Broadband News
Tue, 04th Apr 2017
NBN Co quietly starts trials connecting traffic lights
NBN Co could start connecting “industrial systems” like IoT gateways and traffic lights as soon as the end of this year, with technical trials already underway.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus begins first tranche of 2G network shutdown
Optus has taken the first steps towards shutting down its 2G network, switching off Western Australia and the Northern Territory ahead of closing the rest of the network in August.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 03rd Apr 2017
NBN pulls new broadband users, leads to switching of ISPs
The rollout of the national broadband network is making Australians take up broadband Internet connections for the first time and making others, who are already users, switch providers.
Source: iTWire
Cyclone Debbie takes out two NBN nodes
Only two National Broadband Network nodes are so far known to have been seriously damaged by Tropical Cyclone Debbie in Queensland, according to NBN.
Source: Computerworld
Fri, 31st Mar 2017
NBN will be outdated before rollout is complete: ACT government
The ACT government has labelled NBN's FttN technology 'substandard', and said that large swathes of the network will be outdated before the rollout is even complete.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACT Chief Minister blasts NBN rollout
The NBN is unlikely to meet the needs of the Australian Capital Territory, according to the territory’s Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.
Source: ARN
NBN worried about the cost of USO changes
NBN has reiterated its concerns about the potential costs involved in any changes to Australia’s telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (USO or TUSO) scheme that could leave the network operator responsible for delivering voice services in remote areas.
Source: Computerworld
Thu, 30th Mar 2017
Telstra, Spark, Vodafone switch on 20Tbps New Zealand subsea cable
The $100 million 20Tbps two-pair fibre subsea cable between Australia and New Zealand has been switched on by Telstra, Spark, and Vodafone.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN announces 100Mbps fixed-wireless product
NBN fixed-wireless users will be able to connect at speeds of 100/40Mbps next year thanks to a new product utilising carrier aggregation and a new wireless NTD developed alongside Ericsson, NetComm Wireless, and Qualcomm.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN sends in field team to assess Cyclone Debbie impact
NBN has despatched a field team to areas in Queensland affected by Cyclone Debby in order to assess damage to National Broadband Network infrastructure.
Source: Computerworld
The 4013 urban premises to receive NBN satellite
More than 4000 premises in “urban” electorates across Australia are being offered Sky Muster satellite services to connect to the national broadband network.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN fixed wireless to get a speed boost to 100Mbps
NBN will offer a 100/40 megabits per second wholesale service on its fixed wireless network from early 2018.
Source: Computerworld
Wed, 29th Mar 2017
Consumer buck-passing is the unchanging NBN model
Of the menagerie of original sins with the NBN, the urge for it to be cashflow positive as quickly as possible keeps returning to hurt everyone involved.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN says it has ‘zero tolerance’ over leaks
NBN says that it takes seriously “any potential crime or breach of employee code of conduct, such as the theft of company materials, and will continue to take a zero tolerance approach in the best interests of the company, its shareholders, and the Australian taxpayers.”
Source: Computerworld
NBN rollout info by electorate released by Communications Department
Australians can check when their suburb will have NBN build commenced and under what technology thanks to an extensive document released by the Department of Communications.
Source: ZDNet Australia
AFP loses access to seized NBN documents
The Australian Federal Police has been refused access to thousands of documents it seized from former senator Stephen Conroy last year, after the politician's claim of parliamentary privilege was upheld.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN data usage continues to soar
The average household connected to the National Broadband Network is churning through 148 gigabytes of data every month, according to NBN.
Source: Computerworld
Vocus director steps out of the boardroom to lead wholesale business
Vocus director, Michael Simmons, has stepped out of the boardroom and into the company’s executive ranks to lead its enterprise and wholesale business.
Source: ARN
Tue, 28th Mar 2017
Telstra loses legal fight over wholesale fee cut
Telstra has lost its legal battle to overturn a decision by the ACCC that forces the telco to lower the fees it charges rivals for access to its copper network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra loses fight against wholesale price cuts
Telstra has failed in its attempt to overturn a decision by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that cut the prices the company can charge for wholesale services over the copper network.
Source: Computerworld
NBN points to 'tight cap' on mobile data preventing streaming despite speeds
While mobile operators are spruiking 'ever-faster speeds', their data caps are prohibiting consumers from streaming video content worry free -- something that NBN instead enables, the company has said.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co can't muddy SAU with open-ended clauses
NBN Co looks to be facing defeat in its campaign to insert open-ended clauses into the core regulatory agreement that sets terms and conditions for its operations until 2040.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC not sold on some changes to key NBN agreement
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a draft decision rejecting a number of changes proposed by NBN to the network operator’s Special Access Undertaking.
Source: Computerworld
Macquarie Telecom vies for investor confidence after Vocus sell-off
Macquarie Telecom has moved to reassure shareholders after fellow telco, Vocus Group, sold off its multimillion-dollar stake in the company.
Source: ARN
Mon, 27th Mar 2017
NT government slams NBN's 'technically inferior' satellite service
NBN should cut the cap, move more users onto fixed-wireless services, and improve its Sky Muster satellite service reliability, the Northern Territory government has suggested.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Qantas postpones NBN on-board Wi-Fi after 'stability issues'
Wi-Fi on-board Qantas' domestic flights has been postponed until the middle of the year, with the Australian airline saying it is working with NBN and ViaSat on 'stability issues'.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN 1Gbps services would cost AU$400 due to 'unfair' CVC: MyRepublic
Ahead of launching its gigatown in July, MyRepublic has said that no one else is offering 1Gbps services across the NBN because it would cost RSPs between AU$300 and AU$400 thanks to the CVC charge.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NT govt unloads on NBN satellite, pushes for fixed wireless
The Northern Territory’s government has called for fixed wireless instead of satellite to be used to deliver broadband to remote communities in the NT, accusing NBN’s Sky Muster service of delivering “poor performance”.
Source: Computerworld
ACCC upbeat on support for broadband speed monitoring program
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says it is “hopeful” of an announcement “in the near future” about government funding for an ACCC broadband speed monitoring program.
Source: Computerworld
Union flags further Telstra redundancies as outsourcing push continues
Telstra has continued cutting staff in its infrastructure divisions as the company moves to outsource services, according to the CWU.
Source: ARN