Broadband News
Thu, 18th Jan 2018
Greens critical of govt response to NBN panel report
The Coalition Government's response to the NBN Joint Standing Committee report shows how "clueless and careless" it is about the need for a proper broadband network which can be used for business, study, work and everyday tasks, the Australian Greens claim.
Source: iTWire
Mobile network operators urged to prepare for post-NBN world
Mobile network operators should take a leadership role in the inevitable transformation of their industry as mobile and fixed networks slowly move towards bridging the divide between them, a leading telecommunications analyst says.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 17th Jan 2018
Only a quarter of fibre-to-the-node NBN connections will reach 100Mbps
A former NBN executive describes fibre-to-the-node connections as an obsolete technology that will "never deliver the speeds expected by consumers".
Source: ABC News
Tue, 16th Jan 2018
Govt refuses to budge on MTM NBN
The government has unsurprisingly panned a highly critical report on the NBN, confirming it won’t mandate fibre-to-the-curb for the rest of the rollout nor commision an independent audit of the project.
Source: iTnews Australia
Govt dismisses call to mandate more fibre in NBN rollout
The Govt slaps down a Parliamentary recommendation to mandate greater use of FttC and FttP in the remainder of the NBN rollout.
Source: ARN
NBN copper purchase total sits at 16,600 kilometres
Over the five months since its last updated number, NBN has purchased a further 1,600km of copper.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Inside Telstra's effort to slash NBN complaint wait times
Telstra is overhauling the technology that underpins its management of NBN fault complaints to a single, cloud-based platform that will eventually serve the telco’s entire assurance business.
Source: iTnews Australia
Nokia, Optus seal 5-year network deal
Nokia and Optus have inked a five-year agreement under which Nokia will manage and maintain key components of Optus' network infrastructure, operations and field maintenance.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co says one in four FTTN lines can go over 100Mbps
NBN Co expects just 24 percent of fibre-to-the-node lines will be capable of wholesale speeds of 100Mbps or more by the end of the rollout in 2020.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 15th Jan 2018
Kogan.com in a 'brilliant position' for NBN: Ruslan Kogan
Having never undertaken a large fixed-line infrastructure spend, Ruslan Kogan says his company is in a better position than most to offer 'incredibly attractive' services, especially with NBN currently focused on repairing customer experience issues.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN pillar goes missing
An NBN pillar has gone missing from a North Fremantle nature strip, forcing technicians to completely replace it in order to reconnect 167 affected premises.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus accidentally blocks all bit.ly links
Optus accidentally blocked all its users from accessing websites through the bit.ly URL shortener whilst trying to block a phishing email on Monday morning.
Source: iTnews Australia
Almost 60,000 Aussies caught up in NBN speed claim action
Nearly 60,000 Australians are due to receive compensation from the country’s largest telco over misleading NBN speed claims.
Source: ARN
Write-down of NBN firmly on the cards: Budde
A write-down of the national broadband network is now firmly on the cards after the competition watchdog joined the chorus supporting it, according to telecommunications analyst Paul Budde.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 12th Jan 2018
Telstra CEO: 2018 will be big for 5G
The rollout of commercial 5G networks could begin in 2019 if standardisation and technologies are set during 2018, Telstra CEO Andy Penn has said, adding that Telstra is a world leader in the space.
Source: ZDNet Australia
The fastest NBN speed plan is falling out of favour
The highest-speed plan on the national broadband network is becoming a tough sell for telecommunications companies amid concerns the risks and costs are outweighing the benefits.
Source: SMH
CES 2018: Telstra NB-IoT network now live
Telstra has used CES 2018 to announce the launch of its NB-IoT network across all capital and major regional cities in Australia.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Dropping silent line charges good for consumers: ACCAN
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network says Telstra’s decision to remove charges for telephone users who want to use its silent line services will lead to better consumer outcomes and privacy protections for customers.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 11th Jan 2018
Vodafone breached mobile ID rules after IT system change
Vodafone found itself in hot water after an IT system upgrade meant that it failed to verify the identity of 1028 of its prepaid mobile customers.
Source: ARN
Vodafone hit by ACMA after IT update allowed new users to skip legal obligations
For twelve months from January 2015, new Vodafone Australia prepaid users were able to claim the telco had verified their identities when it had not.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co to woo smaller RSPs with 'virtual' NNI service
NBN Co is developing a ‘virtual network-to-network interface’ product that it claims will open new wholesale options for retail service providers (RSPs) wanting to connect to its network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 09th Jan 2018
Govt sell-off plans could cost chance to fix the NBN, ex-CTO warns
The federal government’s focus on maximising the sale price of the NBN could cost Australia the “next big opportunity” for fixed-line telecommunications reform, one of the network’s original architects has warned.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co's 50Mbps promo expands to Telstra, Optus
Telstra and Optus have moved to take advantage of NBN Co’s temporarily discounted 50Mbps service price, following the lead of TPG last month.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra, Optus, TPG and Vocus back NBN service terms inquiry
Telstra, Optus, TPG and Vocus - which control about 88 percent of the NBN market - have all publicly backed an inquiry into how NBN Co's wholesale service standards are set.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 08th Jan 2018
Telstra makes silent lines free as telemarketing complaints soar
Complaints about calls from telemarketers jumped 20 per cent from 2016 to 2017, with thousands more people putting their numbers on the Do Not Call Register.
Source: SMH
Fri, 05th Jan 2018
'A dog's breakfast': Anthony Albanese slams NBN after roll out delays
Residents in Sydney's inner west and south have been urged to sign a petition calling on the government to “fix the mess” of the national broadband network after delays left locals without a date they could expect to switch.
Source: SMH
Thu, 04th Jan 2018
NBN used a gaming controller that dates back to 2000 in its ad
The NBN has been caught photoshopping one of their ads to appeal to gamers, but it has instead backfired.
Source: SMH
Wed, 03rd Jan 2018
Telstra eyes high-altitude drones for broadband services
Telstra has expressed a renewed “interest” in the potential use of high-altitude drones or balloons as a long-term replacement for satellite-based broadband services for regional and remote users.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 01st Jan 2018
Police Negotiate Telstra NBN Bundle For Protester
When Matt Dooley refused to leave a Telstra store after months of battling with the telco, the last people he might have expected to fix his problem were the police called to remove him from the store.
Source: Gizmodo
Fri, 22nd Dec 2017
NBN Co 'error' halves new copper cable spend
NBN Co claims it drastically over-estimated the amount it has spent on new copper cabling in the fibre-to-the-node rollout, slashing its spend by half.
Source: iTnews Australia