Broadband News
Thu, 23rd Jun 2011
Telstra secures $11b NBN deal
Telstra has confirmed it has reached agreement with the federal government to disconnect in stages its copper network and participate in the roll-out of the $36 billion national broadband network (NBN).
Source: SMH
Telstra deal: Has NBN reached 'point of no return'?
With NBN Co's $11 billion deal with Telstra expected to be signed tomorrow, and much talk of a similar deal with Optus also about to be announced, is Labor's ambitious NBN policy about to reach the point of no return -- the point at which it will be impossible for the Coalition to stop the NBN juggernaut if they take office?
Source: iTWire
ClubTelco boils down broadband plans to two
ClubTelco has streamlined its fixed broadband portfolio to just two plans, slashing the price of its unlimited quota plan to compete with parent company Dodo and TPG.
Source: iTnews Australia
UN agency backs NBN offload plan
The United Nations telecommunications agency has backed the Gillard government's plan to eventually offload the $35.9bn National Broadband Network.
Source: Australian IT
Wed, 22nd Jun 2011
Local government, NBN Co team for best practice guide
The Australian Local Government Association and NBN Co have jointly issued guidance for councils' early dealings with NBN Co.
Source: iTWire
Get your act together councils tell NBN Co
Councils involved in first release sites for the National Broadband Network struggled to prepare for the change and recommend hiring project managers to facilitate the roll out a new report has found.
Source: Computerworld
Conroy offers NBN cash for local governments
Local governments in National Broadband Network serving areas have been offered the chance to apply for $375,000 in Federal Government grants over the coming weeks to fund revamps of online council services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra fixed for $11b deal to hang up on monopoly
The government is on the cusp of signing two multibillion-dollar deals designed to lock in the national broadband network and restructure telecommunications as we know it.
Source: SMH
Tue, 21st Jun 2011
Telstra trials copper network improvements
Telstra will be conducting a limited trial of technology to improve its copper network that could increase the number of ADSL ports available and bring welcome relief to customers.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fujitsu wins $25 million NBN Co contract
Managed services provider Fujitsu A/NZ has scored a $25 million contract with NBN Co for the provision of end user technology services (EUTS) over three years to the company's staff.
Source: Computerworld
Media streams spark piracy row
Promoting access to the forbidden fruits of the internet, such as movies and US only TV shows, might breach Australian copyright law.
Source: Australian IT
New telco player aspires to be NBN wholesale aggregator
With a lineage in telecommunications wholesale aggregation, Continuum Communications is looking forward to integrating directly with the National Broadband Network (NBN) as soon as possible.
Source: ARN
NBN Co recruits MIPI chief
The general manager of the Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) Sabiene Heindl has accepted a role with NBN Co as its stakeholder manager.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra launches HSPA+ WiFi N portable hotspot
Telstra claims to be the world's first mobile operator to launch a battery-powered dual carrier HSPA+ (42Mbps/5.76Mbps) 3G WiFi hotspot.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 20th Jun 2011
Productivity risked sans NBN: local govts
If the NBN was to be halted, Australians would miss out on huge productivity, earnings and income gains, according to a comparison undertaken in the 2011/12 State of the Regions report.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ICANN unleashes potential tsunami of TLDs
ICANN has approved a plan that may herald a massive expansion of the number of generic top level domains.
Source: iTWire
iiNet welcomes Amcom share offload
Internet service provider iiNet Ltd has welcomed a decision by its largest shareholder to offload its holding, describing the move as logical.
Source: Computerworld
Turnbull NBN greenfields idea wins support
Transact has come out in support of Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull's potential amendment to the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2011, which would enable developers to get fibre installed and then be compensated by the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co).
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN to link those it misses, if they pay
The NBN Co has started inviting Tasmanians living outside the fibre footprint of the National Broadband Network to connect their homes.
Source: Australian IT
Turnbull pushes alternative to NBN
The federal opposition has flagged a campaign for a voucher-style approach to the rollout of fibre cable in greenfield developments, in an attempt to reduce uncertainty and delay facing developers in the initial phase of the $36 billion National Broadband Network.
Source: The Australian
Sun, 19th Jun 2011
Foxtel comes to T-Box
Telstra will launch, next Sunday June 26, a range of Foxtel content to users of its T-Box connected to Telstra's cable broadband services, with the same offering to be available over Telstra ADSL a couple of months later, all quota free.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 17th Jun 2011
NBN Estimates stalls on Alcatel row
Labor Senator Doug Cameron was last night forced to adjourn a heated estimates hearing with NBN Co chief Mike Quigley after proceedings descended into a slanging match between participants.
Source: iTnews Australia
Cost of NBN high for first home builders: Housing Industry Association
Greater clarity on the costs of developing the National Broadband Network (NBN) for housing developers is needed, according to the Housing Industry Association's (HIA) chief executive.
Source: Computerworld
NBN may be subjected to a partial cost-benefit analysis
The Productivity Commission may be ordered to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on whether fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) is the best way to go for the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Source: ARN
Telstra deal goes to NBN Co board today
The board of the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) is set to vote on the $11 billion deal with Telstra today, almost a year since the two companies first signed a financial heads of agreement.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN chief talks up Tassie take-up
NBN Co chief Mike Quigley has revealed data on Tasmanian take-up rates in the state's three stage-one sites, with 600 premises holding an active connection to the network and over 740 services ordered by the end of May.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN chief admits mistakes on Alcatel
Michael Quigley admits his incorrect statements about the Alcatel corruption scandal gave the impression he "didn't give all of the facts".
Source: Australian IT
NBN Co approval of $9b Telstra deal goes down to the wire
The board of the government company seeking a $9 billion deal with Telstra may approve the finalised document today, opening the way for Telstra to start the irreversible process of separating its copper network.
Source: SMH
Thu, 16th Jun 2011
Mobile call costs under ACCC spotlight
The underlying cost for connecting mobile phone calls between Australian telcos is in the spotlight as part of a new discussion paper released by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Source: ZDNet Australia
You'll get the NBN: Conroy promises Tassie schools
The Office of Communciations Minister Stephen Conroy has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to bringing the National Broadband Network to Tasmanian schools, in the wake of news yesterday that schools in early stage rollout zones in Tasmania had not had the NBN fibre switched on a year after it was connected.
Source: iTWire