Broadband News

Wed, 30th Nov 2011

iiNet forgoes 'Amazon-style' model in cloud push

iiNet has unveiled its take on infrastructure-as-a-service in the latest bid to ramp up its focus on the business market.

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus continues WBA negotiations with NBN Co

Despite the expected release of NBN Co's Standard Form of Access Agreement today, Optus has confirmed it is still in negotiations with the company to address what it views as unresolved issues in the draft version of the agreement.

Source: Computerworld

Tue, 29th Nov 2011

Govt trials NBN-based health monitoring

Chronically ill veterans will soon have their health monitored at home through technology driven by the Federal Government's high-speed National Broadband Network (NBN).

Source: ZDNet Australia

ISPs stuck with 'Malaysia' piracy solution

You've got to have some sympathy for internet service providers, just like Labor with asylum seeker policies, no matter what they do around copyright infringement, someone will be unhappy.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co demo truck hits Tasmania

Nbn Co's demonstration truck has begun its nationwide journey in Tasmania this week, with the 23-tonne mobile 'discovery centre' having arrived in Devonport yesterday.

Source: Computerworld

Mon, 28th Nov 2011

ISP code a US-style privacy sell-out

Some may welcome it as a conciliatory and positive step towards resolving disputes between ISPs and copyright holders, but the industry's new code of practice also turns Australia away from the privacy protections of its European heritage, and towards an American-style regime where privacy is less sacred than commercial interests.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN oversight Committee to consider privatisation

Construction of the NBN has barely begun, yet the Parliamentary committee overseeing the project is already gearing up to consider privatisation of NBN Co.

Source: iTWire

Telstra exec: No more excuses for bad customer service

The telco may have had "reasonable reasons" for why it couldn't deliver on customer satisfaction, but not anymore, according to Telstra's consumer unit boss, Gordon Ballantyne.

Source: ARN

New warnings of NBN cost blow-out

The organisation engaged by the government to review NBN Co's corporate plan reportedly told the government that NBN Co capex would total $50.8b by 2028, as opposed to NBN Co's estimate of $35.9b by 2020.

Source: iTWire

Sat, 26th Nov 2011

Telstra's London datacentre: photos

Telstra is in the process of revamping a 10-year-old building shell in London to support a modern high-efficiency datacentre, with the help of consulting company On365.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Fri, 25th Nov 2011

Rights holders vetted in ISP copyright plan

A proposed scheme to address allegations of copyright infringement on the internet would force rights holders to open their detection technology to third-party audits and limit the number of notices to 100 per service provider a month.

Source: iTnews Australia

Early signs of NBN cost overruns: Oakeshott

The Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network has warned that NBN Co may be showing early signs of cost-blowouts and delays, with timeframe slippage and higher than expected operating expenditure recorded during the last six months.

Source: Computerworld

NBN operations facility finally opens in Melbourne

NBN Co has unveiled its mainland network operations and testing facility for the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Melbourne's docklands.

Source: ARN

EU rules against ISP filtering

Internet service providers cannot be forced to install filters aimed at preventing people from illegally downloading music and other files, the EU's top court has ruled.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Value-added broadband services increase uptake, revenue

A global study of the broadband market has found that value-added services, such as security, Voice Over IP (VoIP) and IPTV, added almost 37 percent to the basic broadband subscription during 2010, and generated $60 billion in revenue for vendors.

Source: iTWire

ISPs can't be forced to monitor traffic for copyright infringement, ECJ rules

In what some consider to be a landmark decision, the European Court of Justice ruled Thursday that forcing Internet service providers (ISPs) to monitor consumer traffic in order to block copyright infringement is incompatible with European Union laws.

Source: ARN

Thu, 24th Nov 2011

iiNet to beat AFACT in High Court but ISPs on borrowed time

The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) is almost certain to lose its appeal against ISP iiNet in the High Court of Australia, according to a legal source close to the case. However, AFACT, now armed with the knowledge of how to correctly prosecute ISPs in future, is already getting ready to pounce on TPG, Dodo and others.

Source: iTWire

Form NBN fibre-expansion policy: Oakeshott

A parliamentary committee has demanded that the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) announce its policy on extending the 93 per cent fibre footprint of the NBN.

Source: ZDNet Australia

BigPond Cable upgrade - don't mention the speed

Telstra has just announced plans to upgrade its HFC network in Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney and Perth to support download speeds of up to 100Mbps, but oddly it does not seem to be too keen to tell customers about it.

Source: iTWire

Towers Bill could cost Telstra $2bn per year

Proposed legislation by the Greens and Independent MP Andrew Wilkie to increase the levels of community consultation around the maintenance of mobile phone towers could cost Telstra $2 billion a year in extra costs, according to the telco.

Source: ZDNet Australia

ACCC finalises rules for services non-NBN high speed networks

The ACCC has, almost, finalised the rules that will govern the provision of NBN-type services over non-NBN high speed broadband access networks.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 23rd Nov 2011

Primus offers unlimited calls to fixed lines in 50 countries

Primus Australia has launched two new calling plans - 'Passport Easy' for its own fixed line customers and 'Lingo 50 Countries' a VoIP service for any fixed broadband user - that offer unlimited international calls to standard fixed numbers in 50 countries including China, India, Israel, UK and the USA.

Source: iTWire

Telstra gives HFC network 100Mbps boost

Although the death knell has tolled for Telstra's hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) network with the signing of the $11 billion deal with the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co), Telstra has committed to upgrading the network to provide speeds of 100 megabits per second by next month.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vocus opens Singapore PoP

Vocus Communications has established a point of presence in Singapore and taken capacity on the SeaMeWe-3 Perth to Singapore cable, enabling it to offer ethernet and IP connectivity services into South East Asia.

Source: iTWire

Unis stump up cash for AARnet 4

When the University of Sydney this week revealed it would axe over 300 jobs and slice $28 million spending in 2012, it brought into sharp focus the budgetary challenges that the tertiary education sector is facing as enrolment revenues fall even as student numbers surge on the back of the Bradley Review. So who will pay for AARNet 4 - the backbone communications network that will now be rolled out from 2013 connecting the education and research sector at speeds of up to 100 Gbps?

Source: iTWire

APNIC to pre-approve IPv4 transfers

Asia Pacific internet registry APNIC will require members to justify their eligibility for transfers of remaining IPv4 addresses, in a bid to encourage direct trading between address holders.

Source: iTnews Australia

LTE rapid uptake by enterprises, consumers to follow

Uptake by enterprises of LTE mobile broadband technology is expected to increase rapidly in the next five years, but with consumers signing up in large numbers during 2013, and overtaking enterprise subscribers by 2015.

Source: iTWire

Tue, 22nd Nov 2011

Vodafone to be preferred carrier for 3G Playstation Vita

Vodafone Group and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have forged a global agreement that will make Vodafone the preferred provider of 3G connectivity for the Sony PlayStation Vita in multiple countries, including Australia and New Zealand, when it launches in February 2012.

Source: iTWire

Telstra plans national cable upgrade

Telstra will forge ahead with plans to roll out speed upgrades for its hybrid-fibre coaxial network nationally from next month, despite impending finalisation of the company's deal with NBN Co.

Source: iTnews Australia

TransACT to help iiNet take on Govt, business markets

Iinet’s acquisition of TransACT will provide inroads into the business and government sectors for the largely consumer-focused ISP, according to managing director Michael Malone.

Source: Computerworld