Broadband News
Thu, 22nd Sep 2016
Telstra to offer emergency services priority on LTE
Telstra has announced plans to launch in December functionality on its LTE network that will give emergency services organisations (ESOs) priority access to network capacity.
Source: Computerworld
Vocus gets green light to take Nextgen in $700 million deal
The Australian competition watchdog has given the green light for Vocus Communications to follow through on its proposed $700 million acquisition of Nextgen Networks.
Source: ARN
Three ISPs take 83 percent of NBN market
Three internet service providers have cornered over 80 percent of the NBN market, confirming fears raised over five years ago that the network would entrench power in the hands of a few big players.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 21st Sep 2016
NBN 'exceptional' performance sees execs share bigger bonuses
Hailing the operating performance of NBN over the 2015-16 financial year, the company has paid over AU$3 million in short-term bonuses to its senior executives.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra Just Tested A 5G Mobile Network 1000 Times Faster Than The NBN
Many Australians are now anticipating fast internet access at home when the NBN arrives in their neighbourhood. But what about mobile networks?
Source: Gizmodo
Why Is NBN Paying The Bachelor To Make YouTube Fitness Videos?
We’re not making this up. The brains behind the National Broadband Network have teamed up with the original Aussie Bachelor, Tim Robards, to release a bunch of workout videos on YouTube — apparently to promote the NBN.
Source: Gizmodo
Telstra to bring in 'customer CTO'
Telstra will appoint a “customer CTO” to work in its global enterprise and services (GES) division, focused on growing the size of the telco’s key accounts.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra aims to ensure 5G is good for ‘Australian conditions’
Telstra and Ericsson have staged the first public demonstration in Australia of 5G mobile technology, with Telstra saying its early participation in 5G is essential to enable it to ensure that the evolving standards meet Australia’s requirements.
Source: Computerworld
Tue, 20th Sep 2016
Telstra, Ericsson live 5G trial attains 20Gbps download speeds
Australia's first live 5G demo has been conducted by Telstra and Ericsson in Melbourne, with speeds of between 18Gbps and 22Gbps achieved.
Source: ZDNet Australia
TPG loses AU$2.1b in value after results announcement
TPG's net profit of AU$361 million and EBITDA of AU$775.3 million on revenue of AU$2.388 billion was not enough for the market, with the telco falling by AU$2 billion in value by the close of the ASX.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra details $250 million network fix to investors
Telstra chief executive Andy Penn has told retail investors in the first of a series of three shareholders meetings that $250 million is in the process of being spent in 2016 to fix its network problems and improve performance.
Source: iTWire
TPG cruises past a quarter of a million NBN customers, thanks to iiNet
TPG ended its financial year with 119,000 customers on the National Broadband Network — a figure that grows to 276,000 when the contribution from iiNet, which TPG acquired last year, is factored in.
Source: Computerworld
iiNet delivers $242.6 million payday for TPG
TPG has reported a 75 per cent surge in earnings for the year ending July, with iiNet delivering $242.6 million in earnings for the company since its acquisition last year.
Source: ARN
Mon, 19th Sep 2016
Telstra to lean on wideband design partners as job cuts loom
Telstra is aiming to lean on its industry partners in the development of its wideband design capabilities in a plan that could see the loss of 44 jobs around the country.
Source: ARN
Telstra looking to axe 44 jobs across fibre rollout design
Fibre installation design employees across regional Australia are being targeted in the next possible wave of Telstra's job cuts, with 53 roles potentially going and nine being created.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Optus announces redundancies across Networks division
Optus' next wave of redundancies will hit its Networks business, with the union reporting 90 roles getting the axe.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fri, 16th Sep 2016
ISPs against broadband speed regulation
ISPs say nearly every factor affecting individual users' speeds are out of their control, including the type of network technology, backhaul capacity, end-user hardware, distance to the exchange, and weather.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy resigns from Senate
The senator responsible for introducing Australia's fibre-to-the-premises NBN, and pushing a controversial internet-filtering policy, has resigned from Parliament.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ADSL mapping service launched by ACCAN for those awaiting NBN
ACCAN's new mapping tool will enable consumers to check ADSL coverage and availability in their area, and provides a series of steps for troubleshooting potential issues.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 15th Sep 2016
Vodafone joins Nokia public safety 4G comms group
Vodafone Hutchison Australia has signed up to a new Nokia-led group that aims to boost the useof 4G LTE technology by public safety agencies as well as the adoption of associated standards.
Source: Computerworld
NBN satellite service installation process an 'absolute bugbear': RSP
As the biggest NBN satellite RSP, Activ8me is bearing the brunt of consumer complaints about delays in connections and third-party installers not turning up.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone shouldn't get a 'free ride' on domestic roaming: Telstra
Vodafone should invest in rolling out its own network across remote areas rather than piggybacking off Telstra's network, Telstra has said in response to the ACCC's wholesale domestic mobile roaming enquiry.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Kiwis to see free upgrades from 200Mbps plans to 1Gbps
New Zealand ISP Bigpipe is set to upgrade customers on its unlimited NZ$129/month 200Mbps plan to 1Gbps speeds.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 14th Sep 2016
Govt denies plans to block retail sites that don't pay GST
The federal government has denied the tax office intends to use a legislative loophole that would allow it to block access to overseas websites that don't collect the goods and services tax on products sold in Australia.
Source: iTnews Australia
Government tipped to block overseas online shopping access for Australians
The federal government is poised to force ISPs to block access to overseas retailers who refuse to include GST in the purchase of goods under $1000 by online shoppers from Australia, according a report from consumer advocate Choice.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 13th Sep 2016
Netflix likely to ignore 50% of customers willing to pay a premium for US content
A survey released this week by OnePoll commissioned by comparison site Comparitech has found that half (48%) of the non-US respondents who used Netflix would pay a premium to get US restricted content. 43% of respondents also felt it was wrong of Netflix to try and ban VPNs customers were using to get around geo-blocking enforced by the site.
Source: PC Authority
Vodafone picks up 130,000 new customers with Lebara buy
Vodafone is acquiring the Australian mobile business of Lebara including 130,000 of the Mobile Virtual Network Operator’s customers.
Source: iTWire
Coalition-chaired NBN joint standing committee formed
The committee will report to both the House of Reps and the Senate on the progress, uptake, and benefits of the NBN, as well as the broadband infrastructure's global ranking.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Mon, 12th Sep 2016
Telstra activates IPv6 addressing for mobile network
Telstra has added support for the next-generation IPv6 addressing scheme to its mobile network to allow for future growth in connected devices.
Source: iTnews Australia
Coalition, Labor back new NBN committee
Labor has backed a move by the government to create a joint standing committee that will scrutinise the rollout of the National Broadband Network until its completion, which is expected in 2020.
Source: Computerworld