Broadband News
Thu, 20th Jul 2017
Labor seeks access to NBN’s speed database
Shadow communications minister Michelle Rowland has filed a freedom of information request seeking access to NBN’s database of estimated theoretical maximum speeds for households.
Source: Computerworld
Can't say superfast: ACCC tells misleading telcos to lawyer up
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has said he expects to be taking telcos to court over misleading claims on broadband speeds.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACCC doesn't think FTTN's bad name to blame for NBN backhaul woes
The ACCC has cast doubt on industry claims that NBN Co’s CVC price construct is not fit-for-purpose for the fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) portion of the network, and is therefore a factor in retail service providers (RSPs) not buying enough of it.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC puts big four telcos on notice over broadband speed claims
Australia’s competition watchdog expects to take legal action by the end of the year.
Source: ARN
Wed, 19th Jul 2017
Data retention's value for money still not proven: Criminologist
The $750 million being spent on Australia's mandatory metadata retention scheme could buy a lot of crime-fighting, says criminologist Rick Sarre. Meanwhile, police are challenged by the rise of cyber crime.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Free wi-fi for Adelaide's entire public transport network
The South Australian government has given itself less than six months to have free wi-fi across Adelaide's full public transport network up and running.
Source: iTnews Australia
Swap or go: Telstra workers’ redundancy conundrum
Telstra workers hit in 1400-strong redundancy round may have a job-swap option open to them. But will they be able to take it?
Source: ARN
Tue, 18th Jul 2017
Optus slams proposal to levy “broadband tax” on business services
Optus has taken nbn to task over its proposal to levy the Government’s "broadband tax" on the business end of the market.
Source: ARN
TPG wants NBN tax on all connections along with Google and Facebook
The telco believes the base for rural NBN tax is too low, and everyone should pay, including over-the-top service providers.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra hits out at government’s ‘NBN’s tax’
Telstra does not support the government’s Regional Broadband Scheme (RBS) in its current form, arguing that the levy is too broad in scope.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 17th Jul 2017
NBN Co pushes for broadband tax on business market
NBN Co has revealed that the success of a planned broadband tax is predicated on it applying to “all business services”, in a move likely to exacerbate tensions of scope creep.
Source: iTnews Australia
TPG says scrap broadband tax or make it industry-wide
TPG has raised the prospect of a substantial widening of the broadband tax to cover fixed wireless, mobile, and even over-the-top (OTT) players.
Source: iTnews Australia
Game Of Thrones' First Casualty Was Foxtel Now
Who would have expected that the first death during the seventh season of Game of Thrones would be the pay TV network charged with distributing it digitally around Australia?
Source: Gizmodo
Government releases guidelines for website-blocking power
The government has released guidelines for Commonwealth agencies that employ Section 313(3) of the Telecommunications Act to request ISPs’ assistance to disrupt illegal online services.
Source: Computerworld
NBN Co to grow fixed wireless footprint
NBN Co will expand its fixed wireless footprint by up to 72,800 premises as the balance of its multi-technology mix continues to shift.
Source: iTnews Australia
Do You Want Fibre With That? NBN's Apartment Upsell
Inner-city apartment residents have the option to bulk purchase higher-speed connections from NBN Co under the government-owned company's plan to add nearly 4 million premises to its network this year.
Source: Gizmodo
Australia is now King Idiot of the internet
A middle-power nation thinking it can tell US-based multinationals which parts of mathematics they can and cannot use -- we deserve to be sent to time out.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fri, 14th Jul 2017
The laws of Australia will trump the laws of mathematics: Turnbull
Despite calling the laws of mathematics 'commendable', the prime minister of Australia told ZDNet the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia when it comes to legislating decryption.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Everything That Went Down At Malcolm Turnbull's Encryption Law Announcement
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joined Attorney General George Brandis and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Michael Phelan today to announce the Federal Government's new laws that will will oblige both telcos and social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to give Australian security agencies access to encrypted messages.
Source: Gizmodo
Optus and Cisco pair up to connect the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Cisco Australia and Optus will partner up to roll out network hardware for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Source: ARN
Thu, 13th Jul 2017
Amaysim ups mobile offerings to take on the big boys
Amaysim's new SIM-only plans up the stakes by offering more data for less money alongside an emphasis on customer service in a bid to take customers away from the big three mobile providers.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Sky Muster resellers to pass on free data at “very little” extra cost
It looks like nbn's Sky Muster wholesale peak data gift may not end up being entirely free for end customers.
Source: ARN
Wed, 12th Jul 2017
Bad map data sees 700k fewer premises in NBN
NBN Co has seen 700,000 phantom premises drop off its planned network footprint, confirming the sizeable effect of poor map data it has been relying on in the build phase of the project.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 11th Jul 2017
NBN Co blames micronode problems on activation process
NBN Co believes a new activation process will help it finally turn the corner in getting over 40,000 ‘micronode’ users connected to its fibre-to-the-node network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Turnbull handballs encryption problem to tech companies
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has put the onus on the technology companies providing end-to-end encryption to work out ways law enforcement can access the communications of criminals and terrorists.
Source: iTnews Australia
Second private equity firm circles Vocus
Vocus is the subject of a second acquisition bid, with the telco revealing this morning that Asian private equity firm Affinity Equity Partners had lodged a preliminary takeover offer.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 10th Jul 2017
NBN only available at one third of rentals: Rent.com.au
Despite news that the NBN is now available at half of all Australian premises, Rent.com.au says just one third of rental properties in most states have access to the broadband service.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fifield: 'Overwhelming' majority of NBN satellite experience has been positive
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has said 'people with satellite overwhelmingly are having a good experience' despite a high number of complaints, while NBN has also revealed spending AU$177 million on copper materials up to June.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co finally reveals extent of micronode problem
NBN Co has finally revealed the extent of problems caused by its use of ‘micronodes’ in the fibre-to-the-node footprint, with just 16 of the 1423 boxes currently in service.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN’s copper bill hits $177.1 million
NBN has revealed that as of 20 June, the company has purchased $177.1 million worth of copper materials.
Source: Computerworld