Broadband News

Fri, 24th Jul 2015

Major outage affecting Optus mobile customers in Victoria and NSW

Optus is experiencing a "major outage" affecting mobile customers in Victoria and New South Wales.

Source: ABC News

.au domain registrations hit the 3 million mark

Australia now has 3 million .au domains under management, putting us in the top 10 of all countries by volume.

Source: iTWire

Telcos come out swinging over Telstra wholesale pricing

The Competitive Carriers Coalition (CCC) has hit out at a government intervention in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's inquiry into the pricing of Telstra's wholesale services.

Source: Computerworld

ACCC clears way for NBN-Optus cable deal

Got Optus cable? It will end up being your NBN connection.

Source: iTWire

Thu, 23rd Jul 2015

ISPs, rights holders commission expert on piracy code costs: Comms Alliance

Australian telco industry group, Communications Alliance, has revealed that rights holders and ISPs are working together to determine the probable costs imposed by the piracy code.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Carriers up in arms in battle royal over Telstra wholesale prices

The very public war of words over Telstra’s fight against a significant cut in the wholesale price other telcos and ISPs pay for using its fixed line services, and what it sees as the Department of Communication's “intervention” in the pricing issue, has outraged the Competitive Carriers Coalition.

Source: iTWire

Telco rivals slam govt intervention in Telstra price decision

Five of Telstra's rivals have come out strongly against the Department of Communications' support for a hike in the regulated wholesale prices Telstra can charge access seekers for its copper network.

Source: iTnews Australia

nbn applauds ACCC draft approval of Optus deal

NBN has welcomed the draft decision by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for the integration of parts of Optus’ hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable network and the progressive migration of its HFC subscribers onto the nbn network.

Source: ARN

Australia's leaders agree to end GST-free online goods

Australia's state and federal leaders have agreed in principle to expand the goods and services tax to include goods valued under $1000 purchased online.

Source: iTnews Australia

Turnbull's dept backs Telstra in ACCC price fight

The Department of Communications has echoed Telstra's calls for the competition watchdog to rethink its draft decision to impose a 10 percent wholesale price drop for the telco's copper network over concerns it will negatively affect the wider industry.

Source: iTnews Australia

TPG shares popular with iiNet shareholders

iiNet shareholders have moved to snap up an offer of TPG shares ahead of a vote on whether to accept TPG's acquisition offer for the ISP.

Source: Computerworld

Nokia exploring sub-6GHz 5G with NTT Docomo

A joint research project is evaluating 5G radio tech at lower frequencies with trials ‘to demonstrate 10Gbps throughput with low latency’.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 22nd Jul 2015

Telstra: Slashed wholesale prices could slow NBN customer migration

Telstra has warned that the ACCC's draft decision to cut its wholesale prices by 9.6 percent could lead to a market where retailers will delay transitioning customers onto the NBN.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Our government does not understand internet basics

To make good law you need to understand how things really work - and the Federal government is at sea when it comes to online piracy.

Source: PC Authority

This is what would make more Aussies stop pirating

About 80 per cent of Australian online pirates would not be encouraged to stop infringing even if they received a letter from their ISP saying their account would be suspended or internet speeds slowed, a government commissioned survey shows.

Source: SMH

‘Serious flaws’ in ACCC draft fixed line decision, says Telstra

Telstra is still railing against the draft decision by the competition watchdog, the ACCC, that the price it charges wholesale customers to use its fixed line network be cut by 9.6%.

Source: iTWire

Telstra, telcos fume over new security reforms

Australia's biggest telco and the wider telecommunications industry have lashed out at the federal government over plans to introduce new security laws that represent further legislative burden on the sector.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 21st Jul 2015

Vodafone Australia grows customer base and losses

First half 2015 results for Vodafone Hutchison Australia have signalled a slight growth in customer base, but an increase in losses.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vodafone still struggling as half-year losses grow

Vodafone Australia lost around $184 million and 45,000 customers in its first half of this year despite declaring its turnaround complete five months ago.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mon, 20th Jul 2015

Telco customers give a thumbs up to service levels

Customer satisfaction levels in most industries tend to move up and down and at the moment it seems an ongoing effort by our telcos seems to be paying off, with a slight increase in satisfaction recorded for the three months to the end of June.

Source: iTWire

Turnbull floats new migration policy for service class zero premises

The federal government is considering extending the deadline for the disconnection of Telstra's copper for home and business owners stuck in service class zero limbo.

Source: iTnews Australia

Have your say on how to better transition the nbn

The federal government has released its draft Migration Assurance Policy on moving to the fixed-line national broadband network (nbn) for public comment.

Source: ARN

​UK government releases plan to jail online pirates for up to 10 years

The UK government has released a consultation paper that could result in the penalty for online copyright infringement being made equivalent to that for copyright infringement of physical goods.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vodafone boosts small business plans

Vodafone has announced a range of new packages for small business.

Source: iTWire

Foxtel in spotlight over customer 'spin-down'

Foxtel is set to come under intense scrutiny when it reports fourth-quarter results next month amid evidence that a considerable number of its customers has abandoned its drama and movie packs – some of them in favour of new, cheaper streaming services led by Netflix.

Source: SMH

Fri, 17th Jul 2015

Telstra’s 4GXtreme: new prepaid, in-car WiFi connection

The Internet of Things in your car is now easier to achieve with an Internet-in-car device, namely Telstra’s PrePaid 4GX Car Wi-Fi hotspot USB dongle.

Source: iTWire

Telstra goes up a gear with 4G Car Wi-Fi device

Telstra says Australians can now turn their car into a high-speed hotspot after the launch of its Pre- Paid 4GX Car Wi-Fi.

Source: ARN

Give NBN more copper, says Optus

Vodafone and Optus have called for a thoroughgoing overhaul of the Universal Service Obligation scheme, which is designed to make sure that all Australians have access to a 'standard telephone service' (STS).

Source: Computerworld

Vodafone, Optus call for NBN boost to regional mobile coverage

Vodafone and Optus have called for the National Broadband Network to be used to boost mobile coverage in regional areas.

Source: Computerworld

Ericsson celebrates nbn fixed wireless partnership too

nbn, the company, celebrated its fixed wireless as being the best, with its partner Ericsson also talking up the ‘world leading broadband service for Australians’.

Source: iTWire