Broadband News
Wed, 08th Feb 2012
NBN to deliver virtual English tuition to new migrants
The Federal Government will introduce a three-year trial of virtual English classes via the National Broadband Network (NBN) to new migrants in regional and rural Australia.
Source: Computerworld
Telco customer code goes to the regulator
The Communications Alliance has submitted its revised telecommunications consumer protection code (TCP code) to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), but the code has been rejected by a peak consumer action body.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wong must oversee NBN costs: Robb
The opposition is demanding Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong take a more hands-on role to ensure the National Broadband Network (NBN) does not drain the public purse.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tue, 07th Feb 2012
Exetel simplifies NBN plans
Internet service provider Exetel has halved the number of residential plans it will offer users in National Broadband Network mainland trial sites and cut prices by between $5 and $30 a month.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus unveils NBN plans for small businesses
Optus has announced prices for small business services offered over the NBN in the five first release sites.
Source: iTWire
'Hactivism' now the leading driver of DDoS attacks
Ideological motivation has emerged as the primary driver for distributed denial of services (DDoS) attacks, outstripping the previous dominant drivers of financial gain.
Source: iTWire
Optus launches small business NBN packages
Optus launches small business NBN packages catering to offices with up to five people.
Source: ARN
Global broadband snapshot: Hong Kong throttles the rest of the world
Anyone who thinks their Verizon fiber connection is fast ought to spend a week hanging out in East Asia.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 06th Feb 2012
Britain warns of Internet meltdown
British businesses are being warned of possible Internet breakdowns, data caps and "unavoidable" mobile phone problems during the London 2012 Olympics, in official advice from the Games organisers.
Source: Computerworld
Possible responses to Optus TV Now case threaten our rights
Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, is reportedly foreshadowing changes in the legislation to stop Optus offering its TV Now service, following the company's court win last week. Any changes are likely to whittle away at the exemption we currently enjoy to time-shift programs.
Source: iTWire
BigPond hit by email issues
Email for some Telstra BigPond customers may not be reaching its final destination, with the company investigating a delivery issue that has been hitting the company since the weekend.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fri, 03rd Feb 2012
Conroy flags law changes from Optus win
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has flagged potential legislative changes to protect football-broadcast rights following the Optus TV Now ruling.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Govt spies early exit from Telstra contract
The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has revealed exit clauses in a 20-year, $2 billion contract with Telstra that can be enacted if the incumbent's copper network is abandoned faster than expected.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co braces for secrecy probe
Government business enterprises have long been able to escape freedom of information (FoI) requests on the basis of commercial sensitivity and confidentiality arrangements.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vendors show voice call hand-off between LTE, 3G networks
Qualcomm this week revealed a key step in enabling voice calls over LTE handsets. Working with Ericsson, the chipmaker says it recently completed the first voice call handover between LTE and 3G networks, and will showcase the achievement later this month at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Source: ARN
Thu, 02nd Feb 2012
Defence to compete with NBN for skills
The Department of Defence and its suppliers are set to go to war with the NBN Co for skilled workers in the near future as the national shortage begins to take its toll on planned major infrastructure projects.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Abbott paving a telecoms road to nowhere
Fish, barrel; fox, henhouse; Abbott, NBN. Mocking Tony Abbott's ignorance of telecoms has become so easy and habitual that his latest pronouncements would normally hardly merit a response. But with his latest policy speech being seen as an informal roll-up to next year's election campaign, and Telstra's recent behaviour reaffirming the need for government intervention in the telco sector, it's important to once again weigh the implications of Abbott's cost-redirection policy against the reality of the situation.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Exetel founder John Linton passes away
Exetel founder John Linton has passed away from a stroke.
Source: iTnews Australia
Internode customer benefits from iiNet acquisition
National ISP, Internode, says its acquisition by iiNet is already paying dividends for its customers, with its most popular broadband services now available through 450 telephone exchanges nationally.
Source: iTWire
Exclusive: NBN Co withholds fibre upgrade price
NBN Co has refused to reveal the price paid by a Tasmanian resident to receive a fibre connection outside of the planned footprint because the figure could unleash a chain of events that brings the network to a grinding halt.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 01st Feb 2012
NBN to deliver disability support services to regional Australia
Children with hearing or vision impairments who live in regional and remote areas of Australia will soon receive specialist services and therapies via the National Broadband Network.
Source: Computerworld
Optus wins TV-recording case
Optus has emerged victorious in its battle against the Australian Football League (AFL) and the National Rugby League (NRL) sporting codes over its TV Now digital TV-recording app.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Yep, Telstra’s 4G in 4G zones is definitely worthwhile
If you’re in a 4G coverage area and you’re sporting a 4G LTE capable device, it should come as no surprise to discover that 4G devices deliver vastly better ping and download speeds than 3G devices.
Source: iTWire
Optus tops political donations list
Optus has topped the list of IT and telecommunications companies making political donations for the first time, providing $86,252 to state and federal Labor and coalition branches.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 31st Jan 2012
Libs would wind back NBN to fund roads
Funding for the National Broadband Network (NBN) and a number of other tech projects would be redirected to building roads and tax cuts under a Tony Abbott Coalition government, the opposition leader has revealed.
Source: ZDNet Australia
iiNet concludes Internode acquistion
iiNet has confirmed the completion of its acquisition of Internode, some five weeks after it first announced its intention to acquire the South Australia-based internet service provider.
Source: Computerworld
Optus nabs Telstra exec for business
Optus has confirmed the appointment of former Telstra executive John Paitaridis as managing director of the number two telco's business division.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra wins bid to expand WA mobile coverage
Telstra has won the contract to expand mobile coverage in regional Western Australia.
Source: ARN
Mon, 30th Jan 2012
Tony Abbott touts Coalition cyber safety push
Coalition leader Tony Abbott has announced plans to set up an Online Safety Working Group to develop the Coalition's online safety policy.
Source: iTWire
Telcos seek ACCC veto on NBN contracts
Internet service providers (ISPs) have used the competition regulator's review of NBN Co's special-access undertaking (SAU) to call for more oversight of the company's one-year contracts.
Source: ZDNet Australia