SBC Offers Home Networking

SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC) Wednesday became the latest large provider of broadband Internet access to offer in-home networking to its customers.

The company said its Pacific Bell, Nevada Bell and Southwestern Bell operating companies will offer DSL customers residential gateways provided by 2Wire. The gateways provide a firewall, enable connection sharing and a variety of other services.

The company said that the goal is to eventually offer a variety of Net-based in-home services to its customers such as streaming video, digital music and interactive games.

“Home networking enhances the broadband experience,” said Jason Few, SBC vice president. “In the near future, these home gateways will be the platform to deliver entirely new broadband-based content and services to virtually any device or appliance in the home.”

The 2Wire HomePortal products support both 802.11b wireless networking and HomePNA, which creates local area networks using existing phone wires.

SBC says that it has 954,000 DSL subscribers. It claims that a recent survey found that two-thirds of its DSL customers are interested in home networking. EarthLink previously announced similar services for its broadband subscribers.