Broadband News

Wed, 23rd Jan 2013

MyNetFone enters OTT market

MyNetFone has entered the hotly contested mobile “over the top” marketplace with free Android and iOS apps enabling its customers to make low-cost calls using their mobile handsets.

Source: iTnews Australia

NT bus interchanges get free Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi access points will be available for commuters at bus interchanges in Darwin and the suburbs of Palmerston and Casuarina in the Northern Territory under a program to begin in mid-February.

Source: Computerworld

Tax threshold 'won't change web shoppers'

Lowering the tax-free threshold on goods purchased online will do little to change Australian's shopping behaviour, according to research by MasterCard.

Source: SMH

Wollongong, Point Cook roll out free wifi

Wollongong City Council has rolled out free wifi in the regional centre’s CBD.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 22nd Jan 2013

LTE subscribers will more than double this year, IHS iSuppli says

For every person using 4G LTE now, there will be at least one more subscriber by the end of this year, IHS iSuppli says.

Source: ARN

Pirate Party Australia focuses on Senate for federal election

Pirate Party Australia has successfully registered for the federal election, and is focusing on the Senate to potentially pick up seats this year.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Subsea cable operators moving to 100G

Cable system operators and their equipment vendors are exploring 100 gigabit per second upgrades for their networks despite research showing a flattening of bandwidth demand growth over the past two years.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mon, 21st Jan 2013

Wollongong gets free city Wi-Fi

Wollongong has joined the growing number of cities in Australia offering free Wi-Fi.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Review: Labs Brief: TP-Link AV500 Powerline Starter Kit

TP-Link's powerline starter kit is excellent for those with wireless-unfriendly houses.

Source: PC Authority

ACCC seeks special leave from High Court regarding TPG advertising

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is seeking a special leave of the High Court to appeal a Full Court of the Federal Court decision that has ruled TPG's advertisements for its Unlimited ADSL2+ broadband internet service were not misleading, disagreeing with an earlier penalising ruling by a trial judge.

Source: ARN

Vodafone feels the heat from customers over data charges

Vodafone has backed down from implementing proposed changes to charging in 1MB blocks due to pressure from customers.

Source: Computerworld

First NBN fibre rolled out in Penrith

Penrith residents will be able to able to connect to the NBN's broadband in the next few months.

Source: ARN

Sun, 20th Jan 2013

Vodafone backflips on data changes

Vodafone has backed down on changes that would have made some of its prepaid customers' data quota vanish quicker than usual from February 13 after customers "expressed concern" about them.

Source: SMH

Fri, 18th Jan 2013

ACCC seeks TPG High Court appeal

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has announced that it will appeal a court decision that found that most of TPG's broadband ads were not misleading.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN fixed wireless locations announced for SA

Fixed wireless locations for the National Broadband Network (NBN) have been announced for South Australia.

Source: Computerworld

NBN arrives in Western Sydney

NBN Co is finalising construction of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Blacktown, with fibre optic cable hauled into completed fibre pits off Blacktown Road.

Source: iTnews Australia

ACCC seeks to take TPG to High Court over broadband ads

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is seeking leave to take internet service provider TPG to the High Court.

Source: Computerworld

Australia lends comms support for satellite switch-off

Geoscience Australia providing communications support for the decommissioning of an Earth observation satellite that has been capturing image data for 25 years beyond its expected design life.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 17th Jan 2013

Lockyer Valley to receive $665k for NBN training services

The local community of Lockyer Valley will get more than $665,000 and free expert advice for embracing the National Broadband Network (NBN), as part of the Gillard Government's new training program.

Source: ARN

Telstra and Visionstream sign $90m NBN contract

Telstra has signed a $90 million National Broadband Network (NBN) contract with Visionstream to provision services for the network.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra expands 4G data speed horizons

Telstra is pursuing international roaming agreements in countries that have 4G networks compatible with its own to allow customers access to faster data rates when they are overseas.

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 16th Jan 2013

Anittel connects first NBN commercial service in Armidale

The two-year contract was finalised late last year and the NBN connection went live in November.

Source: ARN

Internode offers Fringe Favourites service

As part of its Adelaide Fringe Festival sponsorship, Internet service provider (ISP), Internode, has launched a free Web-based ‘Fringe Favourites’ service that enables attendees to plan and share their festival itineraries.

Source: ARN

ACMA to upgrade spectrum monitor system

Australia's communications regulator is pushing ahead with a major overhaul of the infrastructure it uses to keep tabs on spectrum usage and to identify sources of interference.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 15th Jan 2013

Vodafone Australia brings an end to Crazy John's

Vodafone has announced that it will put an end to the Crazy John's brand and close a number of its stores from February 20, 2013.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN training centre launched in Adelaide

An National Broadband Network (NBN) training centre in Adelaide has been opened today.

Source: Computerworld

Perth-Singapore cable severed

A cut in the Sea-Me-We 3 cable between Perth and Singapore is causing Australian providers to re-route traffic and is causing email issues for New Zealand's largest telco, Telecom NZ.

Source: iTnews Australia

Sea-Me-We 3 undersea cable cut

An undersea cable between Australia and Singapore has been cut, affecting Telecom Xtra customers.

Source: Computerworld

Password life expectancy down to seconds

End-user generated passwords continue to have little defense against hackers, according to Deloitte Canada.

Source: ZDNet Australia

"Sneaky" Telstra phishing email does the rounds

A "particularly sneaky" phishing email is doing the rounds of Telstra customers. The email says that the recipient's online bill is now available and directs the customer to click on an attachment.

Source: Computerworld