CallPlus’ customers will soon be offered new fixed-line broadband plans via bandwidth provided by not Telecom Wholesale but – in a historic break from landline monopoly -- Vodafone.

CallPlus managing director Mark Callander told NBR the Vodafone wholesale deal would result in new plans for his customers of his company’s eponymous business ISP, and those of its residential internet service, branded Slingshot.

Both sets of customers will be required to sign-up for a CallPlus voice call account as part of the new broadband deals.

While Orcon and Vodafone have been busily moving their own broadband gear into unbundled Telecom exchanges, fellow A-list internet service providers Callplus and TelstraClear have been noticeably absent from the party.

Now CallPlus has revealed when it will start its own exchange invasion: never. Rather, the ISP will buy wholesale DSL bandwidth from Vodafone.

The deal marks the first time that Telecom Wholesale has been taken out of the equation (under its operational separation, Telecom’s Chorus division builds networks, Telecom Wholesale sells access to those networks and Telecom Broadband – formerly Xtra – is just one of Telecom Wholesale’s ISP customers, along with the nation’s other big landline internet service providers: Callplus, TelstraClear, Vodafone and Kordia-owned Orcon).

TelstraClear says it will move its own DSL gear into 70 Telecom exchanges by year’s end. It has no plans to provide wholesale access.

CallPlus says it will offer its new Vodafone-powered plans from November. Callander says the plans will be priced to match Callplus’ current offerings, but provide customers with more calling features for their money.

For now, coverage will be limited to the 28 Telecom exchanges – all in Auckland – that have so far been unbundled to include Vodafone’s “Red Network” of DSL gear. By year’s end, Vodafone and Orcon are both targeting to be in 40 Auckland exchanges, with both planning to expand around the country beyond then.

CallPlus’s Callander told NBR he chose Vodafone over Telecom Wholesale partly for price reasons, and welcomed the arrival of true competition in the wholesale market.

Vodafone also offered CallPlus more direct control over its customers, Callander says, and the ability to pile on more value-added calling services.