Broadband News - Page 139

Thursday, 29th July 2010

Conroy backs NBN opt-out model

ARN

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy appears to have backed a so-called 'opt-out' model for the National Broadband Network where Australians would be required to choose not to have fibre internet connected to their premises.

Wednesday, 28th July 2010

Pacnet joins $447m Sydney-US undersea cable

iTnews Australia

Pacnet has stepped in to jointly fund a US$400 million ($447 million) undersea fibre cable connecting Sydney to the United States via Auckland that will double capacity along the route.

Election 2010: Halting NBN 'economically irresponsible'

iTWire

The Coalition faces a significant business community backlash if it fails to deliver a broadband plan for Australia that at least matches the Government's existing National Broadband Network initiative, according to the internet sector’s peak industry body.

NBN could see the end of business ADSL: IDC

Computerworld

The connection of the first business to the National Broadband Network (NBN) this week may have sounded the death knell for SME ADSL-based business broadband plans, according to IDC.

Gillard backs NBN investment

Australian IT

The Prime Minister says opposing Labor's $43 billion national broadband network is like opposing the building of the railroad years ago.

Cable to double internet capacity out of Australia

SMH

Two companies will invest an estimated $US400 million ($AU447) in a new 13,600 kilometre submarine cable that they say will double telecommunications capacity out of Australia and further reduce broadband costs to consumers.

Lundy vs. Ludlam, Fletcher: election debate

ZDNet Australia

At the launch of Google's Election 2010 portal at the internet giant's Sydney headquarters this morning, three of the country's most IT-savvy politicians went head-to-head on the National Broadband Network and the government's planned mandatory internet filter.

The Coalition defends its lack of NBN alternative, claims policy delay is standard

ARN

The Coalition has defended its delay in releasing an alternative to the Government's National Broadband Network and claimed it's entirely normal for an election campaign.

Telstra fined $19m

Australian IT

Telstra has been slapped with an $18.5 million fine for blocking its rivals from installing broadband equipment at its telephone exchanges.

Ditching NBN like axing railroads: Gillard

ZDNet Australia

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said today that opposing Labor's $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) is like opposing the building of the railroad years ago.

Conroy on the run instead of the hustings

iTWire

Senator Stephen Conroy has failed to answer the tough questions at a Melbourne event yesterday. In an election month, voters could be forgiven for thinking that the Broadband Minister was not up to another tough session about his filtering and NBN policies.

Australia scores a C on Akamai broadband report card

iTnews Australia

Akamai's latest State of the Internet was a shot in the arm for supporters of the National Broadband Network, reporting that Australia was in the bottom half of nations in the Asia-Pacific for broadband speeds and slower than neighbour New Zealand.

Telstra's rivals fuming

Australian IT

Telstra's rivals are furious about drastic price cuts to its consumer broadband plans, saying it erodes competition in the telecoms sector.

Tuesday, 27th July 2010

ABC: The NBN will degrade commercial media around Australia

ARN

The ABC's managing director, Mark Scott, has told a Sydney event the rise of the National Broadband Network will accelerate the decline in commercial media.

NBN ramp up generating severe IT skill shortages, slashes labour pool

iTWire

A hiring ramp up by NBN Co has already put the Australian skilled labour market under strain, with ICT personnel being snapped up like hotcakes, according to a new survey. In the past three months, the available skilled ICT labour pool has shrunk by a massive 80%.

ISPs rally against Telstra ADSL price cuts

iTnews Australia

ISP TPG has shrugged off an aggressive price revamp of Telstra's ADSL plans as Internode rallied users to stand by the ISP and not move their services to Telstra.

Primus connects first 100Mbps business client on NBN

iTWire

The National Broadband Network rollout garnered further brownie points for the Government with an announcement that Primus Telecom has connected its first business client in a remote Tasmanian town. The remoteness of the 100Mbps connection lends support to the Government's vision of the NBN providing ubiquitous cheap fast broadband to consumers and small businesses throughout Australia.

Internode brings broadband to more housing estates

iTnews Australia

ISP Internode has struck a deal with greenfields fibre network operator OPENetworks to offer retail internet services into at least one new housing estate.

Telstra: damned if it drops prices, damned if it doesn't!

iTWire

The Competitive Carriers' Coalition has damned Telstra for dropping its retail prices, saying that it hasn't also dropped its wholesale pricing, a complaint some CCC members have had before the ACCC for the last month. Can Telstra really drop retail prices without the same on the wholesale front, or is Telstra having a wholesale rip of its competition?

Monday, 26th July 2010

Telstra's Internet usage research uncovers the obvious

iTWire

Obvious, or rather, "obviously", is a favourite word of our PM whenever she seems to speak about anything, and also obvious is the findings from Telstra's research that many homes now have several "Internet enabled devices" at their disposal, all wanting to connect to the Internet.