Broadband News
Mon, 10th Sep 2018
Telstra CEO: 5G live at 15 sites before global standards to be set
With the final 5G standards to be set this week, Telstra CEO Andy Penn has said the telco's network is already live in 15 locations.
Source: ZDNet Australia
If 'congestion-free' is banned from NBN ads, why not 'unlimited', asks ISP
The advertising restrictions placed on the use of the term congestion-free by Internet service provider Aussie Broadband by the competition watchdog have been questioned by the head of a small ISP in Tasmania, who has asked why the ACCC does not also object to the use of the term "unlimited" in broadband advertisements.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 07th Sep 2018
Aussie Broadband nixes ‘congestion-free’ claim
NBN retail service provider Aussie Broadband has removed claims from marketing material that it offers a “congestion-free” service.
Source: Computerworld
Sunshine Coast secures subsea cable landing
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast will play host to the second Australian landing station for the under-construction JGA-South undersea fibre optic cable system.
Source: iTnews Australia
Ericsson makes first 5G call to smartphone
Ericsson and Qualcomm have made a 5G call to a smartphone form-factor mobile device, calling it a first.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 06th Sep 2018
Vodafone strikes back with great value against telco and MVNO pre-paid competitors
Vodafone has made Optus' and Telstra's pre-paid plans look like overpriced 28-day expiry jokes with too little data and not enough international countries, but Amaysim still has the best 365-day "as you go" plan.
Source: iTWire
NBN delays to impact Telstra's revenue by $300M
Telstra expects revenue for the 2019 financial year to suffer a $300 million hit following NBN Co's corporate plan announced on 31 August.
Source: ARN
Telstra expects $300m income hit from NBN delays
Telstra is expecting to take a $300 million hit to its income in the current financial year as a result of slower than expected progress of the national broadband network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 05th Sep 2018
NBN Co launches medical alarm discount scheme
NBN Co has released details of a subsidy scheme to help households with unmonitored medical alarms that rely on the copper network upgrade to a new system.
Source: Computerworld
Vocus routes traffic across new Singapore cable after SMW-3 outage
Vocus has begun routing traffic via the new Australia Singapore Cable (ASC) after a major outage on the Sea-Me-We3 (SMW-3) subsea cable system.
Source: Computerworld
Tue, 04th Sep 2018
Telstra customers downloaded 243,300TB in July alone despite 'slow' NBN, offers new fixed broadband plans
Telstra's customers are voracious downloaders, with the top 10 most data-hungry suburbs revealed, as it July 2018 monthly data usage per state.
Source: iTWire
NetComm extends NBN Co deal to supply FttDP equipment
Networking solutions provider NetComm Wireless has extended its agreement with NBN Co, to supply reverse-powered distribution point units, known as High port count DPUs, to the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, the NBN.
Source: iTWire
NBN alternative progresses as Adelaide telco receives $5M Govt grant
Uniti Wireless has been awarded a $5 million grant from the South Australia Government as it extends its high-speed broadband alternative to the NBN.
Source: ARN
Mon, 03rd Sep 2018
NBN to take FttC to MDUs
By supplying eight- and 16-port DPUs, NBN will be able to extend its fibre-to-the-curb network to multi-dwelling units, NetComm Wireless has announced.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone completes successful trial of regional 4G mobile services hub
Vodafone Hutchison Austra;oa has completed a successful trial of a self-install mobile coverage solution — the Vodafone Regional Coverage Hub — which is designed to deliver 4G voice and data services in locations across Australia where commercial networks are not traditionally deployed, or where coverage is patchy or unavailable.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co looks to FTTC for smaller multi-dwelling complexes
NBN Co will soon be able to more efficiently deploy fibre to the curb (FTTC) services instead of its more conventional DSLAM-based fibre to the basement (FTTB) services when connecting smaller multi-dwelling units (MDUs).
Source: Computerworld
Vocus builds fibre network between Darwin and Tiwi Islands
Vocus has been selected to build a sub-sea system that will provide a fibre optic link between Darwin and the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory.
Source: ARN
Aussie Broadband wants to stop buying extra IPv4 addresses
Aussie Broadband is set to fast-track IPv6 adoption and implement carrier grade network address translation (CGNAT) to bypass rising IPv4 costs.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 31st Aug 2018
ACCC reconsiders Telstra copper regulation
Given the NBN rollout, the ACCC is seeking feedback on whether to continue regulating six Telstra copper services from mid-2019 until mid-2024.
Source: ZDNet Australia
TPG's 'aggressive' behaviour may decide fate of Vodafone merger
How did TPG Telecom became an $8 billion company? By spending $3.5 billion on "aggressive" takeovers in the last eight years, frequently paying significantly more than it needed to, writes David Chau.
Source: ABC News
NBN 'absolutely' still planning 5G fixed-wireless
NBN has told ZDNet that it is still planning to deploy 5G across its fixed-wireless service, while also looking into NG-PON2 for FttP, G.mgfast for FttN/B/C, and Full Duplex DOCSIS for HFC to enable speeds of up to 10Gbps.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Labor slams govt over NBN 'cost blowout' of $2b
The Australian Labor Party has described the national broadband network as being on "life support" with the announcement on Friday that the total outlay would be $51 billion, compared to the earlier figure of $49 billion described as "a cost blowout" that was "nothing short of a disaster".
Source: iTWire
NBN Co to get three more years to repay $19.5bn govt loan
The government is set to give NBN Co an extra three years to repay and refinance a $19.5 billion loan of public funds to complete the build.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co will not reach ARPU target even in FY22
NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia’s national broadband network, the NBN, will not achieve its desired $52 average revenue per user target to remove the red ink from its budget, even by FY22, two years after the rollout is completed in 2020.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co's HFC pause cost $900m
NBN Co has finally detailed numbers quantifying the economic cost of its five month HFC sales freeze, with remediation work costing $200 million and $700 million of revenue delayed.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co's build costs rise $2bn, 1.2m premises delayed
NBN Co’s HFC and fixed wireless problems will force the company spend $2 billion more on its rollout, with the total cost now expected to be $51 billion.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN base case funding jumps to AU$51b following HFC pause
NBN has said its HFC pause will impact revenue during the rollout by AU$700 million plus capex spend of AU$200 million; the wholesale pricing change will result in a AU$700 million deferral of revenue; and the fixed-wireless capacity upgrade program will result in an additional AU$800 million in capex.
Source: ZDNet Australia
TPG Voda merger sure to have some growing pains
The proposed merger between challenger carriers Vodafone Australia and TPG has raised as many questions as answers after the chief executives of both the telcos mounted a spirited push to sell the deal to shareholders ahead of regulatory scrutiny.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 30th Aug 2018
Boost Mobile head urges ACCC to reject TPG-Vodafone merger
Boost Mobile founder and chief executive Peter Adderton has urged the ACCC to reject the proposed merger between Vodafone Hutchison Australia and TPG Telecom on the grounds that it would remove from the telco space the one factor that has led to increased competition over the last year or so – a fourth big mobile player.
Source: iTWire
TPG-Vodafone will be 'very aggressive': David Teoh
The new TPG could offer plans that are 'even better' than its previously advertised AU$9.99 per month mobile service, David Teoh has said, once the merger completes and it can offer bundled fixed and mobile deals.
Source: ZDNet Australia