Broadband News
Wed, 25th Nov 2015
Presto’s December 2015 content selection
There’s plenty more than fifty shades of Presto content to enjoy including theoretical big bangs from home and far, far away to give you an eye for an eyeful.
Source: iTWire
Leaked NBN documents show Optus HFC not fit for purpose
Internal drafts by NBN have shown that Optus' HFC network will need to be overbuilt, blowing out both the timeline and budget for the high-speed broadband network.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACMA advises telco industry on consumer mobile spending
An ACMA-commissioned Newspoll survey from February contains ‘some valuable insights for industry in the design of mobile products and the delivery of spend management alerts.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 24th Nov 2015
Telco industry group warns against expanding website blocking
Communications Alliance, a group representing Australian telecommunications and Internet service provider businesses, has warned against expanding the scope of a law employed by government agencies to block public access to websites.
Source: Computerworld
This Is The Best Telstra Mobile Deal I've Ever Seen
It used to be that Telstra data was silly expensive. The network has undoubtedly the best mobile coverage across the country, but you’d pay a significant premium for that privilege. As of today, that has all been turned on its head — you’d be crazy not to jump on Telstra’s $50 $40 BYO mobile phone plan, which includes a total of 7GB of 3G, 4G, and 4GX data.
Source: Gizmodo
Mon, 23rd Nov 2015
Is Australia Ready For A More Connected World?
Imagine a world that is even more connected technologically than ours today. That’s what the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has done this week with a very timely occasional paper on the Internet of Things (IoT). As well as identifying issues of direct concern to the ACMA, the paper also includes an overview of the technology and its capabilities.
Source: Gizmodo
Finally, Australian airlines should soon get in-sky Wi-Fi
In November last year, NBN Co was predicting airlines might get connectivity via Ka-band NBN satellites in 2015-16 and now here comes Inmarsat.
Source: iTWire
Ten’s Tenplay tips up on Telstra TV
Although Channel 10 is still yet to take the live streaming plunge like Channel 7, its catchup streaming service ‘tenplay’ has arrived on Telstra TV.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 20th Nov 2015
ACMA refarms spectrum for mobile broadband
With mobile broadband seeing increasing uptake, the ACMA has allocated additional spectrum within the 803-960MHz band to boost coverage.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 19th Nov 2015
Vodafone switches on 4G in regional Queensland
Vodafone is fulfilling its promise to bring 4G connectivity to regional Australia, switching on 4G in 235 sites across Queensland.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Perth - Singapore SeaMeWe3 cable back in action
The Perth to Singapore leg of the troubled SeaMeWe3 data cable appears to have been finally repaired after multiple outages over the last two months.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra adds iPad Pro to its plans
Apple’s iPad Pro is on the march into Telstra, which now offers the 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad Pro from $85 per month.
Source: iTWire
Vodafone perks up Prepaid Combo with ‘year of bonus data’
The prepaid value wars keep raging, with Vodafone offering ‘2GB bonus data with every recharge $40 or more for a year’ to Prepaid Combo customers.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 18th Nov 2015
Brandis warns of even less privacy for Australians
Australian Attorney-General George Brandis has said that attitudes to privacy will need to be adjusted in the wake of attacks from ISIS.
Source: ZDNet Australia
nbn looks set to get a new board member
Two years after being one of the ‘chosen two’ asked to remain on the board of nbn, the government-owned company building the national broadband network, Alison Lansley’s term of office is due to expire 6 December 2015.
Source: iTWire
Telco protection code delivers millions in savings to consumers
Australian consumers have saved an estimated $545 million a year since new consumer protection rules were introduced three years ago for telecommunications service providers, according to newly released research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Source: iTWire
Australia needs to have a conversation about net neutrality: NBN chairman
A national debate about net neutrality in Australia is inevitable as a result of the growing bandwidth used by over-the-top (OTT) video services such as Netflix, according to NBN chairman Ziggy Switkowski.
Source: iTnews Australia
Streaming video will spark Australian net neutrality debate, says NBN chairman
The arrival in a big way of ‘over the top’ video services such as Netflix in Australia is likely to spark a serious discussion on the question of net neutrality, according to Ziggy Switkowski, the chair of NBN’s board and a former Telstra CEO.
Source: Computerworld
Tue, 17th Nov 2015
Optus, Vodafone outline network expansion plans in preparation for 5G
Both telcos have said they are leveraging their spectrum holdings and rolling out VoWiFi and VoLTE in a bid to expand their networks in preparation for 5G and the IoT.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Optus staff threatened over Arabic advert
Optus has responded to social media backlash and alleged threats to staff by removing a poster written in Arabic from a Sydney shopping centre, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Source: CRN
Netflix Australia reaches 2.5m users: ACMA
The Australian media regulator has published a report stating that 3.2 million Australians are using streaming services, with 2.5 million of these subscribing to Netflix Australia.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Growing popularity of subscription video on demand services
Subscription video on demand is growing rapidly in Australia, fuelled by the rapid take-up of new SVOD services like Netflix, Presto TV and Stan.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 16th Nov 2015
Streaming negates media ownership laws: NBN chair
Ziggy Switkowski, the chairman of the company rolling out high-speed broadband across Australia, has said IPTV has caused obsolescence in decades-old cross-media ownership laws.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fifield rejects NBN cost 'blowout' criticism
Describing the revised peak funding estimate for the National Broadband Network as a "blowout" robs the discussion of nuance, according to communications minister Senator Mitch Fifield.
Source: Computerworld
Data Retention Act controversy races on
The contentious Data Retention Act has caught Australian Attorney-General George Brandis in a ‘damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t’ scenario, between Victorian racing authorities and Internet Australia.
Source: iTWire
TIO Complaints Are Down, But Only For Some Telcos
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman released its latest Complaints In Context report yesterday, and while the continuing trend sees overall complaints dropping further, the news is better for some telcos than others. Telstra, continuing a steady trend of decreasing complaints, saw complaints drop from 7.1 in every 10,000 to 6. Vodafone has dropped all the way down from 19.3 to 6.3, while Optus has seen a rise from 5.4 to 8.5 complaints in every 10,000 services in operation.
Source: Gizmodo
Fri, 13th Nov 2015
Australia vulnerable to a cyber-attack disaster
Australian government agencies and organisations are increasingly vulnerable to a major cyber attack yet security has not evolved in more than 20 years, according to an international cybercrime expert.
Source: SMH
Optus overtakes Telstra, Vodafone in TIO complaints
Optus has overtaken Telstra and Vodafone to claim the dubious honour of being Australia’s most complained about telco, according to new figures released by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus Is Upgrading Its Broadband Network For Better Streaming
Off the back of its massive deal as the exclusive streaming partner for the English Premier League in Australia, the CEO of Optus has pledged to boost the streaming capabilities of the company’s broadband network to enable HD and even 4K streams possible.
Source: Gizmodo
Thu, 12th Nov 2015
Optus half-year net profit grows 8 percent
Australian telecommunications provider Optus has recorded a net profit of AU$426 million, attributing the solid results to its mobile operations.
Source: ZDNet Australia