Broadband News
Mon, 13th Aug 2018
ACCC proposes takeover of Internet activity reports
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a discussion paper proposing to take over the collection of Internet activity data, a task which the Australian Bureau of Statistics said that it would be stopping.
Source: iTWire
Huawei likely to get limited role in 5G networks: report
Chinese telecommunications equipment maker Huawei is likely to be allowed to play a role in the rollout of 5G networks in Australia, but will face curbs on provision of equipment for what are deemed sensitive parts of the networks.
Source: iTWire
Sat, 11th Aug 2018
People going it alone for faster NBN are also paying for their neighbours
NBN users who choose to pay thousands of dollars out of their own pocket for a high-speed internet connection are inadvertently paying to upgrade their neighbours' connections as well as public infrastructure.
Source: ABC News
Thu, 09th Aug 2018
ACMA asks 'is your Internet connection working at its best?'
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has added three new videos to its telco tips series focusing on the factors inside your home that can affect how your broadband works.
Source: iTWire
Kogan lowers NBN prices, but is Vodafone still better value?
Kogan Internet has lowered its prices to be a smidgeon below Vodafone's newly lowered prices, but with Vodafone offering 4G back-up, Vodafone wins the better value battle despite Kogan's cheaper pricing.
Source: iTWire
NBN robocall scam threatens to disconnect internet, demands financial details
A phone scam claiming to be from the National Broadband Network ramps up in Queensland, with one woman harassed eight times in the past three days.
Source: ABC News
ACCC wants to take over axed ABS internet survey
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is proposing to take over the collection of internet activity statistics dropped by the Australia Bureau of Statistics earlier this year.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 08th Aug 2018
Aussies get used to website blocking regime
Australian internet users are more likely to 'give up' if they encounter a blocked website while searching for content - and less likely to try to bypass the block - than in previous years.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACMA goes to tender to test NBN modems
As part of its ongoing investigation into NBN customer experience issues, the ACMA will provide AU$300,000 to the successful tenderer to look into whether modems are contributing to underperformance.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co activates 'thousands' of DOCSIS 3.1 HFC premises
NBN Co has activated DOCSIS 3.1 for several thousand premises connected to its HFC network in Sydney and Melbourne.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN finally launches DOCSIS 3.1 across HFC network
DOCSIS 3.1 technology will double the downstream capacity across the hybrid fibre-coaxial network, with NBN saying it is focused on improved experience rather than faster speeds.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co begins DOCSIS 3.1 rollout for HFC connections
NBN Co will progressively enable the DOCSIS 3.1 cable broadband standard across its hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) infrastructure, as it begins to ramp-up the number of premises connected to its access network using the technology.
Source: ARN
Tue, 07th Aug 2018
ACCC opens inquiry into mobile voice, SMS services
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has started an inquiry into regulation of wholesale mobile voice and SMS services – and whether to vary or revoke the domestic mobile terminating access service (MTAS) declaration or to make a new declaration.
Source: iTWire
ACCC queries need for mobile interconnection rules
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is considering the future of regulations that guarantee mobile users can call customers on any network, in part because technology has bypassed the issue.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co says Internode has not made contact over user's HFC issue
NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, the NBN, says it has not been approached by Adelaide-based Internet service provider Internode about fixing the issues that a user in North Salisbury, South Australia, is facing, with constant dropouts on his HFC connection.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co revenue may take hit after 5G arrives: Rowland
The financial position of the NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, the NBN, is likely to worsen due to competition from wireless networks once 5G begins to make its presence felt, the Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has warned.
Source: iTWire
Vodafone declares NBN price war, blasts price down, from $58
Stating it is taking the "telco war on price from mobile to NBN", Vodafone says it is "making high speed Vodafone NBN available to new and existing customers for under $60 per month" with savings of "up to $480 per year".
Source: iTWire
Mon, 06th Aug 2018
Govt puts low reserve on 5G spectrum
The government has set an auction reserve price of between $0.03 and $0.08 per MHz per member of the population for prime 5G spectrum.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC hopes to fine companies ninefold for misleading consumers
New legislation being considered by Australian Parliament would increase fines from AU$1.1 million to AU$10 million for companies that engage in misleading or deceptive conduct.
Source: ZDNet Australia
5G spectrum auction set to take place in November
The auction of spectrum in the 3.6 GHz band is expected to commence in November 2018 the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced.
Source: ARN
BIRRR drawn into NBN customer support role
Regional, rural and remote NBN users are turning to well-connected volunteers to mediate and escalate issues with fixed wireless and Sky Muster connections, leading to calls for a more permanent solution.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra says pay deal provides 'certainty in time of change'
Telstra says any pay deal it has proposed to employees is aimed at protecting what it calls its "industry-leading terms and conditions" in order that it can provide certainty "over a period of significant change".
Source: iTWire
Union claims Telstra workers forced to take pay cut
The union representing Telstra workers claims the telco is forcing those who will not be affected by the sackings announced in June, as part of its new strategy known as Telstra2022, to take a cut in their take-home pay.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 03rd Aug 2018
No Optus: telco hit by mobile outage once again
Optus mobile customers were hit by an outage from early Friday morning, with the telco saying that the issue had been fixed within a couple of hours.
Source: iTWire
Netflix approaches 10 million Aussie viewers
Market researcher Roy Morgan says more than 9.8 million Australians have access to Netflix, and the number could pass the 10 million milestone this quarter.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 01st Aug 2018
Australia's plans to build foreign ties with undersea cables hits snags at home
When Australia bankrolled undersea internet cables for its Pacific neighbours, it shut out a competing offer from Huawei Technologies.
Source: ARN
Tue, 31st Jul 2018
Vodafone mobile subs near 6m after including Kogan in numbers
Vodafone has announced a net loss of AU$92 million on revenue of AU$1.8 billion for the first half of 2018.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Seven per cent of NBN customers on less than half speed they paid for
Latest report from ACCC shows most NBN fixed-line customers getting good speeds, but number on very poor speeds is 'concerning'.
Source: SMH
Optus, TravelSIM launch customised mobile travel service
Optus and TravelSIM Australia have collaborated to launch gotravelsim, a mobile service designed specifically for international travellers and students in Australia.
Source: iTWire
Aussie Broadband delivers NBN's fastest speeds in busy periods
Aussie Broadband has delivered an average speed on the NBN of 88.3 per cent on busy periods, the fastest of six ISPs tracked by the consumer watchdog.
Source: ARN