Broadband News

Thu, 10th Jul 2014

iiNet joins web giants to condemn secret TPP talks

Australian internet service provider iiNet has joined a list of 100 global businesses, including some of the world’s largest web companies, to condemn provisions proposed in the secretive trans-pacific partnership (TPP) they say will significantly constrain legitimate online activity and innovation.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN FTTN's power bill: $89m a year?

The Coalition government's decision to switch the fixed line element of the National Broadband Network from being primarily fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) to a mix of technologies, notably fibre-to-the-node for brownfields premises, has not been without its critics.

Source: Computerworld

Alcatel-Lucent hits 10 Gbps over copper

Bell Labs, the research arm of Alcatel-Lucent, says it has set a new broadband speed record of 10 Gbps using traditional copper telephone lines.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 09th Jul 2014

APX-West and APX-Central slated to land at NextDC's P1

NextDC's Perth data centre, P1, will be the landing station for the APX-West and APX-Central cables under a plan unveiled today by SubPartners.

Source: Computerworld

Vodafone marks the end of Crazy John's

Iconic Australian mobile phone retailer, Crazy John's, will cease to exist on September 30 after more than 23 years of business.

Source: ARN

Netgear X6 is the world's first AC3200 router

As the successor to last-year's well-received Nighthawk R7000,The new Netgear X6-R8000 is a router that comes with a pretty high pedigree.

Source: APC Magazine

Tue, 08th Jul 2014

'Voluntary' oversight for Australian agencies blocking sites

Australian government agencies are under no obligation to inform the Department of Communications when they ask ISPs to block websites, despite controversy over the practice.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Turnbull announces Triple Zero review

Australians in emergency situations could soon be using Triple Zero in a whole way, with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull announcing a review into the system and how it could be better used to take advantage of modern mobile technologies.

Source: iTWire

Telstra pumps millions of dollars into Adelaide Oval

Australia's biggest telco Telstra has unveiled plans to turn Adelaide Oval into one of the country's most technically advanced connected stadiums, through a boost in mobile capacity and a 'Telstra Plaza' upgrade.

Source: iTWire

Mon, 07th Jul 2014

How the Australian government can block sites without 'filtering'

If the Australian government is so concerned about websites "radicalising" young Muslims, but wants to avoid another internet filter controversy, we are returning to the unresolved tensions surrounding Section 313 notices.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN announcement cost AAPT $1 billion: ex-CEO

Paul Broad, the former CEO of AAPT and fierce Labor NBN critic has claimed that the project cost his former company AU$1 billion.

Source: ZDNet Australia

YouTube naming and shaming 'slow' ISPs

Google-owned video sharing service YouTube has followed fellow video service Netflix and is now publicly naming and ISPs, including Australian providers, who are guilty of providing slow download speeds.

Source: iTWire

Choice lauds NZ ISP's anti-geo-blocking service

Australian consumer advocacy group Choice has welcomed an announcement by New Zealand Internet service provider Slingshot of a service that makes it easier to access overseas streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer.

Source: Computerworld

Police scoop up data on thousands in mobile phone 'tower dumps' to track down criminals

Australian federal and state police are ordering phone providers to hand over personal information about thousands of mobile phone users, whether they are targets of an investigation or not.

Source: SMH

Fri, 04th Jul 2014

Dodo and iPrimus lead M2 customer growth

M2 CEO Geoff Horth has said that the organic growth of 70,000 broadband subscribers in the last financial year dispels the myth that the company will only grow through acquisitions.

Source: ZDNet Australia

M2 grows broadband, slows mobile decline

M2 Group has added more than 50,000 new customers for its telecom services despite a decline in its mobile business.

Source: Computerworld

Thu, 03rd Jul 2014

Teens big users of mobile Internet - but online less than adults

The number of Australia teenagers accessed the Internet with their mobile phones has trebled over the last four years.

Source: iTWire

Telstra-NBN battle over CPI indexing back in court

Telstra's long running battle with NBN Co over CPI indexation dates has entered a new phase, with Telstra finally getting its day in court.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 02nd Jul 2014

Vodafone revamps data offering in 4G focus

Vodafone has announced a raft of new products that see the company ramp up its data offering, as it works to encourage customers to adopt its 4G network.

Source: ZDNet Australia

iiNet's Malone sells off majority stake

ISP iiNet can no longer count its founder as the company's major shareholder after Michael Malone today reduced his stake to less than five percent.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra kicks ACCC out of exchange fees fight

Telstra has successfully removed the nation's consumer watchdog from an ongoing pricing dispute with its wholesale providers, today winning a legal challenge over the ACCC's ability to intervene.

Source: iTnews Australia

Why do online pirates continue to sail the web?

Bickering between content makers and ISPs continues to frustrate attempts to reduce illegal downloading.

Source: ABC News

Unlimited and terrabyte plans in little demand: iiNet

Less than 5 percent of iiNet's customer base have taken up a broadband plan that offers more than 500GB a month, the company's chief regulatory officer Steve Dalby has revealed.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Not so splendid: Telstra looked to charge festival for mobile coverage

Telstra sought to charge promoters of the Splendour in the Grass music festival to supply mobile cells on wheels to the festival's grounds north of Byron Bay.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vocus Communications confirms acquisition of FX Networks

Vocus Communications (ASX: VOC) has confirmed that it will acquire New Zealand-based fibre provider FX Networks for $107.7 million (NZ$115.8 million).

Source: Computerworld

NBN Co to launch fibre-to-the-basement in 2015

NBN Co will launch its fibre-to-the-basement service five months later later than expected.

Source: ARN

Tue, 01st Jul 2014

No competition policy reform needed: NBN Co

NBN Co believes the existing competition policy is providing the organisation with sufficient structure and regulation that allows it to even out the playing field to the telecommunications market.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Free mobile calls to 1800 numbers coming

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced that call charges from mobile phones to 1800 numbers will be free, and those to 13/1300 numbers will be charged similarly to calls from landlines.

Source: iTWire

Botched Telstra upgrade downs Cabcharge network

Taxi passengers across Australia were forced to pay their fares in cash or with old-fashioned credit card facilities after a Telstra network outage took Cabcharge EFTPOS terminals offline this morning.

Source: iTnews Australia

NZ govt takes anchor tenancy on Hawaiki cable

The New Zealand government today announced it has signed up for capacity on the trans-Pacific Hawaiki data communications cable, and will become an anchor tenant once the link is constructed.

Source: iTnews Australia