Request continues strong financial run
Announcement posted by Request Broadband 19 Dec 2003
Request continues to deliver strong customer growth, steadily increasing revenues and sustained expansion of its national broadband network
Request Broadband Pty Ltd (Request), a leading Australian broadband services provider, has continued its unbroken run of positive results over the past nine months reinforced by a 16 per cent increase in monthly revenues since July 2003.
Financially self-sufficient, Request has achieved a leadership position in the provision of Next Generation broadband IP networking services to Australian businesses. The company is targeting 100 per cent growth in total revenues, and 110 per cent growth in its customer base, in 2003/2004 financial year.
Request has been generating positive operational cash flows during the 2003 calendar year and it is using surplus funds to invest in network expansion and accelerated customer acquisition. "Request has had three consecutive quarters of EBITDA positive results due to our steady revenue growth from innovative products and sensible network investment," commented Phil Sykes, Requests CEO. "This is a major achievement in todays highly competitive telecommunications market.
Additionally, the recent launch of Requests broadband voice service (RequestVoice) is attracting strong interest from businesses seeking a voice and data bundled offering.
Expansion of Requests national network is on target with the focus on a customer driven network rollout. Request will have its own DSL equipment deployed in 90 exchanges by June of 2004. Request also has access to a broad range of services in 55 extra exchanges through its reciprocal infrastructure sharing arrangement with Optus/XYZed, giving a total of 145 exchanges capable of delivering converged voice and broadband networking solutions to Australian businesses.
Earlier in the year, Request awarded Cisco Systems a contract for the supply of broadband IP networking equipment for Requests national network expansion. Request selected Cisco over seven other vendors for a number of compelling reasons.
Ciscos proven understanding of broadband IP technology, competitive pricing, functionality and support were key deciding factors in Requests decision, said Ian Noble, General Manager, Request Solution Engineering and Network Operations. A significant factor in Requests extremely high network availability has been the consistent availability and high reliability of the Cisco 6260 Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAM) and other core networking equipment.
Request clearly understands that there is a growing market for broadband enabled services and Cisco is excited to be working with Request at a time when more and more Australians demand broadband, said Peter Papaioannou, Regional Manager Telecommunications, Cisco Australia and New Zealand.
While the contract is for the supply of 33 DSLAMs over the period of June 2003 to June 2004, Requests business plan currently targets a further 150 exchanges over the following three year period. NDC has been awarded the contract to undertake the installation requirements involving rack builds, cabling and DSLAM installs.
Requests service offerings are unique in that the company provides value added services at the upper layer of the network, concludes Sykes. The current network expansion activity is focusing on accelerating the commercialisation of a range of new and innovative IP products under development and to further develop and expand the companys channels to market.
Sykes attributes this success to Requests increasing levels of innovation and service quality, the strength of its partnership with channels and broadened market awareness of the companys products and services.
Today, Request has 13,200 business sites connected to its network and over 80,000 end users.
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About Request
Request is an infrastructure-based broadband applications and services company delivering flexible and innovative broadband solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) throughout Australia. Requests broadband services are sold in all capital cities and major regional centres through over 160 Request Service Providers.
Delivering on the need for multi-site customer networking Request's Next Generation broadband IP Network architecture specifically supports business evolution to high performance IP-centric internet and e-business applications. Core products include RequestVPN, RequestXpress and RequestSoHo.
In choosing Request, companies are able to quickly and cost effectively establish high-speed internet access, private networks between multiple office locations, voice over IP, video over IP, remote access to corporate networks over the same broadband link without the need for additional infrastructure.
September 2003 saw the company win the ATUG Telecommunications 2003 award for Excellence in Telecommunications. In August 2003, Request achieved the highly prestigious CommsWorld Telecomms 2003 industry award for Broadband Wholesale Carrier of the Year. Other awards include the 2003 ATUG Industry award for Best Communications Solution - SME for its RequestVPN solution and Carrier of the Year 2002 ATUG award.
Request investors include, among others, Telecom Venture Group (TVG) and Pilbara Mines. For more information on Request, visit www.request.com.au.
Financially self-sufficient, Request has achieved a leadership position in the provision of Next Generation broadband IP networking services to Australian businesses. The company is targeting 100 per cent growth in total revenues, and 110 per cent growth in its customer base, in 2003/2004 financial year.
Request has been generating positive operational cash flows during the 2003 calendar year and it is using surplus funds to invest in network expansion and accelerated customer acquisition. "Request has had three consecutive quarters of EBITDA positive results due to our steady revenue growth from innovative products and sensible network investment," commented Phil Sykes, Requests CEO. "This is a major achievement in todays highly competitive telecommunications market.
Additionally, the recent launch of Requests broadband voice service (RequestVoice) is attracting strong interest from businesses seeking a voice and data bundled offering.
Expansion of Requests national network is on target with the focus on a customer driven network rollout. Request will have its own DSL equipment deployed in 90 exchanges by June of 2004. Request also has access to a broad range of services in 55 extra exchanges through its reciprocal infrastructure sharing arrangement with Optus/XYZed, giving a total of 145 exchanges capable of delivering converged voice and broadband networking solutions to Australian businesses.
Earlier in the year, Request awarded Cisco Systems a contract for the supply of broadband IP networking equipment for Requests national network expansion. Request selected Cisco over seven other vendors for a number of compelling reasons.
Ciscos proven understanding of broadband IP technology, competitive pricing, functionality and support were key deciding factors in Requests decision, said Ian Noble, General Manager, Request Solution Engineering and Network Operations. A significant factor in Requests extremely high network availability has been the consistent availability and high reliability of the Cisco 6260 Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAM) and other core networking equipment.
Request clearly understands that there is a growing market for broadband enabled services and Cisco is excited to be working with Request at a time when more and more Australians demand broadband, said Peter Papaioannou, Regional Manager Telecommunications, Cisco Australia and New Zealand.
While the contract is for the supply of 33 DSLAMs over the period of June 2003 to June 2004, Requests business plan currently targets a further 150 exchanges over the following three year period. NDC has been awarded the contract to undertake the installation requirements involving rack builds, cabling and DSLAM installs.
Requests service offerings are unique in that the company provides value added services at the upper layer of the network, concludes Sykes. The current network expansion activity is focusing on accelerating the commercialisation of a range of new and innovative IP products under development and to further develop and expand the companys channels to market.
Sykes attributes this success to Requests increasing levels of innovation and service quality, the strength of its partnership with channels and broadened market awareness of the companys products and services.
Today, Request has 13,200 business sites connected to its network and over 80,000 end users.
- END -
About Request
Request is an infrastructure-based broadband applications and services company delivering flexible and innovative broadband solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) throughout Australia. Requests broadband services are sold in all capital cities and major regional centres through over 160 Request Service Providers.
Delivering on the need for multi-site customer networking Request's Next Generation broadband IP Network architecture specifically supports business evolution to high performance IP-centric internet and e-business applications. Core products include RequestVPN, RequestXpress and RequestSoHo.
In choosing Request, companies are able to quickly and cost effectively establish high-speed internet access, private networks between multiple office locations, voice over IP, video over IP, remote access to corporate networks over the same broadband link without the need for additional infrastructure.
September 2003 saw the company win the ATUG Telecommunications 2003 award for Excellence in Telecommunications. In August 2003, Request achieved the highly prestigious CommsWorld Telecomms 2003 industry award for Broadband Wholesale Carrier of the Year. Other awards include the 2003 ATUG Industry award for Best Communications Solution - SME for its RequestVPN solution and Carrier of the Year 2002 ATUG award.
Request investors include, among others, Telecom Venture Group (TVG) and Pilbara Mines. For more information on Request, visit www.request.com.au.