Broadband News

Thu, 05th Sep 2013

ispONE in massive debt pool, looks to sell iBOSS

Collapsed ISP ispONE went into administration owing tens of millions of dollars to around 80 creditors, and is attempting to sell off the profitable part of its business to pay back some of the debt.

Source: iTnews Australia

New Zealand sets low reserve in 4G spectrum auction

The New Zealand government has released details on its forthcoming radio spectrum auction, setting the reserve price for each 5MHz paired band at a low NZ$22 million (A$19 million).

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 04th Sep 2013

NBN rollout 'too slow' to remove Telstra regulation: iiNet

The retail competitors to Telstra have argued that regulation of the company's legacy fixed-line copper network needs to remain in place until construction of the NBN has been completed.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Australia, what do you think of the NBN?

A disparity exists between media representations and public perceptions of the NBN.

Source: PC Authority

Internet Industry Association calls for government action

The Internet Industry Association has called for immediate action to address Australia's "alarming" deterioration in digital competitiveness and innovation.

Source: ARN

Optus suffers overnight DNS outage

Overnight Australia's second-largest telecommunications provider suffered a major DNS outage affecting its website, corporate VPN, and IP services.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Australians still prefer public NBN: study

A team of researchers at the University of Melbourne and Swinburne University of Technology has found most Australians are still in favour of the national broadband network being an exercise in public enterprise, rather than private enterprise or a public-private partnership.

Source: iTnews Australia

Households $3800 better off with NBN: Deloitte

The national broadband network could save households thousands of dollars by the end of the decade through better productivity, cheaper communication and reduced travel costs.

Source: SMH

No NBN for you under Coalition - yet

Australia's largest cities may receive no broadband upgrade until 2017 under the Coalition's current NBN policy, because households already have access to cable networks installed in the 1990s.

Source: SMH

Tue, 03rd Sep 2013

AVM Fritz!Box 3390, First Take: concurrent dual-band, 3-stream 802.11n

AVM beefs up its range of 802.11n routers with a two-radio dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz), three-stream model that comfortably outperforms its single-radio predecessor.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Dick Smith launches post-paid 3G mobile

Dick Smith has introduced post-paid mobile plans, available at its stores throughout Australia. The operator will be Think Mobile.

Source: iTWire

Optus suffers large scale DNS outage

Optus is currently experiencing a large scale outage which has downed IP services and appears to be affecting several states across Australia.

Source: iTnews Australia

Queensland government selects Telstra to build wireless network

The Queensland government has chosen Telstra to build and operate a wireless network to improve emergency response times for public safety agencies.

Source: Computerworld

Optus hires new Networks director

Optus has appointed a former Ericsson and Vodafone Hutchison Australia executive to become the managing director for its Networks business.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mon, 02nd Sep 2013

NBN construction partner Silcar to cut 250 jobs

Major NBN construction contractor Silcar and its parent company Thiess will cut 250 jobs as part of an integration of the two companies.

Source: ZDNet Australia

The Complete NBN Guide

Alex Kidman weighs up the pros and cons of both the Labor Party solution and the proposed LNP alternative. If getting the right broadband network for the country is what you'll be voting for this election, this is what you need to know.

Source: PC Authority

NBN ISP warns of $4000 connection fee after election

An NBN internet service provider is warning customers they could be hit with a $4000 fee for Fibre-to-the-Home if they don’t connect before Saturday’s federal election.

Source: ARN

NBN Co deputy chair departs to contractor

NBN Co deputy chair Diane Smith-Gander has stepped down from her role to take up the position of chairman at NBN contractor Transfield Services.

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus cuts 157 jobs

Optus Singtel has confirmed it will slash 157 jobs following a strategic review of its operations announced in February.

Source: ARN

Albanese, Lundy slam coalition's 'no plan' ICT plan

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy Anthony Albanese and Minister Assisting for the Digital Economy Kate Lundy have taken aim at the Coalition's newly-announced ICT policy, saying the Coalition "still have no plan for our digital future."

Source: iTWire

Fri, 30th Aug 2013

iiNet completes Adam acquisition

iiNet has completed the $60 million acquisition of Adam Internet.

Source: Computerworld

EFA says vote Pirate Party or Greens

Digital rights lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia today released an election scorecard rating a number of national political parties on a range of policies relating to digital rights.

Source: iTWire

More Optus jobs up in the air after closure, outsourcing

Another 157 jobs at Optus hang in the balance after the telco closed a service centre and outsourced some IT functions to third-party vendors.

Source: Computerworld

Thu, 29th Aug 2013

Cable cut causes outage for Telstra customers

Telstra services for hundreds of customers in a Sydney suburb have been out for almost a week after a cable was cut on Saturday.

Source: iTnews Australia

Australian spies in global deal to tap undersea cables

The nation's electronic espionage agency, the Australian Signals Directorate, is in a partnership with British, American and Singaporean intelligence agencies to tap undersea fibre optic telecommunications cables that link Asia, the Middle East and Europe and carry much of Australia's international phone and internet traffic.

Source: SMH

ACMA issues warning to pre-paid calling card providers

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has today announced it has "taken action" against two pre-paid, international calling card providers, claiming they failed to make required critical information summaries available to Australian consumers.

Source: ARN

Wed, 28th Aug 2013

Turnbull's NBN claim over Telstra copper is not supported by logic

Malcolm Turnbull still believes Telstra will gift its supposedly worthless copper network to the Coalition for its FttN plan - but his reasons why, make no sense at all. With the election looming, has Turnbull simply abrogated any responsibility for NBN accuracy?

Source: ZDNet Australia

iiNet withdraws 20GB NBN satellite plan

iiNet has now withdrawn its 20GB NBN satellite plan from market, as ZDNet first had reported the company was planning to do.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Schools to receive NBN technology cash

Australian schools will be offered grants to buy video conferencing equipment to create virtual classrooms if Labor wins the election.

Source: ARN

iiNet removes 20GB NBN Satellite 2 plan

Internet service provider (ISP), iiNet, has taken its 20GB NBN Satellite 2 plan off the market, effective immediately.

Source: ARN