Mushroom offers hosted T-1 killer

Mushroom Networks today introduced a hosted broadband bonding service meant as a faster, cheaper alternative to T-1s.

The service makes use of access networking equipment that the startup unveiled in February for sale to service providers. That gear bonds up to six broadband lines of various types, including T-1s, cable, DSL and satellite (and lines from different providers), to achieve greater bandwidth. That product allowed bonding of downstream, but not upstream, channels.

The new service – targeted directly to business customers in addition to service providers – includes bonding of uplink channels. With it, Mushroom is promising broadband speeds 20 times faster than a T-1 for about $150 a month – a price Mushroom said is about a third that of T-1 service. The entry-level offer, excluding the price of the customer premises gear, starts at $50 per month for up to 5 Mb/s of uplink speed (six bonded DSL lines, for example).

Mushroom will continue to sell its equipment to service providers and enterprises interested in asymmetrical speeds. But for bonded uplink channels, Mushroom will host the service to customers of both types.