Broadband News
Mon, 29th Jun 2015
Telstra hits back at ACCC over wholesale price cuts
Telstra has described as "disappointing" a draft decision by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that will see a significant drop in the prices the telco charges for a number of wholesale services on the copper network.
Source: Computerworld
ACCC draft fixed line services decision revises access prices
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released a further draft decision on the prices other operators will have to pay to use Telstra’s copper network in the provision of telecommunications services to consumers.
Source: ARN
VoLTE and ViLTE storm coming, radical simplification advised
Speakers at the LTE World Summit 2015 have warned of VoLTE and ViLTE issues while separately, radical simplification has been advised for LTE operators.
Source: iTWire
Telstra faces a 10 percent wholesale price drop
Telstra is facing a potential 10 percent mandated drop in the fees it charges wholesale partners to access its fixed-line copper network after the competition watchdog moved to ensure end users don't suffer "absurd pricing".
Source: iTnews Australia
My Net Fone successfully completes $15m equity placement
My Net Fone has successfully completed a significantly oversubscribed $15 million equity placement to fund growth initiatives.
Source: ARN
Fri, 26th Jun 2015
Telstra's Air wi-fi network goes private
Telstra will on Tuesday unveil its national wi-fi network, but after teasing browsers with free access for seven months, will now only allow its home broadband customers to access the hotspots.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vocus, Amcom prod TPG in new ad campaign
Amcom and Vocus have taken off the gloves following the failure of TPG’s battle to block the merger of the two companies into a $1.2 billion national telecommunications powerhouse.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC hurdle cleared for NBN 2.0
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has signed off on Telstra’s revised migration plan, clearing another hurdle for the rollout of the 'multi-technology mix’ National Broadband Network.
Source: Computerworld
Optus, Telstra admit sharing customer phone numbers with third-party websites
Customer mobile phone numbers are being passed on to third parties by Telstra and Optus in a "commercial relationship" with owners of websites, with some customers being subscribed to services without their consent.
Source: ABC News
NBN gets go ahead for multi-technology mix rollout
The Australian competition watchdog has approved a migration plan for Telstra to move customers onto the NBN using the company's legacy copper and HFC networks as part of the so-called multi-technology mix rollout.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 25th Jun 2015
Telstra admits to sending customer mobile numbers to sites
A day after Optus admitted to the practice, Australia's largest mobile provider has said it also hands over customers' mobile phone numbers to certain websites without their consent.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telcos back regulation of 'superfast' broadband networks
A number of telcos have endorsed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission moving to regulate non-NBN super-fast broadband networks that target residential end users.
Source: Computerworld
Optus misses out on mobile blackspot funding
Australia’s second largest mobile network provider Optus has failed to secure any funding to build new mobile towers in regional blackspots under a $385 million infrastructure program co-funded by the Commonwealth, states and telcos.
Source: iTnews Australia
My Net Fone enters ASX trading halt
ASX-listed My Net Fone (ASX:MNF) has entered into a trading halt pending a capital raising announcement through its investors.
Source: ARN
Australia’s broadband connectivity global ranking dips: Akamai Technologies
Australia is losing to the rest of the world in terms of broadband connectivity, according to content delivery network (CDN) services company, Akamai Technologies.
Source: ARN
Netflix takes strong lead in SVOD market
Just two months after launching in Australia, 400,000 households have signed up to Netflix, exceeding the total of all its competitors.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 24th Jun 2015
Porn will be next on Australia's website-blocking agenda
One way or another, you can be sure anti-porn crusaders will push to extend Australia's new anti-piracy laws.
Source: SMH
Optus admits handing user phone numbers to websites
Optus has admitted to handing over its customer's phone numbers to certain third-party websites accessed by the user.
Source: iTnews Australia
Michael Malone joins Seven West Media board
Telecommunications industry veteran Michael Malone has joined the board of media giant Seven West Media as one of three new big-name non-executive directors.
Source: iTnews Australia
NZ ISPs back down on anti-geoblocking support
A tool to watch regionally restricted video content will no longer be offered in New Zealand, ending a lawsuit that could have clarified the legality of such services in the country.
Source: Computerworld
Amaysim issues IPO prospectus to raise $200 million
SIM-only telco Amaysim has lodged a prospectus with ASIC, before an ASX listing that values the company at $317 million.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 23rd Jun 2015
Amaysim files for IPO to raise AU$207m
Amaysim has lodged paperwork with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as its first step towards becoming a public company.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vocus gets federal court approval to acquire Amcom
Vocus' acquisition of Amcom is a step closer to being finalised after the Federal Court of Australia gave approval to the deal.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Site blocking law likened to using a ‘machine gun to shoot rabbits’
Internet Australia has labeled the legislation bringing in new site blocking powers as a measure too extreme, likening it to using a machine gun to shoot rabbits.
Source: iTWire
Google's 60Tbps Pacific cable welcomed with champagne in Japan
With bottles of bubbly and a purification ceremony, a Google-backed undersea cable was given a warm welcome on a beach in Japan last week, a critical step in building the highest capacity data link in the Pacific ever created.
Source: ARN
Optus hit by major outage in NSW
Singtel-Optus landline and mobile customers in New South Wales are experiencing call dropouts and connection problems after a botched network upgrade.
Source: SMH
Court releases Dallas Buyers Club piracy letter
Despite objections from Voltage Pictures that the release of the draft letter to be sent to alleged infringers might impact future cases, Justice Nye Perram has released the letter and telephone script in full.
Source: ZDNet Australia
It's official: Amcom, Vocus overcome last hurdle to merger
Telecommunications providers Amcom and Vocus have stared down the final challenge in their battle to merge into a $1.2 billion telco powerhouse after a judge today approved the pair's scheme of agreement.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 22nd Jun 2015
Labor waves piracy site-blocking Bill through Australian Senate, despite concerns
Labor has ensured the government's website-blocking Bill has passed both houses of the Australian parliament.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Australia passes law to block overseas piracy sites
The Australian Senate today voted through legislation which allows rights holders to apply to a court to block overseas websites facilitating copyright infringement.
Source: iTnews Australia