Broadband News

Thu, 23rd Oct 2014

NBN complaints on the rise

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has begun reporting a rise in complaints from customers connecting to the National Broadband Network.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Wed, 22nd Oct 2014

Website blocking is not internet filtering: Australian government

The Department of Communications has argued that forcing ISPs to block certain websites under Section 313 of the Telecommunications Act is not a form of internet filtering.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN roll out continues as copper networks switch off in Crace

Copper wires for landline telephones in up to 2700 homes and businesses in Crace will be disconnected from Thursday as the NBN roll out continues in Canberra's north.

Source: SMH

iiTrial 2.0? iiNet back in court over P2P file sharing

For the second time, Internet service provider iiNet has been dragged to court over the alleged copyright infringement of some of its customers.

Source: Computerworld

ACCC won't factor in NBN Co payments in pricing decision

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has stated the regulatory value of Telstra's assets, rather than payments made to Telstra by NBN Co, will set the price for wholesale fixed line services.

Source: ARN

Telstra move to raise network access charges 'ludicrous'

Telstra's competitors have criticised the telco's bid to increase what it can charge for access to its network.

Source: ABC News

Tue, 21st Oct 2014

Australian government warrantless data requests pass 500,000

The Australian communications watchdog has revealed that Australian government agencies are accessing more data than we previously thought.

Source: ZDNet Australia

ACCC: Telstra promises improved Aussie Consumer Law compliance

Telstra is famous for a few things: hopeless customer service, ACCC dealings, awesome Next G/4G networks, playing hardball with the Government and competitors and using Magda Szubanski in its latest ads touting customer service.

Source: iTWire

Telstra accused of misleading customers on mobile phone rights

Telstra has been forced to review its handling of complaints about faulty mobile phones after an investigtion by the consumer watchdog uncovered 400 instances where customers may have been misled.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mon, 20th Oct 2014

Will metadata musings ever mature beyond paranoid fears?

Australia's metadata-retention debate needs more than just an injection of technical clue. Some nuanced political discussion, informed by history and the law, would also be handy.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra tries for digital intimacy in customer-first strategy

Telstra is angling for greater digital intimacy with its customer base as it opens its new generation flagship Sydney store and leverages Salesforce cloud infrastructure to drive a customer-first strategy.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Former AAPT CEO joins Nextgen Networks

Former AAPT CEO, David Yuile, has been appointed managing director of Nextgen Networks.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra unveils $112m Sydney HQ revamp

Telstra today cut the ribbon on its revamped Sydney headquarters, part of a $112 million refurbishment effort to remodel the centre into a "state-of-the-art customer technology hub".

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN rolls out FttN to 200,000 in NSW and Qld

Work is under way to bring the National Broadband Network to 200,000 homes and businesses in NSW and Queensland as the national trail enters a new phase, the company has said.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Yatango claims 'best value' 4G

Incumbent telcos have been over-charging consumers for too long, says upstart Yatango.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co names first 140 FTTN sites

NBN Co has listed the first 140 suburbs to receive fibre-to-the-node technology as part of the new-look multi-technology mix NBN rollout.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co begins first fibre-to-node rollout to 140 suburbs

NBN Co is set to begin its first fibre-to-the-node roll-out to 140 suburbs in NSW and Queensland as part of a trial to test technology which marries fibre optic cables with Telstra copper wires.

Source: ARN

Fri, 17th Oct 2014

Australia seeks cost limits for TPP piracy crackdown

ISPs should act on notices of copyright infringement, but not if it costs too much to implement, according to a new draft Trans-Pacific Partnership IP chapter leak.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Adelaide marches towards smart city without NBN

Adelaide's move towards a smart city was made easier by the town largely already having access to fibre, according to the South Australian Government.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Thu, 16th Oct 2014

Free international calls for Vodafone customers

From the 'it's our birthday so you get the presents' department: Vodafone is offering free international calls to selected destinations this weekend.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co takes Pipe Networks to court

NBN Co has opened a new front in its conflict with TPG over the telco's fibre-to-the-basement (FTTB) rollout.

Source: Computerworld

NBN fibre to the node trial reveals slower speeds

In contrast to NBN Co's own initial trial results, iiNet has revealed one customer was only able to get 50Mbps on their trial fibre to the node service.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Turnbull moves on TPG cherry picking

The Government has told TPG it must offer broadband services on the same basis and at the same price as the NBN, so that it cannot 'cherry pick' profitable customers.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 15th Oct 2014

Amazon Web Services to build two Sydney data centres

Cloud behemoth Amazon Web Services is constructing two large data centres of its own in Sydney, Australia.

Source: iTnews Australia

Google finds vulnerability in SSL web encryption

Google researchers have discovered a vulnerability in a version of the SSL (secure sockets layer) web encryption protocol which allows attackers to break its cryptographic security.

Source: iTnews Australia

$27 a month: Turnbull sets out rules to counter TPG FTTB threat to NBN

Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has published the draft licence condition for telcos that want to roll out infrastructure that competes with the National Broadband Network.

Source: Computerworld

Tue, 14th Oct 2014

Telstra says call centres must improve

Telstra CEO David Thodey has conceded that the company needs to look at the quality of its call centres, but intends to continue increasing the use of its offshore providers.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vodafone teams up with Spotify

Vodafone Australia and music streaming site Spotify have announced a deal that will give Vodafone customers access to Spotify music.

Source: iTWire

Vodafone launches new business plans

Vodafone Australia is trying hard. It has announced a new business product, Vodafone Red Business Grow, based on its successful Red consumer plans.

Source: iTWire

Google's public DNS goes offline

Google's public domain name system (DNS) service went offline yesterday in South East Asia and Australia/New Zealand regions, affecting a large number of users in the area.

Source: iTnews Australia