Broadband News
Fri, 14th Jul 2017
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
NBN rollout hits halfway mark
NBN Co on Monday said the rollout of the national broadband network had officially passed the halfway point with one in two Australians now able connect to the service.
Source: ARN
Fri, 07th Jul 2017
Telstra and Dodo rated duds in internet satisfaction survey
Telstra and Dodo customers are giving the telcos a bad rap in a CHOICE survey that found 62 per cent of Australians are experiencing slow speeds, disconnection and drop-out issues with their internet services.
Source: ABC News
Thu, 06th Jul 2017
NBN Co reveals early ratios for FTTN replacement
NBN Co is set to replace as much as 37 percent of planned fibre-to-the-node connections in some areas with fibre-to-the-curb technology.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN's Fibre Costs 'More Expensive Than Almost Anywhere Else In The World'
"If you had to pick a country in the world where it would be most expensive to deploy a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network, Australia is always going to be very close to the top of that list."
Source: Gizmodo
nbn turns to the channel as broadband battle heats up
Keith Masterton comes on board to launch first of its kind channel program for technology providers.
Source: ARN
Wed, 05th Jul 2017
NBN confirms DOCSIS 3.1 hardware by March
NBN's new Integrated Product Roadmap has revealed that the DOCSIS 3.0 NTD swap-out will be complete by the end of March next year.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vocus takes next step in takeover proposal
Vocus will allow KKR to proceed to the next step of conducting non-exclusive due diligence into whether to proceed with its indicative takeover proposal for AU$3.50 per share.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Optus confirms 4G and fixed-line outage
Optus is investigating the cause of its hour-long 4G and fixed-line broadband outage overnight, which impacted customers in NSW, Victoria, and the ACT.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co targets unstable FTTN connections
NBN Co will introduce technology in the first quarter of next year to detect and “manage” line speed fluctuations on its FTTN and FTTB networks.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 04th Jul 2017
NBN Co deploys fresh copper to new homes
NBN Co has furnished almost 3300 new homes and apartments with fibre-to-the-node or fibre-to-the-basement connections, showing the impact of a policy change made at the end of last year.
Source: iTnews Australia
More than half of NBN staff earn at least $100k
NBN Co is paying “approximately 60 percent” of its 5816 employees more than $100,000 a year, though wage growth above $200,000 has slowed dramatically over the past four years.
Source: iTnews Australia
Qantas extending free on-board Wi-Fi to second aircraft
Qantas has built out new ViaSat Wi-Fi technology onto a second domestic aircraft ahead of extending the service to an additional eight planes by the end of September.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Here's What Passengers Are Using Qantas Wi-Fi For
The first stats on Qantas's fast, free inflight Wi-Fi are in. nearly a third of all passengers on the first 'net-connected jet have been using the service, reliability is excellent, and download speeds are faster than most homes' ADSL connections.
Source: Gizmodo
Mon, 03rd Jul 2017
NBN Co bets on HFC to boost its revenues
NBN Co is betting on its HFC network to bring in the highest amount of revenue per user of any residential access technology in its portfolio, outstripping even full fibre connections.
Source: iTnews Australia
Union accuses Telstra of contracting out slashed jobs
The Communication Workers Union has accused Telstra of employing contractors to fill roles impacted by plans to cut 1400 jobs.
Source: ARN
Fri, 30th Jun 2017
Bipartisan support for controversial telco security law
Proposed legislation to implement the government’s Telecommunications Sector Security Reforms (TSSR) has received bipartisan support.
Source: Computerworld
Stan Just Got More Expensive
Hot on the heels of Netflix, homegrown streaming service Stan has raised its prices. The Standard plan that the service launched with has become $2 more expensive, and a new barebones Basic pack has been introduced at the original $10 price point.
Source: Gizmodo
Telstra, Optus join ACCC in Vodafone mobile domestic roaming case
Australia's two largest mobile telcos will be sitting beside the ACCC in court to defend the inquiry process that led to the regulator not declaring wholesale mobile domestic roaming in its draft decision.
Source: ZDNet Australia