Broadband News

Tue, 18th Oct 2011

NBN rollout a political pork barrel of the left: Fletcher

Former Optus executive turned Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has lambasted the latest announced NBN rollout as a cynical exercise in political pork barrelling, with the rollouts allegedly heavily favouring ALP and Greens constituencies.

Source: iTWire

Telstra logs 84,000 filter redirects

Telstra has redirected internet users that try to access child abuse materials more than 84,000 times since a voluntary filter program was enacted in July.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra to hold 28c dividend

Telstra chair Catherine Livingstone says the telco giant intends to hold its fully franked 28 cents per share dividend.

Source: Australian IT

Coalition NBN policy 'dangerous': Greens

As the NBN Company today released plans to roll-out its fibre network to nearly 500,000 homes in the next 12 months, the Australian Greens say Opposition leader Tony Abbott must now drop the Coalition plan to "demolish" the NBN if it is elected.

Source: iTWire

TPG buys into iiNet

iiNet appears to be somewhat concerned by TPG becoming a minority shareholder. It has alerted the ASX to TPG's involvement, even though it remains below the five percent at which a substantial shareholding notification would be required.

Source: iTWire

NBN to create 500 jobs for the Illawarra

The rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in the Illawarra will provide 500 new jobs in the region at its peak, according to a statement by the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra-NBN Co deal gets the vote, all eyes now on ACCC

Telstra shareholders have approved the $11 billion deal between the telco and NBN Co but the Australian Competition and Consumers Commission (ACCC) can still make or break the agreement.

Source: ARN

Telstra shareholders give NBN deal a tick

Telstra shareholders have voted in favour of the $11 billion agreement to sign onto the National Broadband Network (NBN) at today's Annual General Meeting in Sydney.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co names suburbs for next half million premises of FTTH rollout

NBN Co has released the schedule of locations - encompassing some half million homes and businesses - where it plans to roll out its FTTH network over the next 12 months.

Source: iTWire

Telstra NBN day of reckoning beckoning at high noon

Today at noon the long suffering shareholders of Australia's dominant carrier Telstra will take the most important vote in the company's history since it was privatised. The question will be whether they want to accept $11 billion from the government in exchange for selling off the company's fixed line copper network.

Source: iTWire

Mon, 17th Oct 2011

Perth mayor to deliver on Wi-Fi pledge

Perth is set to become one of Australia's most connected capital cities if recently re-elected Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi holds true to her campaign pledge to outfit the CBD with free Wi-Fi.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vocus nabs multi-year deal with vividwireless

Wholesale telco services provider, Vocus Communications (ASX:VOC) has sealed a multi-year international Internet access (IP transit) supply deal with Perth-based '4G' wireless ISP, vividwireless.

Source: ARN

Govt cuts 'streamlined' piracy discussion

The Department of the Attorney-General has removed a section from its latest copyright discussion paper that had referred to a proposed "streamlined" process for copyright holders to access information about alleged copyright infringers.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN contracts go to foreigners

NBN Co is paying Australian companies as little as 23c of every $1 it spends on tenders for the project.

Source: Australian IT

Sat, 15th Oct 2011

NBN casts net for small fry

Small business will be a big winner from the National Broadband Network, says Telstra's business chief Will Irving, who is spearheading a campaign to bring digital services to support the sector.

Source: Australian IT

Broadband bill hits $23m

The Department of Broadband spent about $23 million on advertising and marketing in the past financial year.

Source: Australian IT

Fri, 14th Oct 2011

Transit backhaul key to NBN rollout schedule

NBN Co says the development of its transit backhaul network, which will connect its individual fibre serving areas to its points of interconnect, is the key to determining its FTTH rollout schedule.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co's top executives' FY11 bonuses cut by 20 percent

The value of a short term incentive pool for NBN Co's top executives for FY11 was reduced by 20 percent from its initial figure because the company missed some key performance targets, the company's annual report reveals.

Source: iTWire

Marrickville Council eyes free park wi-fi

Sydney's Marrickville Council has agreed to explore free wi-fi internet services in major recreational parks.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 13th Oct 2011

Telstra wins 4G with its 3G

After comparing Telstra's 4G network to other supposedly "4G" networks in the market, the genius in Telstra's brand new shiny network is in its 3G network.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN committee to hear NZ fibre experience

The joint Parliamentary committee overseeing progress of the National Broadband Network has indicated it may call on New Zealand telco executives to present evidence in future hearings.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN to finish on time: Quigley

The high speed National Broadband Network (NBN) will still be completed on time despite delays in the rollout of the $35.9 billion project across Australia, a parliamentary inquiry has been told.

Source: Computerworld

NBN battery backup may be opt-out

After resoundingly negative feedback, the government may consider letting National Broadband Network (NBN) customers opt-out of the mandatory battery backup for the network termination unit (NTU), a parliamentary committee on the NBN has heard today.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra, NBN Co spar over conduit drawings

Telstra has reignited a stalemate with NBN Co over conduit ownership that is stalling the rollout of NBN fibre in up to 60 new housing estates across Australia.

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 12th Oct 2011

Telcos split on mobile 1800 proposal

Mobile carriers have warned that a proposal to kill charges for mobile users to dial 1800 free call numbers would force them to renegotiate up to 400 contracts a day.

Source: iTnews Australia

Anittel to offer NBN services to regional SMEs

Anittel Group (ASX: AYG) - a provider of telco and IT services focussed on SMEs in regional Australia - has become a retail service provider of NBN services.

Source: iTWire

NBN users complain about battery backup

NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley has revealed mandatory back-up batteries as the biggest source of complaints from trial users of the National Broadband Network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Privacy body joins iiNet court case

Privacy advocates fear adverse consequences if Hollywood interests are handed a victory in an upcoming High Court appeal.

Source: Australian IT

Tue, 11th Oct 2011

ACMA to cut cost of calling 1800 and 13/1300 numbers from mobiles

The ACMA is planning to fix one of consumers' biggest complaints about mobile services: the high price of calling 1800 and 13/1300 numbers. It intends to make 1800 calls free and 13/1300 calls the same price as calls from a fixed line.

Source: iTWire

NBN docs reveal the suburbs that lost out

Internal National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) documentation has revealed the suburbs that narrowly missed out on being amongst the five mainland first release sites for the NBN.

Source: ZDNet Australia