Broadband News
Tue, 11th Oct 2011
NBN less competitive than Chinese broadband market: Turnbull
Opposition communications spokesperson Malcolm Turnbull has again slammed the National Broadband Network (NBN) as overpriced with too much government intervention, saying that China has a more competitive broadband market than Australia thanks to the project.
Source: Computerworld
ACMA braces for rise in telco complaints
Complaints about telco services could rise in the short term despite regulatory efforts to curb them, Australian Communications and Media Authority deputy chair Richard Bean has warned.
Source: iTnews Australia
Conroy, Ludlam slam EIU anti-NBN report
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Greens communications spokesperson Scott Ludlam have slammed a report that calls the National Broadband Network (NBN) "extreme government intervention", labelling the report as right-wing dogma.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Comms Alliance in iiNet court battle
The Communications Alliance is expected to lodge an application to intervene in Hollywood's landmark court case against iiNet.
Source: Australian IT
Optus Networks MD: 700MHz can turn 4G LTE from racehorse to workhorse
The 700MHz spectrum band will be important for making 4G LTE a workhorse rather than a racehorse, according to Optus Networks managing director, Günther Ottendorfer.
Source: ARN
Mon, 10th Oct 2011
NBN Co eyes pop-up facilities as PoIs
NBN Co has invested over $100 million in ten "multi-purpose" facilities that can act as points-of-interconnect (PoIs) to support the scale out of the broadband network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Emerson seals $100 million NBN deal
Under the deal Emerson will design, supply, install and commission 10 network facility centres across Australia as part of the NBN rollout.
Source: ARN
Fri, 07th Oct 2011
iiNet, AFACT prepare for High Court battle
The High Court showdown this December between iiNet and the league of content owners that is the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) is expected to be a short and sharp battle, but the case will likely shape copyright law in this country for years to come.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra Next G 'glitch' stopped user uploads
Telstra network engineers have worked to fix a "glitch" that was preventing mobile broadband customers across Australia on its Next G network from uploading data and sending emails.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN fibre to eclipse DSL tails in 2016
NBN Co's fibre network will surpass DSL penetration levels after 2015 if the next-generation rollout continues unhindered, according to analyst firm Telsyte.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 06th Oct 2011
NBN Co seeks to drive broadband prices higher than inflation: Fletcher
A submission to the ACCC from NBN Co seeks to increase prices for high end broadband services by inflation plus 5% over the next 30 years, which will result in massive charges without a competing service in coming years, according to former Optus senior executive turned Liberal MP Paul Fletcher.
Source: iTWire
'Authorisation' key to AFACT v iiNet High Court appeal
iiNet says High Court judges hearing the appeal in the copyright case it has been fighting against the movie studios will have to make a decision as to exactly what action, or non-action, by an ISP would constitute authorising its customers to download copyrighted material, and that this decision will bring much needed clarity to the industry.
Source: iTWire
Primus lights up Metro Fibre
Primus has completed the first stage of its project to add Optical Transport Network capability to its fibre rings.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 05th Oct 2011
iTunes price gouging: Apple not to blame
It is ironic in a week when the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) is going into battle yet again with ISP iiNet that the NSW Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts has accused Apple of price gouging through its Australian iTunes online store. Could Mr Roberts be whipping the wrong horse and should instead focus his attention on the members of AFACT?
Source: iTWire
Film company goes after Aussie downloaders
Have you downloaded a copy of mob thriller Kill The Irishman? If so, your ISP could be forced to hand your details over to the film's copyright holder.
Source: ABC News
AFACT-iiNet showdown set for December
The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft has confirmed that it will be bringing its case against iiNet to the High Court in the first week of December.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN cash should be for DSLAMs too: ISPs
Internode, iiNet and Adam Internet believe that if Telstra is being paid to decommission its copper network for the National Broadband Network roll-out, other internet service providers should also be compensated as their own infrastructure becomes obsolete.
Source: ZDNet Australia
No political agenda in choice of NBN first release sites
Hoping to confirm the oft-repeated claim that NBN Co's choice of first release sites was politically motivated the Sydney Morning Herald sought, and obtained, NBN Co internal planning documents under Freedom of Information legislation.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 04th Oct 2011
Gillard 'launches' stage two of NBN in Tasmania
Australia's embattled prime minister, Julia Gillard, seems to be clutching at good-news straws. She has today 'launched' the stage two NBN rollout in Tasmania, in Kingston Beach. But it has in fact been underway for some time, did not start in Kingston Beach and is behind schedule.
Source: iTWire
Virgin to introduce customised mobile plans
Virgin Mobile today announced it would simplify its mobile plans, to enable customers to build a monthly plan that suited their needs, through combining elective options for voice calls, texting and data.
Source: iTWire
iiTrial heads to High Court hearings in December
ISP iiNet will head to the High Court in December for the latest round of hearings in its long-running copyright battle with the film industry.
Source: iTnews Australia
Virgin opens 4GB potential to more users
Virgin Mobile has launched a component-priced mobile plan that allows customers to get 4GB of data quota on their handsets for under $40 a month.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 03rd Oct 2011
NBN may reduce need for new power plants
With the internet data per user growing at 40% a year, the power needed to support that growth is also growing. So do we need new power stations to support future broadband use? The NBN and Moore's Law may save us, according to the head of an Australian telecoms research program.
Source: iTWire
Telstra investors resigned to NBN
Telstra shareholders are expected to approve an $11 billion deal with the government and the National Broadband Network Co.
Source: Australian IT
Fri, 30th Sep 2011
Telstra avoids LTE premium pricing trap
There are two main lessons from Telstra’s Long Term Evolution announcement earlier this week: LTE is coming fast and it is coming at a modest price.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra plays down opposition to its structural separation plan
Telstra has told shareholders that it does not expect any changes required by the ACCC to its proposed structural separation plans will have a material impact. This is very surprising given the strident and almost universal opposition to the plans from Telstra's competitors.
Source: iTWire
Internode reduces NBN plan pricing
Internode has cut the prices and increased the quotas for its National Broadband Network (NBN) plans following changes to NBN Co's connectivity virtual circuit (CVC) pricing.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co concludes first mainland trials
Residents and businesses participating in the first five mainland trials of the National Broadband Network (NBN) will have access to commercial services over the network following the completion of the trials.
Source: Computerworld
Internode revises NBN plan prices
ISP, Internode has overhauled its NBN plans boosting data quotas, removing voice bundling requirements and reducing prices.
Source: ARN
Nextgen Networks details NBN products for retail providers
Nextgen Networks has posted on its web site a brochure detailing the products it offers to provide connectivity over the NBN.
Source: iTWire