Broadband News

Wed, 16th Feb 2022

NBN Co wants to test how much extra users will pay for 100Mbps

NBN Co is hoping to use a proposed new pricing model to test how much more it can acceptably charge users for a 100Mbps service.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co reveals just 20 FTTN premises upgraded to full fibre in trial

NBN Co has upgraded just 20 premises from copper connections to full fibre as part of a trial, filling less than five percent of the available places.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 15th Feb 2022

NBN Co thinks a micrometeorite knocked its satellite off-orbit in December

NBN Co believes an outage on December 21 that knocked about 40 percent of Sky Muster users offline for about seven hours was caused by a micrometeorite colliding with one of its two satellites.

Source: iTnews Australia

Regional telecommunications still expensive and unreliable, review finds

A string of natural disasters since 2018 plus the Covid-19 pandemic have exposed the inadequacies in regional telecommunications networks and services, according to a report tabled in federal parliament yesterday.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co faces calls to expand fixed wireless network

NBN Co is being urged to make “holistic upgrades” to its fixed wireless network, including to extend the reach of the network into areas currently mapped for Sky Muster.

Source: iTnews Australia

Netflix still leads Australian subscription TV market

Roy Morgan's research shows that while Foxtel, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video showed strong growth in viewer numbers during 2021, Netflix is still the top dog.

Source: iTWire

Australia's Big Three telcos REALLY want you to try 5G home internet

Right now the Big Three Australian providers want you to give it a go so badly, that they are literally giving it away for free. For the first month that is.

Source: WhistleOut

Mon, 14th Feb 2022

Telco bill targets city-standard internet for regional Australia

NBN Co and telcos could be forced to lift their service standards and the performance of internet services if a private member's bill from independent member for Indi Helen Haines succeeds.

Source: iTnews Australia

George Christensen intros bill to police big tech "censors"

Queensland MP George Christensen has introduced a private member’s bill seeking to constrain social media platforms in their ability to moderate content or ban users that breach terms of service.

Source: iTnews Australia

Fri, 11th Feb 2022

Ausconnex flicks switch on dark fibre network

Endeavour Energy’s Ausconnex business unit has unveiled a dark fibre network serving Greater Western Sydney, and expects to connect its first customers in the coming months.

Source: iTnews Australia

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian to take up new role at Optus

Gladys Berejiklian is taking on a new job after stepping down as NSW premier in October amid an anti-corruption probe. 

Source: ABC News

Thu, 10th Feb 2022

First lot of free FTTP upgrades will be ready to go in March

NBN Co today announced that the first slew of suburbs in the free FTTP upgrade scheme will be able to place orders for faster speeds by the end of March.

Source: WhistleOut

Get a free tablet when you pre-order any Galaxy S22 through Telstra

Pre-orders for Samsung's latest flagship phones - the Galaxy S22 family - are go, and Telstra has one of the most tantalising offers. If you pre-order any Galaxy S22 through Telstra, you'll get a free Samsung tablet.

Source: WhistleOut

Get up to $1320 off a new Samsung Galaxy 22 with Vodafone

Vodafone is splashing out with big discounts and bonuses to celebrate the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S22 series, with savings up to $1320 off the price of a new Galaxy S22 phone.

Source: WhistleOut

The cheapest S22 deals are on the Telstra network (but not with Telstra)

If you want a new shiny, but also only want to commit to the lowest possible monthly price then Woolworths Mobile is the telco to go with.

Source: WhistleOut

NBN Co lifts residential revenue by $1 per user per month

NBN Co saw a one dollar lift in average revenue per residential user in the last six months of 2021, as Covid-related concessions eased and customers took up higher speed services.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co business revenue surges, along with debt

NBN Co's revenue from business customers increased to $493 million in the first half of FY22, up 24 per cent from $397 million in the first half of FY21.

Source: ARN

Thu, 03rd Feb 2022

Optus and Officeworks will put up to $500 towards your new phone (if you're willing to commit)

If you’re up for it, Officeworks will give you a hefty discount on a new handset if you commit to an Optus plan for a year or two.

Source: WhistleOut

Wed, 02nd Feb 2022

HyperOne 'knew' Telstra would try to overbuild its national fibre network

HyperOne founder Bevan Slattery is counting on the industry backing the national fibre network his company is building after incumbent Telstra unveiled a competing effort.

Source: iTnews Australia

Vic gov opens $265m in telco grants to improve mobile, internet coverage

The Victorian government has opened the second stage of its Connecting Victoria mobile program, with $230 million on the table for telcos to improve 4G and 5G coverage in under-served regions.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra to put $1.6 billion into fibre projects

Telstra is set to invest up to $1.6 billion into a pair of fibre infrastructure projects, one for extra capacity and route diversity between capital cities, and the other to support a Viasat satellite system.

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie Broadband builds on broadband growth spurt

Aussie Broadband is hoping strong growth in residential and business broadband, combined with its acquisition of Over The Wire, can collectively power a further spurt in connections and revenue through 2022 and beyond.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra plows $1.6B into satellite and fibre projects

Telstra is investing $1.6 billion to lay the ground infrastructure for the "largest-scale" satellite deployment in Australia for communications company Viasat, and building the "largest inter-city fibre network" in the country.

Source: ARN

Tue, 01st Feb 2022

The ACMA releases its telco contactability audit report

The ACMA has released the results of an audit into the contactability of telcos.

Source: iTWire

Aussie Broadband presses for CVC-free 50Mbps NBN services

Aussie Broadband is pushing NBN Co to widen a pricing restructure by offering a single flat price for 50Mbps tier services, which account for 58 percent of all active fixed-line connections.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 25th Jan 2022

NBN Co sheds 1200 satellite customers since December

NBN Co lost over 1200 active satellite customers between the start of December and early January, and 1772 customers since its active user base peaked at 112,600 in early September 2021.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN alternatives: 4G home internet plans in Australia

Not happy with Australia’s National Broadband Network? Not getting the level of connection you deserve? Are you tired of the loading screen on Netflix?

Source: WhistleOut

Optus launches 5G mobile broadband plans with up to 100GB

Optus has added 5G support to select postpaid mobile broadband plans, building out its next-generation network offering.

Source: WhistleOut

Mon, 24th Jan 2022

Telcos wary as gov presses on with consumer data right expansion

The government is hoping that Australian internet and phone customers will be able to lower their bills by understanding their usage patterns better, but the industry is unconvinced of the plan.

Source: iTnews Australia

Fri, 21st Jan 2022

TPG Telecom and Telstra offering free calls to Tonga

TPG Telecom and Telstra are making calls to Tonga free-of-charge to allow those in Australia with family and friends in to the Pacific Island nation to connect.

Source: iTWire