Broadband News
Mon, 19th Sep 2016
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
Fri, 09th Sep 2016
Telstra, Ericsson, Qualcomm attain 1Gbps aggregate speeds in live 4G network test
Telstra is seeking the 'ultimate data experience' with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 modem, Ericsson Baseband 5216 hardware, carrier aggregation, and QAM and MIMO technologies.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN will put Australia in a 'leadership position': Bill Morrow
The NBN will put Australia in a 'leadership position' as it will be the first continent with universal broadband of at least 25Mbps at all homes, according to the CEO.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Bill Morrow calls for businesses to develop their ‘NBN strategy’
Australia is on a fast track to become “the world’s first fully connected continent,” NBN’s CEO, Bill Morrow, will today tell an event hosted by the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC).
Source: Computerworld
Thu, 08th Sep 2016
Australia’s ‘innovation future’ needs a kick along, says Internet Australia
Internet Australia wants to see the country do more to achieve its potential as a world-leading “innovation nation” and has repeated its call for a Digital Future Forum of government and industry leaders, trade unions and academics to develop a roadmap for innovation.
Source: iTWire
Vaya adds more data to $36 mobile plan
Mobile service provider Vaya is including 14% more data on its Unlimited XL plan for 0% more money.
Source: iTWire
CloudFlare CEO attacks ‘Telstra tax’
CloudFlare’s CEO, Matthew Prince, has reiterated his company’s criticism of Telstra’s transit pricing, describing it as akin to a “Telstra tax”.
Source: Computerworld
Wed, 07th Sep 2016
Foxtel confirms NBN offering next month
Foxtel will become an NBN retail service provider in October, with the pay TV CEO announcing that ADSL customers will be shifted over to NBN services once they are eligible.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Is Working On Making Copper As Fast As Fibre, In A Few Years
As the NBN develops every year, the technology underpinning it improves. That’s the main hope we have for Australia’s copper infrastructure, which is being used for fibre to the node — and, potentially, fibre to the distribution point. The NBN is trialing a variety of technologies that promise to massively improve the speed of existing copper already in the ground, including by using the already-installed HFC cable networks previously operated by Telstra and Optus.
Source: Gizmodo
Telstra wants 120 network staff to put their hand up for redundancy
Telstra is seeking voluntary redundancies from 120 of its network delivery workers in an effort to trim its technical workforce.
Source: iTnews Australia
Streaming A Big Focus For New Optus Mobile Broadband Plans
Optus have updated their mobile broadband plans, offering a range of new data inclusions. Streaming is a major focus of the new 24-month plans, some even including data-free Netflix and Presto.
Source: Gizmodo
Tue, 06th Sep 2016
Foxtel Is Targeting Netflix Users With New Pricing (And Game Of Thrones)
Could Foxtel actually be listening to its customers? News coming from the CEO Peter Tonagh today seems to be leaning in that direction, seriously.
Source: Gizmodo
Data retention: Telco group calls for ‘regulatory restraint’ by govt
Telecommunications industry group Communications Alliance has called on the government to hold off on taking any enforcement action against telcos that are unable to fully comply with the data retention regime by April 2017.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 05th Sep 2016
Data-retention grants: Telstra gets $40m, Vodafone $29m, Optus $14m, NBN $1m
ISPs are being given 80 percent of their compliance costs, according to the attorney-general, under the government's AU$128 million data-retention grants program.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra receives $39.9 million grant to retain customer metadata
The Australian government has named 180 telecommunications providers that will receive a portion of the $128.4 million it has allocated to help implement its data retention regime across the country.
Source: ARN
Telstra: Domestic mobile roaming declaration would remove incentive for network investment
The ACCC's declaration of mobile roaming across Australia would stymie expansion by allowing telcos to piggyback off competitors' investments, Telstra has argued.
Source: ZDNet Australia