Broadband News Page 34 - Oz Broadband Speed Test

Telstra has already discounted the Galaxy S21 FE (but only until midnight)

Samsung released the Galaxy S21 FE last week, and Telstra has already taken $100 off the price.

Phones reconnected in Tonga, internet will have to wait a month

Telephone links between Tonga and the wider world began to be reconnected on Wednesday, though restoring full internet connectivity is likely to take a month or more according to the owner of the archipelago's sole subsea communications cable.

Source: iTnews Australia

Australia's NBN modems and routers: Get the best one for you

NBN modems are tricky. Most providers swear that you should use their modem, some even refuse connection troubleshooting if you don’t use their preferred hardware, while other operators encourage you to bring your own. Who's right?

Source: WhistleOut

Ericsson sues Apple again over 5G patent licensing

Ericsson has filed another set of patent infringement lawsuits against Apple in the latest salvo between the two companies over royalty payment for use of 5G wireless patents in iPhones.

Source: iTnews Australia

Apple Safari bug reveals users' internet activity and identities

Apple's Safari web browser version 15 introduced a privacy-busting bug that can be abused to learn what sites users visit, and reveal their unique user identification data.

Source: iTnews Australia

iiNet and Internode add 4G backup to NBN plans

iiNet and Internode have both added 4G backup as an optional feature to their NBN plans, allowing customers to stay connected in the event their primary connection carks it.

Source: WhistleOut

Optus waives modem fees for customers switching to 5G home broadband, but there's a pricey catch

Optus internet customers can swap over to the provider’s 5G home broadband and get out of paying outstanding modem fees on the old plan, but there is no swap back guarantee if it doesn’t work out.

Source: WhistleOut

Swoop acquires SA dark fibre network from iFibre

Fixed wireless and wholesale network infrastructure provider Swoop has acquired the dark fibre network assets and customers of Adelaide-based network company iFibre for $1.5 million in cash.

Source: ARN

NBN Co applies fix to get hundreds of Sky Muster satellite services back online

NBN Co has restored internet connectivity for about 85 percent of premises impacted by a fortnight-long outage to part of its Sky Muster satellite network.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co claims progress in fortnight-long Sky Muster internet outage

NBN technicians are said to have made “significant progress” resolving issues that have left hundreds of Sky Muster customers with no internet service since December 21.

Source: iTnews Australia

iiNet says data centre cooling system 'malfunctioned' on Christmas Day

iiNet has attributed an email and web hosting server outage that started on Christmas Day to a cooling system “malfunction” in its Perth data centre on a day of extreme heat.

Source: iTnews Australia

iiNet says heatwave conditions behind data centre outage

TPG Telecom-owned iiNet said extreme heat in Perth is to blame for a data centre issue that has left its email and web servers offline since mid-morning Christmas Day.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co to set "up to" 25Mbps as its entry-level broadband tier

NBN Co intends to make "up to" 25Mbps its new entry-level broadband tier and scrap variable consumption-based charges on higher speed services under a “transformational” shift.

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie Broadband says white-label 'teething issues' delay migration plans

Aussie Broadband said that “teething issues” with its new white-label service meant it was unable to meet intended migration targets for the second quarter.

Source: iTnews Australia

Injured Telstra linesmen told they must take job against doctors' orders

A group of injured Telstra service technicians claim they are being forced to take unsuitable jobs or resign. Their lawyer is calling for them to be given appropriate work or be medically retired.

Source: ABC News

TPG Telecom to replace Internode-built free wi-fi network in Adelaide

TPG Telecom will replace the Internode built-and-operated free wi-fi network in Adelaide after winning a $4.8 million contract.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN Co tables new 'price construct' to industry

NBN Co has tabled an "indicative price construct" to its key retail service providers that proposes flat wholesale prices initially just for high-tier services, with potential “expansion” - presumably to lower speed tier services - "over time".

Source: iTnews Australia

HyperOne starts to build 2300km diverse fibre loop on east coast

HyperOne, the new fibre transmission network project by telecommunications entrepreneur Bevan Slattery, has started construction of “phase 1a”, comprising a 2300km diverse fibre loop.

Source: iTnews Australia

ACMA research shows COVID accelerated internet use

The COVID-19 pandemic has helped drive rapid growth in Australians' online activity, increasing data downloads and heightening demand for high-speed internet plans, according to recently released research from the ACMA.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co says not 'all' brownfields premises will have attainable 25Mbps speed by the end of 2022

NBN Co said there would not be a time that “all” premises in brownfields areas would have access to minimum line speeds of 25/5Mbps before the end of 2022, owing to a variety of factors that could impact an end-to-end connection.

Source: iTnews Australia

Outcome of 850/900MHz band spectrum auction

Two companies, Optus and Telstra, have won spectrum in the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) latest spectrum auction.

Source: iTWire

NEXTDC launches edge data centre network

NEXTDC has launched an edge data centre network after acquiring its first regional data centre site in Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Source: iTnews Australia

TPG Telecom scores multimillion-dollar Qantas network revamp deal

TPG Telecom has scored a five-year, multimillion-dollar contract with Qantas to supply a new fibre network as part of a communications network modernisation.

Source: ARN

Optus takes crown for most stable broadband speeds during ‘busiest’ hour

Optus has taken the crown for being the NBN retail service provider with the most stable plan speeds during its “busiest hour” in September.

Source: ARN

Gov plots new telco data access or surveillance powers for ATO, Border Force, others

The federal government is considering giving Border Force, the tax office and other agencies either access to telecommunications data or other electronic surveillance powers under reforms planned to be brought before parliament in 2023.

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie Broadband makes formal $344m bid for Over The Wire

Aussie Broadband has made a formal proposal to buy Over The Wire for $344 million, to be paid out in a mix of cash and shares.

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie Broadband stakes $390M on Over the Wire

Aussie Broadband looks set to fork out $390 million for cloud, IT and telco services provider Over the Wire in one of the biggest channel deals of the year.

Source: ARN

We fact checked Anthony Albanese on Australia's broadband speed rankings. Here's what we found

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says Australia's has slipped to 59th in the world in the average broadband speed rankings. Is he correct? RMIT ABC Fact Check investigates.

Source: ABC News