Broadband News

Mon, 22nd May 2017

Pricing not to blame for low take-up of high speeds, NBN CEO says

End users on the National Broadband Network are “gravitating to speeds that meet their needs” — and in most cases that is 25 megabits per second, according to NBN’s CEO, Bill Morrow.

Source: Computerworld

Competition watchdog puts broadband monitoring program out to tender

​The ACCC is set to throw open its proposed broadband monitoring program to tender in a deal that could be worth millions.

Source: ARN

Fri, 19th May 2017

Labor: ACMA must be resourced for spectrum reform

The Australian government's new spectrum reform consultation package has outlined the changes needed for the regulatory framework but without making provision under the recent Federal Budget, Labor has pointed out.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Thu, 18th May 2017

Underperforming enterprise division leaves Optus with disappointing financials

Singtel Optus has reported lacklustre yearly results, flagging poor performance from its enterprise business.

Source: ARN

Optus to invest AU$1.5b in mobile network

Thanks to the ACCC's decision not to declare wholesale mobile domestic roaming, Optus has said it will invest AU$1.5 billion in its mobile network over the next year, particularly in regional areas.

Source: ZDNet Australia

ETU wants rural NBN tax to be paid by government instead of consumers

The Electrical Trades Union also wants NBN hauled before the joint committee to explain the 'illegal situation' involving an employee being present during the AFP raids a year ago.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN leads globally on regional broadband: Ovum

An NBN-commissioned report by Ovum has compared regional broadband networks globally, showing that NBN is investing more and offering higher speeds in rural areas than international counterparts.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Complaints To Vodafone Are Way Down

In the December 2016 quarter, Vodafone recorded 5.0 complaints for every 10,000 services in operation. The latest complaints report, however, shows a dramatic drop to 3.9 complaints for every 10,000 services in operation. That's 50 per cent lower than the industry average.

Source: Gizmodo

NBN fixed wireless rollout reaches 500,000 premises

More than half a million households are able to order fixed wireless services on the National Broadband Network, NBN said today.

Source: Computerworld

Wed, 17th May 2017

Telstra and Optus quarterly complaints shoot up

Although Vodafone and Amaysim are losing customers, their complaints statistics are improving while complaints about Telstra and Optus are on the rise.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra, Optus gain in postpaid mobile at expense of Vodafone

Telstra and Optus have strengthened their share of Australia’s postpaid mobile phone market at the expense of Vodafone, according to a newly published report.

Source: iTWire

Telstra blackspot towers will host few rival antennas

Only one out of every ten mobile base stations built under the first round of the mobile blackspots scheme is likely to host antennas from more than one telco, it has been revealed.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN purchases 15,000km of copper with 8 percent of new premises to have FttN

NBN has revealed that 14 percent of its HFC network will be newly built cabling, while it is also connecting 8 percent of newly built premises with FttN instead of FttP after buying 15,000km of copper.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN, Vodafone contractor goes under owing millions

NBN contractor and infrastructure delivery company Daly International has called in administrators under the weight of millions in debt to unsecured creditors and employees.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 16th May 2017

Content digitisation leaves regulation with 'gaping holes': Fifield

The rapid uptake of streaming services such as Netflix rather than traditional broadcast TV has meant regulation and government policy must adapt, according to Communications Minister Mitch Fifield.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Mon, 15th May 2017

NBN begins providing broadband speed advice

NBN has added speed information, advice on what speed tier to order, and a list of potential factors that could affect speed performance to its website in an effort to improve customer experience.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NEC demonstrates 50Tbps speeds for subsea cables

NEC has developed an algorithm to optimise 32QAM constellation and combined the L- and C- optical wavelength bands to enable speeds of over 50Tbps across its subsea cables throughout the Pacific region.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra unveils 'network as a service'

The Telstra Programmable Network will enable customers globally to access its networks, cloud platform, datacentres, SDN, and NFV capabilities on one platform.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Fri, 12th May 2017

Foxtel reports $23m Q3 loss following sale of Presto

Foxtel's $23 million quarterly loss was again blamed on its decision to close streaming service Presto, with EBITDA also down by 9 percent to $131 million.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra admits thousands of NBN users were shafted on speeds

Telstra has admitted that thousands of its NBN customers were sold broadband plans with speeds that weren't achievable.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra Is Refunding 8000 Customers Sold 'Unattainable' NBN Speeds

Telstra has sold thousands of NBN plans offering speeds that were impossible to deliver on, the telco has admitted.

Source: Gizmodo

Telstra speed review reveals regulatory hurdle for NBN resellers

Why Telstra’s NBN speed review revelations should put other retail service providers on high alert.

Source: ARN

Thu, 11th May 2017

Telstra says some of its NBN customers paid for unachievable speeds

An analysis by Telstra has revealed that a small number of its customers with NBN services were on broadband plans with maximum speeds that were not achievable.

Source: Computerworld

CVC pricing has nothing to do with NBN user experience: Morrow

While the CVC being purchased by RSPs may be one factor affecting end-user experience, the CVC pricing itself is not, according to NBN CEO Bill Morrow.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra begins temporary restoration after Parklea fire

Telstra has begun the task of temporarily restoring fixed and mobile services that were cut by a fire at an exchange in Sydney’s north-west earlier this week.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co betting on business to boost ARPU

NBN Co is relying heavily on the business sector being the biggest driver in average revenue per user (ARPU) in order for it to meet its revenue goals for 2020.

Source: iTnews Australia

58k premises hooked up to NBN every week

On average 58,000 premises were connected to the National Broadband Network every week during the quarter ending 31 March, up from 26,000 premises at the same time last year.

Source: Computerworld

NBN per-user revenue remains stagnant as new services surge

​The NBN's average revenue per user has remained stagnant in the three months ending March, despite a surge of new services and activations.

Source: ARN

NBN complaints double again; telco complaints jump by 30 percent: TIO

Complaints to the ombudsman about the NBN have more than doubled, increasing by 117.5 percent year on year, while all telco complaints rose by 33.8 percent to a total of 65,970.

Source: ZDNet Australia

How not to blow your top when you're on the phone to your telco

If you're struggling to get good customer service out of your phone or internet provider, think you've been charged too much, or are just sick and tired of being on hold for hours, you're not alone. More Australians then ever are angry with their telco — here's some advice on what to do about it.

Source: ABC News