Broadband News

Thu, 15th Sep 2011

Optus to rollout 4G LTE, plans 3G upgrade

Optus has committed to rolling out a 4G LTE network with services expected to be available from April 2012.

Source: ARN

Telstra reveals flat-rate wholesale charges

Telstra Wholesale has raised the ire of some of its internet service provider customers with a new ADSL2+ port price proposal that some fear could "cement" the incumbent's price squeeze on retail competition.

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus forges ahead with LTE

Optus has revealed plans to launch its own Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network in April next year.

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 14th Sep 2011

Telstra risks bill shock with LTE plans

Telstra customers on its new long-term evolution (LTE) network will have to watch how much data they use, since the telco plans to reintroduce excess data usage charges, according to internal documentation leaked to ZDNet Australia.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co defends against claims of anti-competitive behaviour

NBN Co has mounted a spirited defence against claims from two internationally recognised telecommunications market experts that the forced shutdown of existing HFC broadband services from Telstra and Optus and restrictions against offering wireless broadband in competition with the NBN amounts to anti-competitive  behaviour.

Source: iTWire

Greens tower Bill will impact NBN: AMTA

Proposed Greens legislation to restrict the construction of mobile towers would impact the deployment of the fixed-wireless long-term evolution (LTE) network deployment as part of the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA).

Source: ZDNet Australia

Leading experts slam "anti-competitive" NBN forced HFC shutdown

Two internationally recognised experts in telecommunications economics have savaged the forced shutdown of the HFC broadband networks of both Telstra and Optus so that they will not able to compete with NBN Co for the provision of broadband services. The leading academics have slammed the plan, which is part of Telstra's Structural Separation Undertaking (SSU), as anti-competitive and will lead to higher prices and less investment in the Australian broadband.

Source: iTWire

Kiwi ISPs bridging broadband gap with Australia

New Zealand, a place where broadband prices have been even more costly than in Australia, is fast catching up to its larger neighbour in terms of data value for money and now threatens to push ahead, according to a new study.

Source: iTWire

Tue, 13th Sep 2011

Telstra hits back at CCC demands, cites business confidentiality

Dominant carrier Telstra, has hit back at demands from its competitors to make public financial information relating to its proposed structural separation in the wake of the National Broadband Network, citing commercial sensitivity of some of the data.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co eyes Telstra South Brisbane fibre

Telstra's controversial South Brisbane fibre network may potentially be sold to the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) as part of the $11 billion definitive agreement between the incumbent telco and the government wholesaler.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN will 'destroy' private firms

The federal government has been accused of destroying private businesses installing broadband networks.

Source: Australian IT

Mon, 12th Sep 2011

NBN bridging China customer support services

A software company in the NBN first release town of Willunga in South Australia is using the national broadband network during its current trial phase to provide support services for customers doing business as far away as China, and achieving  much faster downloads than it did without the NBN.

Source: iTWire

Harvey Norman pushes copyright bypass

It's just a bit hypocritical for Harvey Norman to sell devices that set up a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass geolocation blocking.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Internode may go public if Coalition wins

The possibility of Internode listing on the ASX would only happen following a Coalition victory and scrapping of the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to its chief executive officer, Patrick Tapper.

Source: Computerworld

Fri, 09th Sep 2011

iiNet signs to South Brisbane

iiNet has signed an agreement with Telstra that will see its customers migrated from copper to fibre-serving areas in the suburbs south of Brisbane over the next 18 months.

Source: iTnews Australia

ACMA backs down on threat of more regulation to protect telco consumers

The ACMA has released the final report of its 'Reconnecting the Customer' Enquiry but has backed down from its earlier threat of more regulation, instead giving the industry one more chance to get its house in order in the form of a new Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code.

Source: iTWire

Which business broadband plan is more bang for your buck? Telstra vs Optus

Searching for the best internet for your dollar for your enterprise? Computerworld Australia compared the unlimited broadband packages from Telstra and Optus.

Source: Computerworld

End bill shock or face fine

Phone and internet providers will be forced to send text alerts before customers breach their credit limits.

Source: Australian IT

Thu, 08th Sep 2011

What an NBN connection looks like

A closeup view of how the NBN connects to your home, and some of the networking issues it will pose.

Source: PC Authority

Abbott rejects claim he endorsed NBN

Opposition leader Tony Abbott has rejected Labor claims that he supports the National Broadband Network (NBN) as a way of improving mobile services in the bush.

Source: Computerworld

Low-income users denied NBN benefits

Low-income households will miss out on the full healthcare benefits of the National Broadband Network.

Source: Australian IT

Conroy confident on Telstra separation

Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, is confident Telstra and the competition watchdog will resolve fears over the telco's structural separation plans.

Source: Computerworld

Optus warns of unit pricing complexity

Optus has spoken out against proposals to introduce unit pricing across telcos, warning common mobile and broadband products could not be priced the same way as "boiled rice".

Source: iTnews Australia

Optus near real-time reporting hits bill shock

After two and a half years of development, Optus mobile customers will soon be able to view their call and data usage in near real time, the telco announced today.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Optus: ACMA should stop telco 'race to the bottom'

Optus is calling for tighter regulation by the Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) on cut-throat practices in the competitive telecommunications industry.

Source: ARN

Wed, 07th Sep 2011

Bunya Estate switches on NBN access

Nbn Co has cut the ribbon on the first new housing development to receive National Broadband Network (NBN) access -- the Bunya Estate in Doonside, Sydney.

Source: Computerworld

Google is an NBN conspirator: Turnbull

Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has labelled companies such as Google and Yahoo, as well as network vendors, as

Source: ZDNet Australia

Internode debuts fetchtv IPTV service over NBN

National broadband company, Internode, has became the first company to deliver the fetchtv IP Television service over the NBN, showing it in action at a house in the western Sydney suburb of Bunya.

Source: ARN

AVM Fritz!Box 7390

With an industry-leading warranty, excellent UI and a crazy feature set, the Fritz!Box 7390 comes highly recommended - if you can afford the outlay.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Councils lobbying NBN Co for NBN preference

Nbn Co is coming under intense lobbying from local councils around Australia to prioritise NBN rollouts in their electorates, NBN Co chief executive, Mike Quigley, has said.

Source: Computerworld