Broadband News
Fri, 04th Dec 2015
NBN copper cost blowout exposes Government short sightedness
An NBN cost scandal has erupted with a new document revealing that copper for the Turnbull Government’s hybrid MTM broadband network is going to cost ten times as much as the original estimate.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 03rd Dec 2015
Telstra service faults increasing: ACMA
Individual Telstra service faults numbering five or more over a 365-day period have increased by 100 percent, while its response time has leapt by almost 70 percent.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra Is Canning Its Planned International Roaming Price Hikes
After realising it had pissed more than a couple of people off, Telstra has backpedaled on some of its planned changes to international roaming data prices.
Source: Gizmodo
NBN rejects copper criticism
NBN has rejected criticism of the company’s ‘multi-technology mix’ roll out of the National Broadband Network, after the company suffered a barrage of attacks in the wake of an internal document being leaked to the press.
Source: Computerworld
NBN leak reveals copper repair cost blowout to AU$640m
Another leaked NBN document has revealed that the cost to replace or repair the copper network will be around AU$640 million.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Netflix Australia uptake 'rapid': ACMA
OTT content and communications are continuing to grow in Australia as data downloaded over mobile connections jumped by 85 percent for the year.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN facing massive copper remediation bill
The national broadband network builder is expecting to be hit with a massive bill of $641 million to repair sections of the copper network it bought from Telstra, leaked documents show.
Source: iTnews Australia
Can Christmas Tree Lights Really Kill Your Wi-Fi?
Ofcom, the UK’s independent telephony regulator, has just released a Wi-Fi checker app for your smart phone. At the same time, it warned in its press release that your Christmas tree fairy lights could affect the quality of your Wi-Fi connection.
Source: Gizmodo
Virgin Mobile partners with Presto
Australia's Virgin Mobile is the latest telco to join the media battle, throwing in 2GB of extra data per month along with a free one-month Presto subscription for customers who sign up.
Source: ZDNet Australia
TPG, Optus join court fight over Telstra wholesale prices
Telstra and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today appeared in Federal Court in Sydney.
Source: Computerworld
Wed, 02nd Dec 2015
Foxtel looking to block piracy websites through court
Pay TV provider Foxtel will be looking to block piracy websites at the beginning of next year via a Federal Court order.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tue, 01st Dec 2015
Just another price increase or more ‘price gouging’?
Just a day after hiking up international mobile roaming charges by a whopping 50% and tripling excess data charges, Telstra is at it again, this time hitting consumers with the introduction of a 50 cent charge for calling directory assistance from landlines.
Source: iTWire
What will the NBN really cost?
Cost is a central issue in the ongoing debate about the best approach to building Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN).
Source: Computerworld
Is Australia's telco national security law compatible with human rights?
The exposure draft on telco national security waves away any concerns over the right to privacy, saying its collection of personal info will be lawful thanks to its own law.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Presto’s Big Bang onto Android TV 5.x no longer a theory
Presto has not only launched its Android TV app at long last, seasons 1 to 7 of the Big Bang Theory explode onto Presto today too.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 30th Nov 2015
Telstra's early Christmas present to travellers – higher roaming rates
Telstra has issued fresh price hikes for its mobile customers travelling overseas just in time for the Christmas holiday season.
Source: SMH
Telstra's 'hip and trendy’ flagship store opens in Melbourne
Telstra has opened what could only be described as a Microsoft/Apple/HP like flagship store in Melbourne.
Source: iTWire
You Can Now Torrent Brand New TV Shows In 4K
We’ve been complaining about the dearth of good quality 4K video — movies and TV shows, things we’d actually like to watch — for years now, ever since Ultra HD TVs started hitting the shelves of our favourite electronics stores. In Australia, having our relatively crappy internet speeds, streaming 4K over Netflix has never really been viable. Ultra HD Blu-ray looks great, though it’s been a year away for five years now.
Source: Gizmodo
Optus crowns new MVNO with streaming-data deal
A new mobile virtual network operator has launched with a five-year pre-paid deal with Optus.
Source: CRN
Turnbull government wants power to make internet companies do 'things' for national security
The Turnbull government is aiming to pass controversial new laws by 2016 that will give Attorney-General Senator George Brandis unprecedented powers to make phone and internet companies do unspecified "things" if he believes they are hindering national security.
Source: SMH
Fri, 27th Nov 2015
NBN announces CVC discount pricing trial
NBN is offering discounts of between AU$0.50 and AU$6 on its CVC charge, with the company now pricing it on the basis of usage per end user and rewarding high usage.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN to trial discounts for ISPs with heavy users
NBN will trial offering tiered discounts to service providers as the bandwidth they purchase for customers increases, in a revamp of its much-maligned broadband pricing structure.
Source: iTnews Australia
Government scraps sale of dark fibre network
The Federal Government announces it will not be selling a high-speed communications network used by departments in Canberra.
Source: ABC News
Thu, 26th Nov 2015
Leaked NBN plan for Optus HFC mere wargaming and fool's gold: Fifield
Australian Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has labelled as 'fool's gold' the document leaked out of NBN yesterday that said the Optus HFC network is not fit for purpose.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Leaked NBN document helps the case for FttDP
In looking at options to overbuild the Optus HFC network, fibre to the distribution point emerges as a compromise that might soothe all but the most hardened theologist.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Netflix December 2015 Holiday content selection
Netflix has announced the December 2015 content highlights it wants us all to know about - and stream onto our TVs or connected devices with screens!
Source: iTWire
NBN got what it paid for—will now cost almost half as much again to fix it
Deputy leader in the Senate, Stephen Conroy has accused the former nbn board of being “incompetent political hacks” who did not know what they were doing when they bought the Optus hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) network for use in the nbn.
Source: iTWire
NBN Might Have To Replace Optus' Messy, Broken Cable Network
Remember the cool $800 million NBN Co dropped on buying the Optus HFC network? Leaked documents have revealed that the NBN Co is thinking about replacing it entirely. Why? Because it’s such crappy infrastructure.
Source: Gizmodo
Child respite service to relocate over NBN tower fears
A children's respite care centre in Tasmania's north is moving to Victoria, over concerns an NBN tower will be built nearby.
Source: ABC News
Wed, 25th Nov 2015
Labor slams NBN over Optus HFC network revelations
Labor’s broadband spokesperson, Jason Clare, has slammed NBN over revelations the company may overbuild some areas covered by Optus’ HFC network.
Source: Computerworld