Broadband News

Tue, 08th Nov 2011

NBN Co: Greenfield sites and fixed-wireless spurred transit network build acceleration

Nbn Co's transit network has been fast tracks thanks to growing demand for fibre connections in new estates and to speed up rollout of the fixed-wireless network, according to the company's chief, Mike Quigley.

Source: ARN

NBN Co lays out plans for small business

The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) today announced plans to offer internet service providers (ISPs) high-speed wholesale broadband services created specifically for the needs of small office/home office (SOHO) owners and the small business market.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vodafone sends telco industry to record level of complaints

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has described Vodafone as "extremely disappointing", after complaints about the telco almost tripled compared to last year.

Source: iTWire

Venture Consulting predicts patchwork NBN

Telco consultant Justin Jameson has given NBN Co a 30 percent chance of pulling off a complete fibre rollout due to Labor's chances of returning to power at the next election.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mon, 07th Nov 2011

NBN's benefits not being correctly sold to the public

The Federal Government must do a better job of publicly clarifying the objectives of its National Broadband Network (NBN), attendees at the Communications and Policy Research Forum 2011 have heard.

Source: Computerworld

Axe NBN to reach surplus: Abbott

Axing the National Broadband Network would help bring the federal budget back into surplus next financial year, opposition leader Tony Abbott says.

Source: Computerworld

Router issue cuts 10% of Telstra traffic

Telstra's fixed-line internet went down for thousands of BigPond and business customers, with 10 per cent of internet traffic cut across the country today.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co's fixed CVC pricing comes under criticism, again

The bandwidth pricing that the NBN Co charges retail service providers (RSPs) has again come under fire with suggestions that some RSPs may need to substantially increase the prices on some faster speed planes - particularly in regional areas - due to the economic impacts of fixed connectivity virtual circuit (CVC) pricing.

Source: Computerworld

Sun, 06th Nov 2011

Faster than ADSL2+ - how Telstra is configuring its superfast 4G network

Telstra's new LTE network blows away fixed-line broadband in designated 4G areas in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. We look at how Telstra is configuring it for Australian needs.

Source: APC Magazine

Fri, 04th Nov 2011

Has Telstra made 84,000 reasons to filter?

The heated debate about internet filtering has calmed down this year, with voluntary filtering at several ISPs drawing little of the chanting, marching and petitioning that we saw two years ago. Does this fact, paired with recent statistics showing that Telstra's filter is keeping at least a few sickos from casual child porn access, legitimise the case for moderate internet filtering?

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN may get mining sector's 457 skills program

The Federal Government is considering a plan to extend a special 457 visa program designed for the resources sector to the telecommunications industry, to allow it to expedite the import of large numbers of skilled workers.

Source: iTWire

AARNet eyes e-health NBN projects

AARNet has unveiled plans to connect hundreds of homes for the first time over the National Broadband Network as part of several research trials it has lined up across the country.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 03rd Nov 2011

Broadband-enabled program for elderly

The Victorian Government continues to push its credentials as a technology-savvy government and to ramp up its efforts to promote Victoria as a 'globally sophisticated ICT market', to attract new investment in the tech sector and to deliver e-services to the community utilising high-speed broadband and the NBN.

Source: iTWire

AARNet to Kinect the elderly over the NBN

The Australian Academic Research Network (AARNet) has jumped onboard a collaborative broadband project to develop enabling technology for the elderly to exercise at home over the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Source: Computerworld

Does Telstra really have a plan?

New revenue streams and better customer service doesn't sound like a plan; it sounds like common sense. So, what is the future direction for Australia's biggest telco?

Source: ZDNet Australia

Aussie kids youngest, prolific internet users: Study

Australian children are among the earliest and prolific users of the internet globally, according to a new study.

Source: Computerworld

Wed, 02nd Nov 2011

Telstra fights to keep exempted exchanges

Contrary to the views of its competitors, Telstra has argued that exchanges exempt from regulation have "demonstrably exceeded expectations" in promoting competition between telcos.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NZ pirates put on notice with first warnings

The first infringement notices for internet piracy have been issued in New Zealand under its controversial new

Source: ZDNet Australia

Collaborative learning schools hook-up on NBN

The Australian Academic and Research Network (AARNet) has partnered with the NSW Department of Education and Training and the Australian Museum to deliver interactive video content via the Clickfest program which connect regional schools throughout Australia with specialists in various fields of study using high definition videoconferencing.

Source: iTWire

Tue, 01st Nov 2011

iiNet plans revamped mobile offering

iiNet has unveiled plans to move "beyond" the mobile virtual network operator model, consolidating existing carrier arrangements and deploying infrastructure to lower costs and differentiate its mobile voice services.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra considers giving ACCC more power in SSU

Telstra is considering giving the Australian Competition and Consumers Commission (ACCC) more power in its revised structural separation undertaking (SSU), putting the watchdog on equal footing with an Independent Telecommunications Adjudicator (ITA).

Source: ARN

Optus makes first LTE data connection at 700MHz

Optus says it has successfully completed the first data connection using LTE technology operating in the 700MHz .

Source: iTWire

Mon, 31st Oct 2011

Telstra suggests bypassing own adjudicator

Telstra will allow wholesale customers to side step the newly created Independent Telecommunications Adjudicator and complain directly to the competition watchdog under proposed changes to its structural separation undertaking (SSU).

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra offers an olive branch to the ACCC on structural separation

Telstra is seeking to allay the ACCC's concerns and the widespread industry opposition to its structural separation undertaking with plans to hold an industry forum, ahead of which it has released an issues paper.

Source: iTWire

We're not to blame for high wiring costs: NBN Co

Nbn Co has sought to distance itself from claims by builders that making a home NBN-ready requires sophisticated and potentially expensive internal wiring. The comments follow reports that some families have been charged up to $1000 to have their residences wired up.

Source: Computerworld

Home owners hit for NBN connection

Builders are charging almost $1000 in wiring so new homes can connect to the National Broadband Network.

Source: Australian IT

Fri, 28th Oct 2011

NBN Co cuts broadband agreement to one year

NBN Co has agreed to change the length of its wholesale broadband agreement with retail service providers to last 12 months rather than five years in a last-ditch bid to sign up support for the fibre network.

Source: iTnews Australia

iiNet 'Easter egg' ad banned

The Perth-ISP said it was just a bit of fun and had no intention of breaking any advertising rules.

Source: ARN

Telco term 'cap' could be banned

The term "cap" could soon start to vanish from ads and marketing material for mobile phone and other telecommunications services.

Source: Australian IT

Broadband boom for the bush possible: Expert

There will be a broadband boom for the bush if local councils play a driving role, according to UK Community Regeneration expert, Dr Tim Williams.

Source: ARN