/FTTN_10july_2006.pdf): 2006-07. Optus-hosted policy report, PDF page 9; attributed industry perspective. - [Optus Australian Regulatory Update, slide 9](https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/investorRelations/stockExchange/2006/Paul%20Fletcher%20Feb06.pdf): 2006-02-27. Official investor presentation, PDF page 9; targets, not completion evidence.