Broadband News

Thu, 23rd May 2013

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

'New world record' for wireless data

A week after Samsung's supposed 5G breakthrough, German researchers have announced 40 Gbps wireless, comparable to speeds reached by fibre.

Source: iTWire

What's life really like on the NBN? (Part II)

Kiama is perhaps best known for its ocean views and a blowhole that spouts water up to 25m in the air.

Source: Computerworld

Aussie ISPs still seeing users with Zeus infections

Variants of the Zeus banking trojan account for the majority of malware infections in Australia, despite concerted attempts to disable the threat, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra continues with billion dollar 4G plan

Telstra has reached a milestone in its billion dollar 4G expansion program, switching on its 1500th 4G base station.

Source: Computerworld

Mon, 20th May 2013

Carriers attack NBN Co's 'lack of urgency'

NBN Co is under fire from Optus and the Competitive Carriers Coalition over allegations it is dragging out the finalisation of its special access undertaking.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telcos accuse NBN Co of pushing SAU delays

NBN Co's lengthy response to suggested changes to its special access undertaking has been met with criticism by retail service providers.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Canberra gets first Optus TD-LTE services

Optus has launched TD-LTE mobile services in Canberra for data only: it will offer a TD-LTE dongle and TD-LTE pocket WiFi hotspot, both will operate on HSPA+ or 3G networks outside TD-LTE coverage areas.

Source: iTWire

Freedom Cable yanks Australia from subsea rollout

Freedom Cable is pulling the pin on an extension of its subsea fibre optic cable proposal to Australia, after apparently failing to secure $50 million in financial backing.

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus reveals Australia's first multi-band 4G network

SingTel subsidiary, Optus, has revealed plans to launch the country’s first multi-band TD/FD- LTE 4G network.

Source: ARN

Beware your digital footprint

Australians are becoming increasingly complacent about the digital footprint they leave behind. A major survey reveals that most are unsure how many websites hold their personal information.

Source: iTWire

Fri, 17th May 2013

NBN Co wants block on Telstra disconnection processes

NBN Co is attempting to have the competition watchdog block several disconnection measures that Telstra re-drafted last month.

Source: iTnews Australia

Inside Telstra's super-fast 4G rollout

Telstra's 4G upgrades are occurring in the unlikeliest of places. Even retirement homes.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co connects largest high-rise apartment to the NBN

NBN Co has connected a 36-storey apartment building in Australia to the National Broadband Network (NBN). The building is the largest multi-dwelling unit (MDU) to be hooked up to the network to date.

Source: Computerworld

DNS DDoS attacks skyrocket

Denial of service attacks using the domain name system (DNS) have reached epidemic proportions with the number of incidents quadrupling last year, the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre or RIPE NCC warns.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 16th May 2013

Federal government slammed for blocking websites

The blocking of 1200 websites by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has set off calls for tighter controls on the federal government.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra - sorry we leaked your data

Telstra has apologised for leaking customer data online. It is not the first time it has happened, and it is unlikely to be the last.

Source: iTWire

Non-profit NBN ISP overcomes IPv4 address shortage

Victorian co-operative No ISP has so far struggled to sign up customers to the National Broadband Network (NBN), having to deal with the shortage of available IPv4 addresses and a lack of premises hooked up to the fibre network.

Source: Computerworld