Sprint opts for 2Wire gateways

Sprint announced today that it has signed a deal with 2Wire under which the telco will offer 2Wire’s HomePortal residential gateway to its high-speed Internet access customers.

The deal marks the second major independent telco that 2Wire has landed as a customer. Previously, the company had announced a distribution deal with CenturyTel. It also is providing the HomePortal as part of SBC’s bundle of voice, data and satellite TV.

“This is the furthest we’ve driven into the independent side of the market,” said Jaime Fink, director of product marketing for 2Wire. “The more complex these products get the more integration you tend to have to do on the software side.”

The gateway allows users to create in-home networks where multiple PCs can share a broadband connection. As part of the agreement with Sprint, the carrier also will offer 2Wire’s Firewall Monitor and Web Remote Access broadband applications. Firewall Monitor is used to protect the home network against hacker attacks, while Web Remote Access allows users to access and download files stored on their home networks from any location, at any time, using a standard Web browser.

“The monitor is more of a personal feature,” Fink said. “It lets people set thresholds about levels and kinds of attacks.”

When the monitor detects an attack that meets one of those thresholds, the software detects and stops it, then sends an e-mail or SMS to the user letting them know an attack has occurred. Typically, telcos stay out of the specifics of the transaction and service, preferring to just resell the software, Fink said.

“The service provider can help them set it up if they have questions, but generally speaking, the users do that themselves,” he said.

Sprint will offer the gateway to new subscribers for $49.99 with a one-year contract. Existing subscribers will have the option of upgrading to the HomePortal for $149.99.