Broadband News

Tue, 05th Dec 2017

NBN Co’s channel program pilot goes live

​NBN Co launches channel pilot program, with Westcon-Comstor, Computer Troubleshooters Australia, Telstra and Vocus Communications jumping on board for the ride.

Source: ARN

Mon, 04th Dec 2017

NetComm Wireless claims world-first with key device for NBN FTTC rollout

ASX-listed networking technology company NetComm Wireless says a new device it has developed, which is set to play a key role in the National Broadband Network rollout, represents a world-first.​​

Source: Computerworld

Vodafone launches NBN services

Vodafone has begun taking orders for National Broadband Network services in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Geelong, Newcastle and Wollongong​.

Source: Computerworld

Vodafone launches NBN plans

Vodafone's long-awaited launch into NBN fixed-line services has begun today as the telco starts offering plans across six cities.

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie internet suffers as subsea cable cut again

Australian internet users face more inter-Asia latency after the SEA-ME-WE3 subsea internet cable connecting Perth to Singapore was cut again, just six weeks after being repaired.

Source: iTnews Australia

Labor questions timing of NBN HFC delay announcement

Labor shadow communications minister Michelle Rowland has questioned the timing of the NBN Co's announcement about delaying HFC connections to the national broadband network, revealing a timeline that shows problems were first identified two years ago.

Source: iTWire

Amid soaring complaints, should telcos face the same regulation as water and energy?

With complaints about phone and internet providers soaring, consumer groups give a vote of no confidence in consumer protections and call for the troubled sector to be regulated like the water or energy industries.

Source: ABC News

Fri, 01st Dec 2017

Thousands of Telstra internet customers overcharged in 'system error'

Customers of Telstra's budget mobile and internet provider, Belong, are expressing their anger with the telco after realising their bank accounts had been debited multiple times overnight and are now facing hour-long wait times to resolve the issue.

Source: ABC News

Most Aussie NBN resellers are yet to make speed claim change - ACCC

The ACCC has said only two local telcos have made marketing messaging changes to better reflect the NBN speeds their customers are likely to get.

Source: ARN

ACCC examines Telstra FttC migration plan

Telstra has submitted a proposed variation to its plan for migrating customers off existing broadband services onto the NBN to make way for fibre-to-the-curb technology.

Source: ZDNet Australia

ACCC chief fires broadside at telcos still advertising ‘unhelpful’ Internet speed plans

The consumer watchdog, the ACCC, has lambasted the telecommunications industry - with the exception of Telstra and Optus -  for continuing to advertise Internet plans using what it calls “unhelpful speed ranges”, and referencing off-peak speeds, or failing to provide consumers with any information about the speed of their services during busy hours.

Source: iTWire

ACCC to start broadband monitoring next month

The consumer watchdog will officially start monitoring Australia's broadband performance next month after appointing SamKnows to run the program.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN HFC pause will cost Telstra AU$600m in FY18 EBITDA

The decision by NBN to pause its HFC rollout while it repairs network issues will cost Telstra AU$600 million in EBITDA, AU$700 million in total income, AU$200 million in free cashflow, and AU$600 million in net one-off NBN receipts over FY18, the telco has said.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Thu, 30th Nov 2017

Telstra lures high data using SMBs with new broadband offer

Telstra has launched an unlimited broadband data offer in a move which it says is designed to help alleviate the problems of data intensive activities by small businesses.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 29th Nov 2017

MyNetFone adds 4G to business suite

MNF's cloud-based business suite now includes a support team, office phone, broadband, and 4G business mobile, with the mobile offering utilising Telstra's network to cover 98.8 percent of the Australian population.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Tue, 28th Nov 2017

HFC was fine when Telstra had it: Penn

The HFC network works well in delivering Telstra broadband and Foxtel pay TV services, Andy Penn has said, with the issues cropping up once NBN began making technology changes to it.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN crunches numbers on financial fallout from HFC hiatus

NBN says it is still assessing the impact of a decision to put sales of hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) National Broadband Network services on hold.

Source: Computerworld

Labor claims NBN Co’s HFC delay could cost taxpayers millions

NBN Co’s move to pause its HFC network rollout to fix service issues could cost up to $790 million, according to the Australian Labor Party.

Source: ARN

HFC not as 'mature' as fibre: Fifield

Despite HFC being available from Telstra in Australia since last century, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has claimed the technology is less mature than fibre.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN HFC delays could cost up to $790m: Labor

Delays in getting HFC customers on to the NBN could cost between $420 million and $790 million, the Labor Party claims.

Source: iTWire

Turnbull's magic-mushroom NBN is slowly unravelling

For months now, we've been told that fast broadband would be arriving sooner because of the change in technology that the Coalition Government decided upon, with HFC cable and fibre-to-the-node being the saviours of the project. Now that dream is unravelling. 

Source: iTWire

Fifield stands by stalled NBN HFC network

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is standing by the stalled NBN HFC network rollout, claiming its problems can “absolutely be fixed” and the technology won’t need to be scrapped.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN delays show why fibre should have been used: Greens

The national broadband network being built by NBN Co should be geared towards the digital future, Australian Greens NBN spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John says.

Source: iTWire

Halting NBN's HFC cable rollout is a step in the right direction

Rather than continue the blame game and leave more Aussies trapped in broadband limbo, NBN finally admits that it's failing and needs to do better.

Source: SMH

Regional broadband spectrum up for grabs at auction

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has opened bidding in an auction to sell spectrum in bands that remain unallocated in the 1800 MHz band, and the 2 GHz, 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz bands.

Source: iTWire

Australia Singapore Cable reaches midway mark: Vocus

Building work on the Australia Singapore Cable has passed the halfway point, crossing a number of critical milestones, Vocus Communications says.

Source: iTWire

The NBN HFC Rollout Delay Could Cost $790 Million, According To NBN's Own Figures

Yesterday it was announced that NBN was putting an immediate halt to any new HFC connections while it makes "crucial upgrades" for existing customers. An analysis of the 2016 NBN Corporate Plan, approved by the NBN board and signed off by Shareholder Ministers, shows the cost of this action could cost taxpayers between $420 to $790 million.

Source: Gizmodo

Mon, 27th Nov 2017

Australian Greens: 'Hey NBN - Upgrade To FTTP Already'

The Greens have spoken out about the NBN's "effective immediately" halt of HFC connections while "crucial work" is completed for existing customers - saying this sends a "clear signal" just a straight up Fibre to the Premises upgrade needs to be the priority.

Source: Gizmodo

Multi-technology NBN ‘has well and truly failed,’ says Labor’s Rowland

The decision by NBN to pause the rollout of hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) services on the National Broadband Network is another example of the failure of the “multi-technology mix” championed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to Labor’s Michelle Rowland.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra flags payment delay amid NBN Co’s HFC rollout halt

Telstra has warned shareholders that ​NBN Co’s decision to pause the rollout of its HFC network​ could delay its payments for the telco’s infrastructure.

Source: ARN