Broadband News

Tue, 14th May 2013

Virgin launches 13GB postpaid 4G broadband offering

Optus subsidiary Virgin Mobile has launched a 4G postpaid mobile broadband service on a $59, 12-month plan that includes 13GB of data.

Source: Computerworld

Mon, 13th May 2013

Optus lowers entry barrier to Naked broadband

Optus has introduced an entry-level Naked broadband service as one of several changes to its fixed-line product portfolio.

Source: iTnews Australia

M2 closes Eftel offer

M2 Telecommunications has closed its offer to acquire ordinary shares in Eftel, with more than 98 per cent of Eftel shareholders accepting the offer.

Source: Computerworld

.melbourne domain gets ICANN approval

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has signed off on the creation of a new .melbourne top-level domain, with the new TLD passing ICANN's initial evaluation process.

Source: Computerworld

Optus adds new broadband and voice plans

Optus has unveiled a new range of fixed line broadband and voice plans.

Source: ARN

Turnbull says Telstra will hand over its copper

A key aspect of the Opposition's alternative NBN plan is to use Telstra's existing copper from node to premises.

Source: iTWire

Govt warns ACCC against NBN price tinkering

The department of one of NBN Co's shareholder ministers has warned the ACCC against over-zealous intervention in NBN Co's affairs.

Source: iTnews Australia

Fri, 10th May 2013

Five things to know about 802.11ac

The latest iteration of Wi-Fi, 802.11ac, will eventually replace 802.11n as the dominant standard. Here are 5 things you need to know:

Source: APC Magazine

NBN speed site misleading, says Turnbull

COMMENT: Does Malcolm Turnbull write his own blog? We got 3,000 words from the former journalist yesterday. Most of them are spot on.

Source: iTWire

Optus takes on not-for-profit MVNO

A not-for-profit organisation has partnered with Optus to launch Australia's first telco aimed squarely at disabled users.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 09th May 2013

Union to deliver NBN asbestos report

Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and companies rolling out the $37.4 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) in Tasmania will receive a report on asbestos issues with the project's construction on Thursday.

Source: Computerworld

NBN Co addresses ACCC concerns on undertaking

NBN Co has outlined how it plans to address the competition regulators remaining concerns surrounding the special access undertaking that sets out how the company will operate for the next 30 years.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Wed, 08th May 2013

So, just how fast is the NBN?

A new tool is finally pointing out the key differences between the Labor and Coalition NBN plans - and it seems to be well and truly clicking with voters.

Source: iTWire

Government funds nine NBN-based telehealth projects

The Gillard Government is investing $20.3 million in nine telehealth projects which will use the National Broadband Network (NBN) to pilot new methods of healthcare delivery.

Source: ARN

NBN speed test website draws quick fire

Less than a day after launching his NBN comparison website, a Liberal-leaning university student has been hailed on social media, accused of being a covert agent for the Labor Party and taken a verbal slap from Malcolm Turnbull.

Source: SMH

Turnbull criticises spectrum auction

Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull has criticised the Digital Dividend spectrum auction, labeling it as another fiscal failure of the Gillard Government.

Source: iTWire

Kordia lands NBN design subcontract

Downer EDI has outsourced the design works for a $94 million NBN contract in Northern NSW to Kordia's Australian arm.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 07th May 2013

Spectrum analysis - Will TPG be our next major telco?

Vodafone did not bid in the spectrum auction, but TPG has secured spectrum bandwidth for the first time. What does this mean for the future of Australian telecommunications?

Source: iTWire

Vodafone taps Cisco for 4G network analytics, traffic management

Cisco will provide the mobile multimedia core platform for Vodafone Hutchison Australia's 4G LTE network, Cisco has announced.

Source: Computerworld

Rural eHealth would benefit more from fibre NBN than wireless: Allocate

Having wireless for eHealth in rural area is not as preferable as having the fibre NBN, according to Allocate Software A/NZ general manager, Peter Croft.

Source: ARN

iiNet wants more control over NBN speeds

iiNet's Steve Dalby has called for more control for RSPs on the NBN to create their own plans for the network based on different speeds and not just what NBN Co offers.

Source: Computerworld

TPG - Australia's fourth largest mobile operator?

It wouldn’t be an unrealistic achievement if TPG wants to become the country’s fourth largest mobile network operator (MNO) after its surprise participation in the 4G spectrum auction, according to analyst firm, Ovum.

Source: ARN

Has Turnbull already negotiated FttN NBN concessions with Telstra?

Stephen Conroy and Malcolm Turnbull's online debate proved that there's no love lost between the two NBN visionaries — and that Turnbull's strategy is based on blind optimism about Telstra's generosity.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra, Optus, TPG buy $2bn of mobile spectrum

Telstra, Optus and TPG Internet have collectively snapped up almost $2 billion of spectrum for future mobile data services, but not all the so-called 'waterfront' assets sold at auction.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra, Optus and TPG successful bidders in digital dividend auction

Telstra, Optus and TPG have secured wireless spectrum in the digital dividend auction, collectively forking out just under $2 billion, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has revealed.

Source: ARN

Mon, 06th May 2013

Telstra fingered in secretive NBN POI survey

A regulatory survey to gauge industry participation at NBN points of interconnect will progress out of public view, though Telstra is fingered by some ISPs as a source of some early problems.

Source: iTnews Australia

Conroy and Turnbull lock horns over NBN

Minister for broadband and communications, Stephen Conroy, and coalition communications spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, have spelled out their differences over the NBN issues in an online forum, Communications Debate.

Source: ARN

Future NBN Co tasked with meeting Coalition's speed pledge

Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull will leave it to a future NBN Co to find a technical solution to deliver a minimum downlink of 25 Mbps and determine appropriate uplink speeds on a reformatted National Broadband Network.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN switches on Blacktown; launch suffers a tech fault

Blacktown is Sydney's first brownfield suburb to be switched on to the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Source: Computerworld

1.35 million premises added to NBN construction timetable

NBN Co has unveiled the names of the communities that are next in line to receive high-speed fibre optic broadband.

Source: ARN