Broadband News

Fri, 23rd Dec 2016

Australians Predicted To Download 1,100 TB Of Data On Christmas Day

Y'all are going to use a whole lot of data this Christmas, according to Telstra. Twice as much as last year, in fact.

Source: Gizmodo

Thu, 22nd Dec 2016

Data usage hits a high on Telstra mobile network

Mobile phone and mobile device users flooded Telstra’s mobile network with 76% more data this year that they did in 2015, with the time of the power outages that blacked out much of South Australia topping the telco’s list for data usage in a 24-hour period.

Source: iTWire

​Convenience trumps security with Australian public Wi-Fi habits: RMIT

Around 2 million Australians are accessing internet banking on public Wi-Fi networks, a study by RMIT University has found.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Fibre-To-The-Curb NBN Is Coming To Sydney And Melbourne

The company overseeing the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout has signed a number of deals for the implementation of fibre to around 525,000 premises in Sydney and Melbourne. Most of them will be served by fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC). Here are the details.

Source: Gizmodo

Wed, 21st Dec 2016

NBN updates rollout map for most Australians

Australians are now able to enter their address to see when they will be connected to the NBN, unless they are on HFC.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Brandis rushes to release telco metadata for civil proceedings

Australia's attorney-general has allowed just 15 working days over summer for submissions on a proposed massive expansion of access to retained telco user data.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co's FTTdp to come first to Sydney and Melbourne

NBN Co has signed three new deals with construction partners Downer EDI, Service Stream, and Fulton Hogan to build the first set of fibre-to-the-distribution point (FTTdp) connections.

Source: iTnews Australia

Service Stream picks up new nbn build contract

​Network services provider, Service Stream, is among three companies to win a slew of new network build contracts with nbn.

Source: ARN

Tue, 20th Dec 2016

NBN connection process adversely impacting 40 percent of businesses: ACMA

An ACMA survey has found only 22 percent of business respondents connected to the NBN without issue.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra begins blocking pirates following Federal Court decision

Telstra follows through on Federal Court order to block piracy sites such as The Pirate Bay.

Source: ZDNet Australia

The govt is considering opening up metadata to civil lawsuits

The federal government is considering whether to exercise its powers to make the personal data stored under the nation's data retention scheme open for use in civil litigation.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra Payphones Are Free For Christmas

From Christmas Eve until 28 December, local, national and mobile calls from Telstra payphones will be free. Merry Christmas!

Source: Gizmodo

Mon, 19th Dec 2016

Vodafone builds cybersecurity centre for enterprise customers

Vodafone Hutchison Australia is building its first Cyber Defence and Response Centre in an effort to help protect its enterprise customers from online security threats.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Fri, 16th Dec 2016

Don’t declare mobile roaming, Fifield warns ACCC

In a move that is likely to anger Optus and Vodafone, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has weighed into the mobile services regulation debate, warning the ACCC in a letter that declaring domestic roaming could hamper private investment.

Source: iTWire

It's Official: Australian ISPs Will Be Forced To Block The Pirate Bay And Other Torrent Sites

The Federal Court has ordered Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block five torrent websites, including Pirate Bay and TorrentHound, within 15 days. Here's what you need to know.

Source: Gizmodo

Thu, 15th Dec 2016

Optus says Vodafone blew its chance on 4G

Vodafone squandered its first-mover advantage on 4G and can only blame its own “commercial priorities” and network problems for its market woes, according to Optus.

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie ISPs ordered to block The Pirate Bay

Australia’s biggest carriage service providers have been ordered to block The Pirate Bay and a number of other copyright-infringing websites after the federal court today ruled in favour of Foxtel and Village Roadshow.

Source: iTnews Australia

Australian ISPs to block piracy sites from the pocket of content owners

The Australian Federal Court has ordered ISPs to block piracy websites, with content owners having to pay for the privilege.

Source: ZDNet Australia

TPG seeks Telstra piggyback into mobile market

TPG Telecom is hoping to gain access to Telstra’s regional mobile network to bolster the reach of its planned mobile network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Vodafone calls Telstra a 'free-rider' on taxpayer funds

Vodafone has belatedly hit back at being branded an infrastructure “freeloader” by Telstra, accusing the incumbent of “free-riding on taxpayer investment”.

Source: iTnews Australia

First sites to be blocked in piracy fight

The Federal Court has handed down the first website blocking injunctions under Australia’s anti-piracy laws.

Source: Computerworld

Do not use these internet statistics if you are an Australian politician

Australia is doing better than ever/about the same/much worse -- delete as appropriate to fit your world view -- according to the latest Akamai State of the Internet Connectivity report.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Foxtel Play (With HD Streaming) Is Now On Telstra TV

Foxtel Play is now available on Telstra TV - with live HD streaming , no less. Foxtel calls the launch "the first step in Foxtel’s push to broaden HD access" for subscribers, and promises more HD streaming services are to come in 2017.

Source: Gizmodo

TPG wins Singapore mobile bid in $98m deal

TPG has had its first win in its bid to add mobile carrier services to its portfolio following a successful tender for the new entrant spectrum auction in Singapore.

Source: ARN

Wed, 14th Dec 2016

NBN Co to bring skinny fibre to new estates in 2017

NBN Co has revealed plans to begin deploying “skinny fibre” in new housing estates from April next year.

Source: iTnews Australia

Let Optus, Vodafone, and TPG pick up 700MHz spectrum: ACCC

Restraining Telstra from acquiring additional 700MHz spectrum would help competition, the ACCC has advised the Australian government.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra banned from 700 MHz auction

Telstra has been barred from buying any more 700 MHz spectrum for its 4G network at an auction next year, after the government heeded advice from the competition watchdog.

Source: iTnews Australia

The NBN has cost Australia $8.8bn in net worth

The federal government's investment in NBN Co to date has seen the Commonwealth's net worth drop by $8.8 billion, the parliamentary budget office has revealed.

Source: iTnews Australia

Here's How Much The NBN Is Really Costing The Government

Today the Parliamentary Budget Office released a report showing exactly how much money the Australian Government has already invested into NBN Co, and how much it is expected to cost over the next 10 years.

Source: Gizmodo

Spectrum auction could boost opportunities for TPG 4G network

TPG could potentially pick up a significant chunk of spectrum in the 700MHz band, boosting its ability to roll out a 4G mobile network, under rules set by the government for an upcoming auction.

Source: Computerworld