Broadband News
Wed, 23rd Jul 2014
Australia drops in OECD broadband rankings
Australia has dropped from 18th to 21st in the OECD rankings for fixed broadband penetration for the last six months of 2013.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra to shutter 2G network by the end of 2016
Telstra has sounded the death knell for its legacy 2G network, announcing plans to close it down at the end of 2016.
Source: ZDNet Australia
More mobile gadgets than people? Seven countries - including Australia - now qualify
Wireless broadband subscriptions now outnumber people in seven countries as consumers continue to snap up smartphones and tablets, according to a new report.
Source: Computerworld
Vodafone relying on high-value subscribers amid 137,000 customer loss
Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA)'s former boss, Bill Morrow, expected the telecommunications provider's subscriber loss to halt by mid-2014, but the company continues to feel the aftermath of its 2010 outages.
Source: ARN
Vodafone still bleeding mobile customers
Vodafone Australia has not yet been able to stem the tide of mobile user losses despite a dedicated turnaround effort, losing a further 137,000 mobile subscribers in the six months to June 30.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 22nd Jul 2014
NBN: Nothing, But Nothing is happening
You know the NBN is dead when not even the FttN haters bother to shellac Malcolm Turnbull's blogs. As Telstra reasserts control over the NBN and the Coalition government flounders, can we actually expect anything from the NBN anymore?
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wilkie reveals NBN Co's Tasmanian deal with Visionstream
Independent MP for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has shed light on some of the issues plaguing the rollout of the fibre to the premises network in Tasmania by construction contractor Visionstream, and the steps NBN Co has implemented to fix it.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Stealthy Web tracking tools pose increasing privacy risks to users
Three stealthy tracking mechanisms designed to avoid weaknesses in browser cookies pose potential privacy risks to Internet users, a new research paper has concluded.
Source: ARN
NBN Co launches stop-gap satellite service
NBN Co has begun accepting registrations for its subsidised satellite broadband service. The new service is designed to connect the 9000 households and businesses in remote areas of Australia that are currently unable to access NBN Co's Interim Satellite Service.
Source: Computerworld
Netflix 'to launch in Australia' - but does it matter?
US streaming video supplier Netflix is planning to launch in Australia, holding talks with local content suppliers. So say the continuing rumours, but the ground is shifting under its feet and it may be too late.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co offers new satellite service for remote users
NBN Co will provide a new satellite broadband service to up to 9000 premises in remote areas of mainland Australia to reach customers not covered by the over-subscribed Interim Satellite Service (ISS).
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 21st Jul 2014
Data retention: iiNet raises spectre of 'surveillance tax' for ISP customers
Internet service provider iiNet has hit out at confirmation that the government is actively considering a mandatory data retention scheme under which ISPs and telcos may be forced to keep records on their customers' online activities.
Source: Computerworld
Optus gets ACMA nod for early 700MHz 4G launch in Darwin and Perth
The central business districts (CBDs) of Darwin and Perth have gained a head start in commercial access to Optus’ 700MHz-based 4G, with the telecommunications provider having switched on the network today.
Source: ARN
Optus, Telstra secure early 4G 700MHz launch
The first commercial services for 4G in the 700MHz spectrum band are expected to be launched this week by both Optus and Telstra in Darwin, Perth, Fremantle, Mt Isa, Mildura, Griffith, and Esperance, following commercial licence grants by the ACMA.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Data retention isn't Big Brother: ASIO chief
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General David Irvine has said critics of the controversial data retention proposals fail to understand the safeguards in place.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 17th Jul 2014
Turnbull establishes inquiry into government website blocking
Australian Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has established an inquiry into the use of the controversial Section 313 of the Telecommunications Act that allows government agencies to have content removed from the internet.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co loses $200m pricing dispute with Telstra
Telstra has successfully sued NBN Co over a $200 million pricing dispute arising from how much NBN Co should pay for access to Telstra’s pits, pipes, ducts and exchanges.
Source: iTnews Australia
Senate's NBN committee wins second reprieve
A motion by Liberal Party Senator Cory Bernardi to replace the Senate's National Broadband Network committee and replace it with a government-dominated committee has been deferred for a second time.
Source: Computerworld
Govt fails to win votes for NBN committee restructure
Australia's Coalition Government has been forced to put off a planned restructure of the Senate Select Committee investigating the national broadband network after failing to convince cross benchers to vote for the motion.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vertigan panel sees no need to tighten NBN wholesale rules
The first report out of the NBN Panel of Experts, appointed by the government to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the National Broadband Network, has rejected calls by telcos to further strengthen the rules that restrict NBN Co to wholesale-only operations.
Source: Computerworld
Wed, 16th Jul 2014
Coalition MPs kill FTTP bill for Tasmania
The Coalition majority of a Senate committee investigating whether the Government should mandate the rollout of fibre to Tasmanian premises has recommended the bill be scrapped, but the committee's Labor minority is continuing to push for its passage into law.
Source: iTnews Australia
Coalition and Palmer United to axe Labor-Greens NBN committee
The Coalition is set to dismantle the Labor-Greens majority NBN Senate committee in favour of a joint committee dominated by government MPs, with the help of Palmer United Party senators.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Libs move to restructure NBN senate committee
Liberal senator Cory Bernardi will today move a motion to disband the current Senate Select Committee investigating the NBN in favour of a majority Liberal panel.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 15th Jul 2014
Cheap, quick and reliable fibre to the premises possible: NBN Co chief
NBN Co has met with a manufacturer promising a cheaper way to deploy fibre-to-the-premisess broadband services and said the technology could be deployed in areas where fibre-to-the-node services were not feasible.
Source: SMH
Australian govt says data retention won't be like failed EU directive
Talking points obtained under Freedom of Information state that any mandatory data retention regime in Australia would be different to the European directive that was thrown out by the European Court of Justice.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Mon, 14th Jul 2014
Bring on data retention before terrorist attack: Labor MP
Australian Labor MP and the chair of the committee that investigated Australia's telecommunications interception laws has called for the Coalition government to bring on data retention legislation.
Source: ZDNet Australia
iiNet confirms David Buckingham as Michael Malone's permanent successor
A unanimous decision by the iiNet board has resulted in the permanent appointment of David Buckingham as CEO.
Source: ARN
NBN is ridiculous: Murdoch
Former Australian media tycoon Rupert Murdoch said over the weekend that mobile technology has made the need for an NBN redundant.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Cheap, quick and reliable fibre to the premise possible: NBN Co chief
NBN Co has met with a manufacturer promising a cheaper way to deploy fibre-to-the-premise broadband services and said the technology could be deployed in areas where fibre-to-the-node services were not feasible.
Source: SMH
NBN's $3 million man exceeds lowered expectations
It has been revealed that NBN Co's new CEO Bill Morrow is being paid around $3 million a year. The NBN is exceeding its targets - but they are artificially low.
Source: iTWire