Broadband News
Mon, 29th Feb 2016
NBN: Malcolm Turnbull's 'faster, cheaper' roll-out falters
Malcolm Turnbull's cut-price National Broadband Network is facing mounting delays and rising costs, according to a damning internal progress report obtained by Fairfax Media.
Source: SMH
Leaked report slams failings of Turnbull's NBN
NBN has been forced to defend itself after Fairfax Media reported on a "damning internal progress report" revealing the failures of the national broadband network.
Source: CRN
Fri, 26th Feb 2016
This Week's Biggest NBN And Telco News: 1000Mbps 4G, And 5G On The Horizon
Here’s where we round up all the Aussie news around the ‘net about the ‘net, every week. Check in here for a quick primer on everything from piracy to privacy to data retention and the NBN.
Source: Gizmodo
Netflix crackdown may become more aggressive - so what says un-blockers
While Netflix made some loud noises in January about geo-blocking Australian users – well any non-US users - from accessing its US catalogue, the storm in the tea-cup appears to have died down. Un-blockers are ready to go more rounds with Netflix.
Source: iTWire
Vocus profit tripled ahead of M2 merger
Vocus has reported explosive growth for the half-year in its final financial report before merging with M2.
Source: CRN
NBN transparency measure kyboshed by government
The House of Representatives has knocked back a Senate amendment to telecommunications legislation that would have forced NBN to reveal to make public a range of financial and rollout data.
Source: Computerworld
Thu, 25th Feb 2016
Quickflix to reposition as tech, ecommerce, entertainment company: CEO
In the wake of strong streaming competition that it is impossible to catch up to, Quickflix is instead looking towards the greener pastures of tech IPOs and ecommerce services in order to survive.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACMA seeks industry input on Mobile Roaming Standards
A public consultation process has opened to receive input from the telecommunications industry on proposed changes to international mobile roaming standards.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 24th Feb 2016
ACMA releases mobile broadband spectrum strategy
The ACMA will consider overall network infrastructure and take a more transparent management process when it comes to allocating spectrum for future mobile needs.
Source: ZDNet Australia
The NBN: Truth in the battle of FTTN and avoiding new FUD
It's time to get brutally honest about the NBN's problems - and what's not its fault.
Source: PC Authority
ACMA changes tack on approach to broadband planning
The Australian Communications and Media Authority – the country’s spectrum regulator - has signalled a shift towards what it says is a “greater reliance on a contingency planning model” in its strategy for addressing the growth in mobile broadband capacity.
Source: iTWire
Optus receives ‘global 4G award’ at Mobile World Congress
Optus has been ‘recognised for 4G network and spectrum innovation’ with an award for ‘outstanding contribution to 4G TDD technology and in particular, 4G TDD-FDD convergence.’
Source: iTWire
Reliability, broadband performance and affordability are telco consumer priorities: ACCAN
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) recently held its Meet the People Forum at Parliament House in Canberra to highlight important telecommunications consumer priorities for 2016 to Federal Parliamentarians.
Source: ARN
Telstra chair Catherine Livingstone to retire
Telstra chairwomen Catherine Livingstone will retire from the board of directors after seven years in the position.
Source: CRN
Telstra Is Spending Millions To Develop Australia's 5G Mobile Networks
Australia’s 4G networks are only getting faster. But it’s the future beyond 4G that equally concerns Telstra, so it’s playing an active role in ensuring that the next big leap forward in mobile networking is one that suits Australia and Telstra’s Australian customers — and it’s spending money to do so.
Source: Gizmodo
Don't Hold Your Breath For Telstra Unlimited Plans
Despite major rivals Optus and Vodafone offering plans with unlimited calls and texts, and the newer players using unlimited as a means of attracting customers, Telstra has no intention of following suit.
Source: Gizmodo
Tue, 23rd Feb 2016
Foxtel Announces Unlimited Broadband Bundles
After 12 months of offering broadband and home phone bundles, Foxtel today announced the launch of its new Unlimited broadband and home phone bundles.
Source: Gizmodo
NBN satellite to deliver inflight Wi-Fi for Qantas
Qantas will offer in-flight Wi-Fi on its domestic services via NBN’s satellite broadband service, the airline announced today.
Source: Computerworld
Govt MPs dismiss fears of NBN mission creep
A Senate committee has endorsed a controversial bill that will change some of the rules governing NBN’s operations, but Labor and Greens senators have called for a major overhaul of the proposed legislation.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 22nd Feb 2016
Vodafone lifts customer numbers to over 5 million
Vodafone added 135,000 new customers in 2015 to bring the total number of its network users in Australia to 5.4375 million.
Source: iTWire
NBN HFC pilot delivers average download speeds of 84Mbps
The HFC network trial has delivered average speeds of 84Mbps down/33Mbps up, with DOCSIS 3.1 and node splitting to improve these speeds by mid-2017, according to NBN.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Senate seeks greater transparency for NBN finances, rollout forecasts
The Senate has amended and passed a government bill adding provisions that will, if the bill becomes law, compel NBN to make public a range of financial and rollout data.
Source: Computerworld
Optus boosts network in major stadiums
Optus plans to ramp up its network in major stadiums so customers at sporting and music events can stay digitally connected and access or upload content faster.
Source: ARN
Telstra’s mobile 1Gbps service coming, trial of Ericsson 5G for 2018 Comm Games
Telstra has made some interesting announcements at its Mobile World Congress press event - a trial of Ericsson’s 5G technologies for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and some capital cities getting 1Gbps Cat 16 LTE later this year.
Source: iTWire
Telstra Is Adding Voice Over Wi-Fi And Video Calling To Its Network In 2016
This year, Telstra will let its customers make voice calls using their mobile numbers over their home Wi-Fi, seamlessly handing off voice calls from 4G to customers’ in-home wireless networks when mobile coverage gets spotty. It’s also working on its in-house-developed video calling service that will operate over 4G.
Source: Gizmodo
Fri, 19th Feb 2016
TIO reveals mandatory data retention complaints
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has begun receiving complaints from consumers experiencing difficulties in obtaining data held by their service providers under Australia’s mandatory data retention laws.
Source: iTnews Australia
This Week's Biggest NBN And Telco News: No More 'Three Strikes', But Site Blocking Is In Courts Now
Here’s where we round up all the Aussie news around the ‘net about the ‘net, every week. Check in here for a quick primer on everything from piracy to privacy to data retention and the NBN.
Source: Gizmodo
Pirate website blocks: Full details of who wants what blocked
Court filings from the first two attempts to use a controversial anti-piracy law offer details of what websites rights holders want blocked and how they expect Internet service providers to block their customers from accessing them.
Source: Computerworld
NBN complaints rise by 40 percent amid continuing drop in telco complaints
Complaints to the TIO about 'unusable' and delayed NBN services have risen again, though not as rapidly as new connections have been made.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Phone complaints lowest in 9 years, but Internet complaints up
Complaints about telco phone services have hit a nine year low, dropping by 9.4% in the three months to the end of last December, but the news is not so good for Internet services.
Source: iTWire