Broadband News
Tue, 28th May 2013
No 'coordinated government filter agency': Conroy
There is no centralised Australian government department overseeing agencies' use of powers to block websites, according to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telco issued ACMA warning for TCP code breach
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a warning to Southern Cross Telco for contravening the Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) code for emailing invoices to more than 1000 consumers who weren't the account holder.
Source: Computerworld
NBN Co to beat its June rollout target
NBN Co is on track to beat its revised June rollout targets by up to 13,000 premises, an analysis by iTnews can reveal.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC to review mobile termination access service
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is seeking submissions to a public inquiry into the domestic mobile termination access service, or MTAS.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co wins right to fast-track users onto fibre
NBN Co will receive a major boost to its take-up numbers in the crucial months leading up to the election after quietly receiving regulatory approval to open more partially-built areas to retail internet services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 27th May 2013
AusBBS adds unlimited NBN plans to arsenal
ISP AusBBS is confident it can shield its new range of unlimited-quota NBN fibre plans from bandwidth-hungry internet users such products have attracted in the past.
Source: iTnews Australia
7 ways to maximise your Wi-Fi speeds
So you have your new 802.11ac or 802.11n routers and adapter ready to go. Now you just have to set up your home for optimal wireless performance.
Source: APC Magazine
Vodafone - light at the end of a dark tunnel?
Staff in Vodafone's Sydney office have been told there is to be a staff announcement this week. We thought it might be bad news. Vodafone says not.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co has been 'very transparent': Conroy
Senator Stephen Conroy has cited NBN Co's public downgrade in February of its construction targets as an example of openness by the government-owned company.
Source: Computerworld
AusBBS launches unlimited NBN plans
Australian Broadband Services (AusBBS) has released unlimited National Broadband Network (NBN) plans.
Source: Computerworld
Fibre optic breakthrough a win for enterprise
Australian head offices connected by undersea and intercity fibre optic cable could one day receive much faster connectivity thanks to a breakthrough from researchers at Bell Labs.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 24th May 2013
Telstra unveils CAT4 4G wi-fi dongle combo
Telstra has launched a new 4G dongle that doubles up as a wi-fi hotspot.
Source: ZDNet Australia
US ISP to rip out Huawei equipment
Huawei's bad luck in the US continues, after wireless ISP Clearwire announced it will reduce the amount of equipment from the Chinese telco vendor it uses in its TDD-LTE network rollout due to national security concerns.
Source: iTnews Australia
Get it while you can – kits to help small businesses benefit from the NBN
The Minister Communications, Senator Stephen Conroy, has announced that the Government will provide $5 million to develop sector-specific ‘Digital Business Kits’ to help small to medium sized enterprises take advantage of the National Broadband Network.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 23rd May 2013
Signs point to NBN construction ramp-up
Figures released last week showed that NBN Co passed 22,100 brownfield premises with fibre in the first three months of 2013, but can the company make up the gap to meet its targets by the end of June?
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN subcontractor rips up pipes
An furious NBN subcontractor has ripped equipment out of the ground over a pay dispute, tearing out pipes laid just six weeks ago in Adelaide.
Source: iTWire
More NBN training hubs launched in Adelaide
Seven new digital hubs which promote the benefits of the National Broadband Network (NBN) have been launched in Adelaide.
Source: Computerworld
Union to meet with Telstra as telecom job cuts pile up
The Communications Workers Union, the communications branch of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU), plans to meet with Telstra on Tuesday to learn more about the telco's restructuring plans and what they mean for industry jobs, according to CWU national assistant secretary Ken Hardisty.
Source: Computerworld
Vodafone loses 216,000 more customers - this year so far
Vodafone has announced its global annual results. Australia continues to be the worst performing country, with another 216,000 customers lost so far this year.
Source: iTWire
Telstra to 'restructure' landline jobs
A memo from Telstra chief operations officer has told staff to expect job cuts in its fixed line operations, which continue to lose ground to mobile.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 22nd May 2013
iiNet open to Coalition NBN offers
iiNet would be willing to sell more of its infrastructure, including its extensive fibre to the node network to a Coalition government, should the party win the September federal election.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co buys $9 million worth of iiNet fibre
NBN Co today bought iiNet's fibre-to-the-home network in the ACT for $9 million in cash, in a big expansion play for the NBN.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co buys TransACT FTTP network in ACT
NBN Co has bought TransACT/iiNet's fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network in the ACT for about $9 million.
Source: ARN
ACMA shops 'freephone' charge changes
Australia's communications regulator is shopping a draft variation to its numbering plan that would make 18/1800 numbers free to call from mobile phones by January 2015.
Source: iTnews Australia
Google technology advocate sends NBN safety message
Australian information security professionals need to step up and protect consumers against the many threats that will be enabled by the national broadband network, according to Google chief technology advocate Michael T. Jones.
Source: iTnews Australia
Stop charging for privacy, ACCAN tells Telstra
Consumer body ACCAN is calling on the Government to ban Telstra's $36 a year Silent Line fee, which landline customers have to pay to keep their phone number private.
Source: iTWire
Vodafone still losing Australian customers
Customers continue to desert Vodafone's Australian operation in droves according to the latest set of group financials from the global mobile giant.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 21st May 2013
City Circle mobile coverage a 15-year project
Optus says the project that brought mobile phone coverage into Sydney's train tunnels was 15 years in the making.
Source: ARN
First NBN fibre extension completed
A business in Tasmania was the first to take up NBN Co on its user-pays offer to extend fibre beyond the 93 percent footprint.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACMA goes public with ISP malware statistics
Although ISPs and network operators have had access to the rough figures of malware infections for some time, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has now begun publishing the statistics for the public.
Source: ZDNet Australia