Broadband News
Tue, 22nd Aug 2017
Vodafone unveils NBN plans
Vodafone's initial launch will provide 12Mbps, 25Mbps, 50Mbps, and 100Mbps plans across NBN's fixed-line technologies in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Wollongong, Geelong, and Newcastle.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telcos band together to solve NBN migration issues
The CEOs of NBN, Optus, Telstra, TPG, Vocus, and Comms Alliance have met with the government, the TIO, the ACMA, and the ACCC to discuss solving migration and customer issues on the NBN.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Simplicity, mobile data key to Vodafone’s NBN offerings
Vodafone is gearing up for the “imminent” launch of an internal National Broadband Network pilot ahead of a broader rollout of NBN services.
Source: Computerworld
Comms Alliance blows hot and cold on ACCC broadband speed guidelines
The Communications Alliance has expressed some reservations about the competition watchdog's announcement of six principles of best practice in advertising broadband speeds.
Source: iTWire
ACCC sounds warning on NBN scammers
The ACCC has sounded a warning to the public on scammers pretending to be from the NBN, conning victims out of their money and personal information.
Source: ARN
Mon, 21st Aug 2017
RSPs should advertise based on busy evening speeds: ACCC
RSPs should adopt a labelling system for 'typical busy period' broadband speeds across the categories of basic evening speed, standard evening speed, standard plus evening speed, and premium evening speed, the ACCC has advised.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACCC toughens up on retailer advertised NBN speed claims
The competition watchdog, the ACCC, has moved to clarify for consumers the confusing issue of the speed of broadband services over the national broadband network they are actually buying, with the publication of much tougher advertising guidelines for retailers.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co to start DOCSIS 3.1 field trials in February
NBN Co is set to begin its first DOCSIS 3.1 field trials in February next year ahead of a planned commercial launch on the HFC network before the end of 2018.
Source: iTnews Australia
Bidders drop out of race for Vocus
The two companies circling troubled telco Vocus have both dropped plans for a buyout after failing to reach “acceptable” terms.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN prepares for field trials of gigabit HFC technology
NBN is preparing to launch field trials using the DOCSIS 3.1 cable broadband standard, which is capable of delivering gigabit speeds over hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) connections.
Source: Computerworld
ACCC urges broadband retailers to update product labels
The ACCC has served up new ways for broadband resellers to talk about their services in fresh guidance aimed at resolving speed issues among end customers.
Source: ARN
Fri, 18th Aug 2017
Foxtel wins court case to block over 120 piracy sites
Foxtel's bid to have more than 120 alleged piracy sites including Yes Movies, Los Movies, Watch Series, 1337x, and Putlocker blocked by the Federal Court has been successful.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Federal Court blocks another 42 piracy sites
Roadshow's bid to have 42 alleged torrenting and streaming sites including Demonoid, ExtraTorrent, LimeTorrents, MegaShare, Piratebay.to, and EZTV blocked by Federal Court has been successful.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Price of Piracy site launches, Foxtel welcomes anti-pirate court action
Foxtel is giving the big F to piracy sites as it welcomes continued court action on piracy site blocking, with “Yes Movies, Vumoo, Los Movies, Cartoon HD, Putlocker and more” to walk the plank of ISP blocking.
Source: iTWire
Big expansion for Australia’s anti-piracy website blocking regime
The Federal Court this morning ordered Australia’s biggest Internet service providers (ISPs) to block 58 individual pirate sites and more than 200 different domains and IP addresses.
Source: Computerworld
Thu, 17th Aug 2017
Telstra plans to sell $5bn in future NBN revenue
Telstra has outlined a plan to sell at least $5 billion of its future NBN revenues, though it will need approval from the government and NBN Co to do so.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra to launch low-cost mobile brand
Telstra is set to make a major play for the “price-sensitive” end of the mobile market by launching services under its no frills Belong brand.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vocus' net profit comes in under expectations
Vocus Group's unaudited financials for the year have revealed the company's net profit after tax has come in $152.3 million below its expected guidance range.
Source: ARN
NBN: Bill Morrow should hang head in 12Mbps of shame
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd first spoke of a 12Mbps NBN back in 2007, which even then wasn’t that fast, so to still have 29% of Australians stuck on 12Mbps in 2017 is shameful.
Source: iTWire
Telstra shares slump as profit tumbles, dividend slashed
Telstra shares tumble to five-year lows as it slashes its future dividends and announces plans to sell a part of its future NBN receipts.
Source: ABC News
Wed, 16th Aug 2017
Telcos can make NBN speed problem disappear, insists Tasmanian ISP
The head of a Tasmanian retail service provider has taken issue with statements made by Robin Eckermann, an adjunct professor at Canberra University, about CVC pricing and its impact on prices for NBN packages.
Source: iTWire
Optus Wholesale opens up NBN services through BTB partnership
Optus Wholesale has established a partnership with BTB Australia to deliver national broadband network (NBN) services, which BTB will on-sell to energy retailer, WINconnect.
Source: ARN
Racing authorities push for access to phone metadata ahead of Melbourne Cup
Punters make up to "600 bets a second" on Melbourne Cup day, but authorities say they have been unable to uphold the race's integrity since the Federal Government stripped them of their right to request phone records two years ago.
Source: ABC News
Tue, 15th Aug 2017
NBN Co may flip problem FTTN lines to different tech
Premises in the NBN’s fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) footprint with lines incapable of 25 Mbps peak rates could be moved over to an alternate access technology if all other options fail.
Source: iTnews Australia
Rules prevent FttN users from complaining about speeds
NBN customers who are on fibre-to-the-node connections are unable to lodge a fault with the company in charge of the broadband rollout about slow speeds unless the download speed falls below 12Mbps.
Source: iTWire
NBN doubles revenue to $1 billion as rollout passes halfway mark
Criticisms and public and industry disquiet about the National Broadband Network aside, NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow has given an upbeat assessment on the broadband rollout on the back of revenue more than doubling from $421 million to $1 billion for the 12 months to the end of June - against the 2017 corporate plan target of $900 million.
Source: iTWire
MyNetFone takes "cautious" approach to the NBN
MyNetFone reveals a "cautious" approach to the NBN, as it posts $191.8 million revenue for the full year ending 30 June 2017.
Source: ARN
Sluggish top tier uptake throws NBN returns into question
The stagnant rate of the average revenue per user from active NBN services is set to remain a source of uncertainty for the project’s ultimate profitability.
Source: ARN
Mon, 14th Aug 2017
NBN chief tells Vodafone to accept prices or walk
NBN Co chief Bill Morrow has warned Vodafone not to bother becoming an NBN reseller if it can’t make the current wholesale pricing work.
Source: iTnews Australia
Aussie telcos faced over 333K Govt metadata requests in FY16
Australia’s government agencies made approximately 333,980 authorisations for the disclosure of historical telecommunications data in FY2016.
Source: ARN