Broadband News
Mon, 07th Sep 2015
ACCC draft backhaul ruling bad for businesses
The ACCC's recent draft decision on backhaul pricing will see most Australians paying less for broadband, but a pricing discrepancy means some businesses could end up paying more.
Source: iTnews Australia
Data retention: Tax Office could get metadata access
If a key recommendation of a parliamentary inquiry is implemented, the Australian Taxation Office will able to gain warrant-free access to so-called 'metadata' retained under the government's data retention scheme.
Source: Computerworld
Pole operators hit back over NBN aerial cable plan
Australia's electricity network operators have slammed a federal government proposal to increase the thickness of overhead NBN cables.
Source: iTnews Australia
Choice Says Netflix Is Killing Piracy In Australia In Problematic Survey
The launch of Netflix in Australia really is killing piracy. At least that’s according to a new survey. There’s a bit of a problem with that survey though, and it’s one that keeps popping up when we try to chart piracy.
Source: Gizmodo
Fri, 04th Sep 2015
30 percent of Australians still pirate online material: Choice
According to a survey conducted by consumer advocacy group, Choice, 30 percent of Australians are illegally downloading, streaming, or watching shows or movies.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Optus pairs with Airbnb for data roaming, discounted accommodation
Optus and Airbnb are joining forces to provide users with a AU$50 voucher for accommodation, as well as a AU$30 SIM for global roaming.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Malcolm Turnbull visits Sunshine Coast to view proposal for new undersea communications cable
A plan to make the Sunshine Coast a vital internet gateway is luring Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the area on Friday to view the proposal in person.
Source: SMH
AMTA calls for less regulation from ACMA
In a submission clearly aimed at lessening the powers of regulator the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the peak body representing mobile operators has called for deregulation of its industry.
Source: iTWire
Transmission prices heading down with ACCC draft decision
Price cuts aimed at maintaining a competitive transmission services market in the telecommunications sector will likely flow from the ACCC’s draft final access determination for transmission capacity issued today.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 03rd Sep 2015
The Telstra TV Is Delayed
The Telstra TV is actually pretty exciting. A rebadged Roku 2 box featuring all of your catch-up content in the one place. Cool, right? Here’s what sucks: you’ll be waiting for it just a liiiitle longer.
Source: Gizmodo
Optus switches on 3X the 4G Cat 9 LTE-A power for Note 5, S6 Edge+
4G LTE-A speeds are getting a boost on Optus in Melbourne’s CBD, followed by Sydney CBD in early 2016 and both Brisbane and Adelaide’s CBDs from mid-2016.
Source: iTWire
ACCC suggests monitoring broadband services
Australia's consumer watchdog has outlined plans to push monitoring broadband performance, saying it would improve quality and pricing thanks to competition.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN will boost GDP by 1.8%: new study
The National Broadband Network (NBN) will likely deliver a substantial benefit to Australia’s economy, according to a newly released study which also found that the greatest economic benefits will be derived from telehealth and teleworking.
Source: iTWire
Netgear’s Nighthawk X4S, the world’s best broadband router?
Netgear launched its flagship Nighthawk X4S with world-first, world beating specs just hungry for a decent NBN to plug into, but it works with ADSL2+, too.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 02nd Sep 2015
50Mbps NBN wireless on track for pre-Christmas launch
NBN's speed boost to its fixed wireless service, which will see the potential maximum speed of connections increased to 50Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream, should be commercially available before Christmas.
Source: Computerworld
'Netflix for pirates' in Hollywood's sights
Popcorn Time, the software dubbed "Netflix for pirates" and "Hollywood's worst nightmare", is now in the sights of movie studios as it continues to gain traction among those who find its simple once-click user interface too hard to resist.
Source: SMH
DBC opts against appeal in iiNet piracy ruling
The owner of the Dallas Buyers Club film has decided not to appeal a recent ruling in its ongoing piracy fight with a number of Australian ISPs, and will instead rework how it plans to calculate damages from alleged infringers.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus, Exetel sign two-year NBN aggregation deal
Exetel will have access to all of Optus' National Broadband Network points of interconnect and technologies under a new agreement.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telcos riled by ACCC broadband monitoring plan
The competition regulator is on a collision course with the telecommunications industry over its plan to measure the performance of fixed broadband services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus to provide Exetel with nbn aggregation services
Optus Wholesale has announced it will deliver nbn aggregation services exclusively to Australian ISP provider Exetel, extending its 10-year relationship.
Source: ARN
Tue, 01st Sep 2015
Australian anti-piracy notice scheme delayed
September 1, 2015, was supposed to be the start date of a new anti-piracy scheme that would see Australians receive "copyright infringement" notices from their ISP if they were caught downloading music, TV shows or films illicitly online.
Source: SMH
Telstra rolls over and offers data/call credit roll over on pre-paid
Telstra’s Pre-Paid Freedom Plus plans now come with data and call credit roll over, matching some competitors at long last with much better value.
Source: iTWire
Presto's HD Content Library Goes Live Today, So How Much Bandwidth Will It Need?
After a few months in testing, Presto’s HD offering goes out to the public today. Users will be able to experience 1080p content as well as 5.1 channel surround sound. We know just how much it takes to run a HD stream from Netflix, but what does it take from Presto? What sort of speed do you need?
Source: Gizmodo
NBN under fire for affordability, accessibility
NBN's satellite service is reportedly too expensive for lower socio-economic groups to afford, with critics saying the 'fair use' download restrictions constrain access and availability to those with limited choices.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACCC defends approval of TPG/iiNet merger
ACCC chairman Rod Sims has defended his decision to approve TPG’s takeover of iiNet, but admitted it was not a “black and white” issue.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN should be prepared for disaggregation: ACCC chair
The chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, has repeated his belief that NBN should be prepared for a potential future breakup of the company into separate entities.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 31st Aug 2015
Battle of the blowouts: How real can Labor make its Real NBN?
If Labor wants to bring more fibre to the premises into the NBN mix, then it must decide how much extra money it will allow NBN to spend.
Source: ZDNet Australia
More data, longer expires says Optus
Optus has upped data allowances with a new mobile broadband plan, now giving its mobile customers 50GB with a one year expiry.
Source: iTWire
Aussie telcos push for severe restructure of ACMA
Australia's telcos have put forward their proposals for the future of communications regulator ACMA, with the country's two largest carriers recommending the regulator be severely wound back or scrapped altogether.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiNet CEO David Buckingham leaves company
CEO of Perth-based internet service provider iiNet, David Buckingham, has left the company, according to multiple sources.
Source: SMH