Broadband News
Wed, 21st Oct 2015
Telstra and Kogan trade blows over telco
Kogan and Telstra are trading barbs over the insolvency of Telstra wholesaler ispONE and the subsequent demise of Kogan Mobile services.
Source: CRN
Sydney to Brisbane and back: NBN has 1,800km of copper to last five months
NBN has admitted that it is planning to spend AU$14 million acquiring copper to be used in its so-called multi-technology mix network rollout.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN announces G.fast FttB trial with 800Mbps speeds
NBN has been trialling G.fast technology on Australia's high-speed broadband network, attaining speeds of up to 800Mbps, with commercial services to launch in 2017.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tue, 20th Oct 2015
NBN replacing copper between node and pillar
NBN's CEO has admitted that while copper lines between the node and the home will not be replaced, the company will need to add or replace copper between the node and the pillar.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co buys 1800 kilometres of copper to make Malcolm Turnbull's fibre-to-the-node network work
The company building Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's version of the national broadband network has purchased 1800 kilometres of copper cable — enough to link the Sunshine Coast to Melbourne — at a cost of $14 million.
Source: SMH
Telstra Wi-Fi 4G Advanced III: Australian Review
Since it launched a year ago, Telstra’s 4GX network has been getting a lot faster. First, Telstra switched on carrier aggregation, which tied two frequency bands together and tripled download speeds. Then, it upgraded its carrier aggregation to three frequency bands, and tripled those data speeds. Telstra’s Wi-Fi 4G Advanced III is the first device that takes full advantage of the company’s latest fastest Category 11 mobile data network, and it promises 600Mbps download speeds. Step aside, NBN. This is how you get the fastest ‘net connection in Australia, right now.
Source: Gizmodo
Mon, 19th Oct 2015
Germany moves closer to data retention
Germany's lower house has signed off on an updated data-retention Bill, with customer data to be stored for 10 weeks by telcos and ISPs, accessible by a warrant.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Kogan Mobile Is Back, Here's The Full Pricing
After 120,000 customers were left in the lurch by Kogan Mobile the last time it was operating, the Ruslan Kogan-owned MVNO is trying its luck once again. That’s right: Kogan Mobile is back, this time powered by Vodafone.
Source: Gizmodo
Kogan Mobile makes a comeback with Vodafone
Kogan re-entered the telco arena through teaming up with Vodafone to provide mobile services in the Australian market.
Source: ARN
Coles joins prepaid mobile market
Supermarket giant Coles is offering prepaid mobile plans in conjunction with Optus.
Source: iTWire
Kogan and Vodafone to launch new MVNO at 11am today?
Ruslan Kogan and Vodafone are making an announcement at 11am today, dubbed to ‘significantly benefit Australian consumers.’
Source: iTWire
Fri, 16th Oct 2015
NBN reveals HFC rollout areas
NBN has provided a detailed breakdown of which areas wiill get which of the network's multi-technology mix products over the next three years in a new construction plan.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN promises 9.5 million connections by 2018 in new plan
A 3-year plan released today by the nbn company has forecast for the first time, the likely technology to be used and when the rollout will reach each area.
Source: iTWire
Telstra's TV Streaming Box Is Out Next Week For $109
Looking for one device to sit in your home entertainment unit, sending catch-up TV and streaming video on demand straight to your telly? Telstra’s competitor to the Apple TV will be out at the start of next week, and you’ll pay $109 for the privilege of watching Presto, Netflix, Stan and other Australian catch-up television services — as well as any downloaded movies or TV shows you might have on a hard drive or your home network — on your big screen TV.
Source: Gizmodo
NBN plans to wire 9.5 million buildings by 2019
The national broadband network wants to start or complete internet upgrades for 9.5 million homes and businesses across Australia by the end of 2018 in a move that could force a future Labor government to complete the Coalition's version.
Source: SMH
Thu, 15th Oct 2015
NBN: 'supercharged' copper needs no replacing for FttN
NBN's usage of the legacy copper network has been successful to date, with consumers able to get high speeds while utilising the widely panned fibre-to-the-node network.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Melbourne’s city loop trains get mobile coverage
Melbourne rail operators and Optus today switched on a new 3G and 4G network extension intended to fix the underground coverage blackspot frustrating the city’s commuters.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus launches new entertainment plan built for Netflix
Telecommunications vendor, Optus, is satisfying increased appetites for entertainment with a new entertainment plan built for Netflix, which includes a bonus six-month Netflix gift subscription offer for Aussies.
Source: ARN
How To Get Around Australia's Data Retention Scheme: Everything You Need To Know
Can you feel it? Your data…it’s being retained right now. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam gave us all some great advice on what is being tracked by the Government’s new metadata retention scheme, as well as a few basic ways to get around the legislation. This is the master class in dodging data retention from Pirate Party Australia members. Here’s how to get around metadata retention using everything from encrypted calls and messaging services on mobile and desktop platforms, using Tor and keeping your email safe.
Source: Gizmodo
Turnbull highlights power of internet at terrorism summit
PM Malcolm Turnbull highlights the power and challenge of the internet and emerging technologies as security agencies meet in Canberra to discuss Australia's growing terror threat.
Source: ABC News
Wed, 14th Oct 2015
Optus accuses telco regulation of failing to keep pace with technology
Optus has argued in favour of a single telco-specific regulator rather than the current split between the government, the ACMA, and the ACCC.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone offering VoLTE before Christmas, but only for Samsung users
Vodafone Australia will become the second Australian telco to offer voice over LTE for general use, but it will be restricted to four Samsung devices to begin with.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Greg Adcock exiting NBN
The chief operating officer of the NBN, Greg Adcock, is leaving the broadband network after just one month less than two years in the job.
Source: iTWire
Telco coalition slams Telstra over reaction to drop in access charges
Telstra has been accused of a “dummy spit of the highest order” for its criticism of the ACCC after the competition watchdog ruled that access charges other telcos and telecommunications providers pay to use their network be dropped by 9.4%.
Source: iTWire
Telstra mobile network fastest, highest quality: Benchmark report
A mobile benchmarking report has named Telstra the top mobile provider in Australia thanks to high call quality, fast data speeds nationwide, and quick call set-up times.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Clare expects NBN to move to G.Fast FttDP
Shadow Communications Minister Jason Clare has admitted that even if Labor wins the next election, he will not be able to return the NBN to how it was when Labor lost power.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Australian data breach notification laws will not be passed in 2015: Brandis
The Australian Attorney-General has ruled out the passage of any laws to legislate for data breach notification for this year, with the government only intending to introduce such legislation.
Source: ZDNet Australia
One in five Aussie emails never reaches the inbox
According to Return Path only four out of five commercial emails land in the inbox. One gets sent to a spam folder or goes missing—most likely blocked by the mailbox provider.
Source: iTWire
1-in-4 Internet users have account hacked this year: Kaspersky Lab
New research by Kaspersky Lab shows that in the last 12 months, 25 per cent of Internet users had at least one of their online accounts hacked. Despite this figure, another study shows just 38 per cent of consumers create strong passwords for every account and 57 per cent store passwords insecurely.
Source: ARN
Tue, 13th Oct 2015
Telstra reveals data retention extension
Telstra has revealed the Attorney-General's Department approved the telco's request for an extension to the compliance deadline for its data retention obligations.
Source: iTnews Australia