Broadband News
Thu, 03rd Mar 2016
Telstra: ACCC decision will cause 'substantial' loss in NBN copper cost recovery
Substantial unrecouped depreciation associated with its copper network will never be recovered thanks to the ACCC's decision to cut wholesale copper pricing by 9.4 percent, Telstra has argued in court.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN to deploy skinnier fibre to lower build costs
A leaked internal NBN document has revealed the network builder will deploy thinner fibre optic cables throughout its network after finding the cables significantly reduced construction costs.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra outage affected 490,000 pre-paid customers
The second outage in three weeks left some pre-paid customers without access to voice or data yesterday.
Source: iTWire
Another NBN leak shows cheaper no-cabinet FttP trial in Victoria
NBN has been working with smaller kit that is cheaper and removes the need for the company to deploy fibre distribution hub cabinets, a new leaked document claims.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 02nd Mar 2016
Optus calls for telco competition inquiry
Optus chairman Paul O'Sullivan has called for a major overhaul of telecommunications legislation, including the creation of a new regulator with strong enforcement powers and the ability for customers to quit their existing broadband contracts once they are connected to the NBN.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus chairman slams Telstra control over NBN copper, calls for fixed-line separation
The chairman of Optus has called for new fixed-line rules to police copper access; a government enquiry to look into formally separating Telstra from its fixed-line network; and customers to be released from contracts to transition to the NBN.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra prepaid mobiles suffer outage
Telstra's prepaid mobile customers were unable earlier today to make phone calls, top up, or check balances in another widespread outage.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tue, 01st Mar 2016
Optus denies plans to cut 1,000 jobs to fund EPL deal
The telco has refuted reports that 1,000 jobs are on the chopping block, but conceded it would change its 'organisational structure' in future as it continually reviews operations.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra customers get 200GB free OneDrive
Telstra is offering new and existing customers 200GB free on Microsoft’s OneDrive for two years.
Source: iTWire
Optus 'Does Not Have Plans' To Axe 1000 Jobs
“As part of our FY17 plan, we have included $215m cost-out initiatives to protect profitability,” stated leaked internal documents from Optus — obtained by The Australian — that detailed a plan to cut up to 1,011 staff from customer service and network roles.
Source: Gizmodo
Mon, 29th Feb 2016
Government waters down NBN scope creep Bill
A Bill that would see the regulation surrounding the NBN loosened has had many of its proposed changes ditched.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Minister says reports on NBN rollout problems ‘just wrong’
The Minister for Communications, Mitch Fifield has poured cold water on media reports that a leaked government document has found that the National Broadband Network has fallen behind its rollout schedule and is not meeting its targets.
Source: iTWire
NBN Rejects Reported Delays And Budget Blow-Outs: 'We're On Track'
NBN has rejected claims of significant delays and massive budget blow-outs revealed in a controversial leaked internal progress report. “We will not be drawn on alleged internal documents,” a spokesperson for NBN said in a response to the report. “We report quarterly and our results are audited.”
Source: Gizmodo
NBN says FTTN rollout still on track
NBN has refused to be drawn on an internal document that reveals its fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) rollout has suffered significant setbacks.
Source: Computerworld
NBN Co confident of meeting targets, despite 'critical bottleneck'
The company constructing the National Broadband Network says it is confident of meeting its targets, despite a leaked internal document outlining a number of setbacks.
Source: ABC News
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