Broadband News

Mon, 02nd Nov 2015

Optus Is Selling 50GB Of Mobile Data For $70 A Month

Is ADSL rubbish in your area? Can you not get cable internet? Are you still waiting for the NBN? (Yes, us too.) Well, have you considered using Optus 4G? With the launch of a new plan, Optus is targeting home internet users — renters, pop-up businesses and the terminally under-served — with a single super-high-capacity data plan and mobile brodband Wi-Fi hotspot. $70 per month will get you a massive 50GB of super-fast 4G mobile data.

Source: Gizmodo

Presto’s Big Bang: Commutertainment and more

Not only is Presto bringing Series 1 to 7 of the Big Bang Theory but mobile use at peak times shows Commutertainment is enjoying a big bang all its own.

Source: iTWire

Australia to develop enforceable code to manage VDSL noise

The Australian government has amended telco regulations to enable an code to minimise radio-frequency interference between competing provider systems in copper wiring sheaths.

Source: iTnews Australia

​Vocus tightens focus on synergies from m2 merger

Vocus has revealed how it will be making up $40 million in cost synergies from its merger with M2.

Source: ARN

Dallas Buyers Club continues chasing additional damages

The film studio hasn't finished arguing the point in the Federal Court, seeking additional damages from the almost 5,000 people who infringed its copyright.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Optus lands Premier League exclusive broadcast rights

​Optus has secured exclusive broadcast and digital Australian rights to the Barclays Premier League for three seasons, commencing August 2016.

Source: ARN

Amaysim makes its pre-paid plans even more amazing

Amaysim has made its plans so easy and generous, it feels consumers can cut through the confusion to make one simple decision: joining Amaysim.

Source: iTWire

Fri, 30th Oct 2015

Quickflix drops another 12K customers

Days after updates on its restructuring and finance deals, streaming company Quickflix has flagged the loss of a further 12,000 customers during July to September.

Source: ZDNet Australia

New faults discovered on Perth - Singapore cable

Australian users are experiencing higher than usual latency and performance degradation for data traffic thanks to continuing problems with the Sea-Me-We 3 cable running between Perth and Singapore.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra slashes 411 jobs from across Australia

Telstra has slashed 411 workers from its call centres across the country, blaming falling profits in some parts of its business.

Source: SMH

Five hundred tax file numbers hacked every day

Federal police are hunting a gang of identity thieves who have been hacking the tax file numbers of up to 500 Australians a day.

Source: SMH

Thu, 29th Oct 2015

ACCC decisions to cost Telstra AU$430m revenue in FY16

Decisions by the Australian consumer watchdog to cut wholesale pricing in fixed-line and mobile networks could impact Telstra's forecast FY16 revenue by more than AU$400 million.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra assigns more staff to deal with NBN complexity

Telstra will this year throw more staff at NBN migrations and seek to automate more of its transitioning activities to meet the challenges posed by the multi-technology mix network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus reseller Yatango Mobile Australia could owe millions

Optus reseller Yatango Mobile Australia could owe as much as $7.7 million, as two related Yatango companies also fall into administration.

Source: CRN

Telstra’s three-pronged strategy for the NBN

There are three components to Telstra’s strategy as a retail service provider on the National Broadband Network according to Karsten Wildberger, the telco’s group executive for retail.

Source: Computerworld

Now you can go watch Foxtel within minutes of sign-up

New Foxtel subscribers will now get access to the Foxtel Go service within 15 minutes of completing their sales order as Foxtel seeks to increase value.

Source: iTWire

Telstra says competition rising, maintains forecasts

Telstra has confirmed its financial guidance for 2016 despite taking a $430 million hit to its top line, as a string of decisions by the competition regulator hit the telco giant’s revenue generators across its mobile and fixed-line networks.

Source: The Australian

Wed, 28th Oct 2015

Vodafone opens first NSW business centre

​Vodafone has cut the ribbon on its first business centre in New South Wales. The new store, in Parramatta, showcases the company’s business plans, mobile devices and machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions.

Source: ARN

Tue, 27th Oct 2015

Lebara lets customers earn more credit or data by viewing ads

Earning extra credit or data by watching ads is claimed as world-first homegrown technology, used by Lebara, built by Melbourne-based Unlockd and dubbed Lebara Plus.

Source: iTWire

Boost Mobile Says It Gives You 11GB Of Pre-Paid Data Per Month, But There's A Catch

You might hear a few things from Boost Mobile in the next few days. Perhaps you’ve already heard them. Basically, the Telstra-owned and -operated MVNO says it’s going to give you 11GB worth of data per month on its $40 UNLTD plan. It’s technically true. Here’s the deal.

Source: Gizmodo

Presto tips up on Telstra TV

Presto has arrived on the Telstra TV service at last, with the Telstra TV Roku 2 unit finally going on sale in Australia today.

Source: iTWire

Telstra 4G network to reach 99 percent by mid-2017

The telco's 4G network will extend to provide coverage to 99 percent of the Australian population by June 2017, according to the CEO.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Mon, 26th Oct 2015

Data limits proposed for satellite NBN users

NBN plans to set caps for users on its long-term satellite service, proposing a maximum usage limit of 150GB per month following capacity issues on its interim satellite service.

Source: iTnews Australia

An nbn tsunami about to hit NSW Central Coast

Supposedly, thousands of residents of the New South Wales Central Coast are about to be hit by a giant “wave of superfast broadband” connections as the nbn ramps up the broadband network rollout.

Source: iTWire

Diluted Data Retention compensation sparks ISP outrage

The Attorney General’s department admission that it is now only going to release half of the compensation it promised ISPs for the costs of implementing the Data Retention Act, has sparked industry outrage.

Source: iTWire

ACCAN welcomes telco review, but way to go on much needed changes

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has welcomed the Regional Telecommunications Review Report released by the federal government, in particular the recommended changes to the current consumer safeguards, which the report notes are “increasingly irrelevant.”

Source: iTWire

nbn launches Career Start campaign

​nbn has launched its Career Start campaign aimed at attracting and training potential employees to its network.

Source: ARN

Fri, 23rd Oct 2015

Telstra HFC boost coming with Arris kit

Telstra is to install Arris E6000 converged edge routers as part of an upgrade to its HFC service.

Source: iTWire

Regional Australia needs urgent nbn attention: report

A review of the adequacy of telecommunications services in regional Australia has made a dozen recommendations to improve mobile coverage, maximise benefits from the NBN rollout and develop consumer safeguards.

Source: iTWire

What was that NBN copper for again Mr Morrow?

COMMENT: At Senate Estimates earlier this week, nbn company CEO Bill Morrow revealed that the broadband wholesaler has ordered 1800 km of copper cable for the FttN rollout. That’s just for the next five months of what will be a five year project. In the same breath, he praised the state of Telstra’s existing copper and said nbn had not needed to replace any yet. Is there a disconnect here?

Source: iTWire