Broadband News
Tue, 10th Jan 2017
The ACCC Has Decided How Much Accessing Superfast Broadband Networks Should Cost Providers
Back in October 2012, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission declared a local bitstream access service (LBAS), then in July 2016, a superfast broadband access service (SBAS). This means that the network owners must provide access to the service if requested, so that all service providers have access to the infrastructure they need "to supply competitive communications services to end-users".
Source: Gizmodo
Mon, 09th Jan 2017
Telstra pushes for 5G that works in Australia
There's an unexpected obstacle worrying Telstra as it prepares for the next generation of ultra-fast mobile technology: gumtrees.
Source: SMH
Sydney buses trial free Wi-Fi as provider collects and discloses personal user info
The NSW government has announced that free Wi-Fi will be provided in a trial across 50 buses, using a network provider that openly collects a vast amount of user data and passes it onto third parties.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACCC seeks to match ‘superfast’ broadband prices to NBN charges
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released its proposal for wholesale pricing and conditions that will apply to so-called ‘superfast’ — 25 megabits per second or faster — broadband networks that are independent of the National Broadband Network.
Source: Computerworld
ACCC gives small broadband providers a boost in pricing decision
The ACCC aims to normalise pricing between NBN and non-NBN services for smaller providers, with its latest draft pricing determination.
Source: ARN
Vocus plugs Aussie leadership gap with M2 veteran
Vocus has moved to plug an impending leadership gap with non-executive director, Michael Simmons, who will temporarily head up the company’s corporate and wholesale business in Australia.
Source: ARN
Fri, 06th Jan 2017
A new Wi-Fi spec will help smart homes run like clockwork
On Thursday at CES, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced Wi-Fi Certified TimeSync, a specification for precise time synchronization among Wi-Fi devices. It’s expected to be available in the middle of this year.
Source: Computerworld
Sydney buses to trial sponsored wi-fi
A sponsored wi-fi service will be trialled on 50 public buses in Sydney, with potential for the technology to be fitted to 1000 buses by the end of the year.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 05th Jan 2017
Intel announces 5G modem at CES
Following Qualcomm's announcement in October, Intel has jumped on the 5G modem bandwagon, unveiling its solution at CES on Wednesday.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 04th Jan 2017
Telstra backs calls to relax line-of-sight for drone flights
Telstra has thrown its weight behind calls to allow drones to operate in Australia beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of a pilot.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 03rd Jan 2017
NBN: Four months to move 18k satellite customers to Sky Muster, fixed-wireless
Despite only connecting 29,760 customers to Sky Muster between April and October, NBN left itself just four months to shift over the 18,000 customers remaining on the old satellite service.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Brandis extends submission deadline on telco data retention for civil proceedings
After giving just 15 business days over the holiday period for submissions on whether to allow retained telco data to be used for civil proceedings, Brandis has extended the timeframe by two weeks.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Mon, 02nd Jan 2017
What's New On Netflix And Stan For January
From Sherlock, to Captain America. Civil War - here's just a taste of what Netflix and Stan are streaming for the month of January.
Source: Gizmodo
Wed, 28th Dec 2016
Vodafone boosts 4G network for New Year's Eve
Vodafone Australia is pushing out temporary cells on wheels to boost mobile coverage over the holiday period in high-traffic areas around Sydney Harbour.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fri, 23rd Dec 2016
TIO board shake-up sees ex-iiNet CTO join
Former iiNet and Internode CTO John Lindsay will sit on the board of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) next year.
Source: iTnews Australia
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