Broadband News

Fri, 22nd Mar 2013

Telstra reigns in nebulous NBN migration talk

Telstra has sought to upend what it sees as increasingly irrelevant discussion about the 'pull through' copper-to-fibre migration technique.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN fibre splicers in strong demand

As part of its efforts to recover from a three-month delay NBN Co yesterday announced it will train and employ extra fibre splicers.

Source: Computerworld

Thu, 21st Mar 2013

NBN Co to miss June fibre target

NBN Co has downgraded the number of premises it expects to pass with fibre by the end of June to between 190,000 and 220,000.

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus sheds 290 jobs

Optus has confirmed it will cut around 290 jobs as part of a restructure initially flagged last month.

Source: Computerworld

NBN Co names new chairperson

Ten Network Holdings director, Siobhan McKenna, has joined NBN Co as its newest chairperson.

Source: ARN

TPG to offer consumers 'military grade' data security

TPG is to offer its business and consumer customers "military grade" security of their data under a partnership with Cocoon Data Holdings, a company founded in Australia but now headquartered in the US. It has made an investment in Cocoon and has forged a technical partnership with Cocoon and its subsidiaries, Covata Australia and Covata USA.

Source: iTWire

TPG to bid for spectrum?

ISP TPG has emerged as a possible bidder for some of the 'digital dividend' spectrum to be auctioned off next month.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co's contract crisis

When NBN Co pushed back on the prices it was offered by construction companies in 2011, NBN Co's Terry Brown said the organisation was building an national broadband network, "but not at any price".

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 20th Mar 2013

Conroy media reforms could harm Internet investment: IIA

The proposed media reforms drafted by Broadband Minister Senator Conroy and currently being rushed through Parliament could harm Internet investment if passed into law the peak Internet industry body in Australia warned today.

Source: iTWire

Telstra eyes Perth-Singapore fibre link

Telstra has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with SubPartners to acquire capacity on the APX West submarine cable connecting Perth to Singapore.

Source: Computerworld

Conroy skirts commitment to NBN target

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has avoided directly answering questions in the Senate over whether NBN Co remains on track to pass 286,000 premises with fibre cables by the end of June.

Source: iTnews Australia

Beyond limits: Kogan Mobile under fire

Outspoken technology entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan is under fire over his new mobile plans after disconnecting customers for sending too many texts or making too many calls on supposedly "unlimited" plans.

Source: SMH

Antarctic division asks for fibre optic cable

Australia’s Antarctic division is hoping to buy a fibre optic cable to link its ice breaker ship and towed environmental sampling devices.

Source: iTnews Australia

Should NBN Co be reporting more frequently?

The outside disclosure of the number of premises that NBN Co has passed with fibre has revealed that NBN Co isn't being completely transparent.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Syntheo exits NT NBN build

Syntheo will hand construction of the National Broadband Network in the Northern Territory to NBN Co, the company announced this morning.

Source: Computerworld

Telcos given till next year to pay for wireless spectrum

Telco’s participating in the digital dividend auction have been given until the second half of next year to make final payments for spectrum licenses won.

Source: ARN

Tue, 19th Mar 2013

Conroy in hot water again, this time over NBN rollout shortfall

Once called the most incompetent Telecommunications Minister ever to hold the office by iiNet chief executive Michael Malone, Senator Stephen Conroy is once again in the news for all the wrong reasons. This time the issue is the hopelessly behind schedule fibre rollout of the National Broadband Network.

Source: iTWire

Telcos win reprieve over 4G spectrum payments

The Federal Government has given carriers and other bidders at least another year to make final payments on any digital dividend spectrum they win at auction in April.

Source: iTnews Australia

iiNet wants the NBN faster

iiNet announced it now has 10,000 customers on the National Broadband Network (NBN), but speculation around further downgrades in NBN Co targets would be disappointing, according to the ISP.

Source: Computerworld

iiNet hits NBN milestone

Internet service provider (ISP), iiNet, has reached an NBN milestone, connecting over 10,000 customers across fibre, satellite, and fixed wireless services.

Source: ARN

TPG profits soar on back of ADSL, mobile growth

Internet service provider TPG today reported accelerated growth among its mobile subscribers, adding 48,000 mobile customers in the six months to January 31. The new mobile subscribers represent close to 16 per cent of the company's entire mobile subscriber base of 303,000.

Source: Computerworld

Mon, 18th Mar 2013

NBN 'too expensive' for TV networks

The National Broadband Network (NBN) will hurt regional broadcasters and TV stations should get free access to the network, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes has said.

Source: ARN

NBN rollout continues to lag

New figures published by small National Broadband Network provider Devoted NBN shows that the fibre network has only passed 1,400 more existing premises so far this year.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra sports new changes to its Foxtel on T-Box

Telstra today announced a slew of changes to its Foxtel on T-Box service, including adding Fox Sports 1, 2 and 3 to the Sport package.

Source: iTWire

SingTel to review Optus Satellite

SingTel will undertake a review of its Optus Satellite business, the company told shareholders this morning.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra fibre successful at 1Tbps

Telstra’s fibre optic network has successfully reached 1Tbps following trials by Ericsson.

Source: Computerworld

M2 to acquire Dodo; makes an offer to Eftel

M2 Telecommunications will acquire Dodo for $203.9 million and make an off-market takeover offer for Eftel for 35.81 cents per share, implying a total enterprise value of $44.1 million.

Source: Computerworld

Fri, 15th Mar 2013

Backwards attitude to online identity erodes our power

Demanding that people use their real names to access internet services, except in special circumstances, is a dramatic, but largely undiscussed shift of power away from individuals to corporations and governments.

Source: ZDNet Australia

TPG, Telstra change 'unfair' customer contracts

Australia's consumer watchdog has found the telecommunications industry most guilty of having customers agree to contract terms that allow the business to change without their consent.

Source: iTnews Australia

Visionstream wins NBN contract worth up to $1 billion

Visionstream has won a National Broadband Network (NBN) contract worth up to $1 billion.

Source: Computerworld