Broadband News

Mon, 18th Jul 2011

Filter possible for NBN Co: ContentKeeper

It would be technically possible for the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) to filter internet websites, according to Mark Riley, chief technology officer of internet security company ContentKeeper Technologies, based on technology that the company already has in place.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Willunga business offers free taste of the NBN

A small business in Willunga is giving its peers an opportunity to 'kick the tyres' of the NBN.

Source: iTWire

Pacific Fibre signs TE Connectivity for cable

Pacific Fibre, a New Zealand-based bid to build a new submarine link across the Pacific to the US, has signed TE Connectivity to build the cable in a contract worth as much as $US320 million ($A301.8 million).

Source: iTnews Australia

Photos: Landcom estate lays pipes for NBN fibre

Landcom's Ashton Grove development in Maitland, NSW will be one of the first greenfield sites to have active NBN services.

Source: PC Authority

Fri, 15th Jul 2011

iiNet Labs grow up, scores New Zealand Orcon export deal

Australian internet service provider iiNet has today announced a new deal which will see products coming out of their Labs division sold in New Zealand as early as next week.

Source: iTWire

Tasmanians warned of possible NBN scammers

The dodgy types among us are rarely slow to spot an opportunity. Tasmanians are being warned of a possible NBN scam.

Source: iTWire

Thu, 14th Jul 2011

Turnbull hits Armidale for NBN tour

Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been getting down and dirty with the locals in rural NSW town Armidale, which contains is an early stage rollout zone for the National Broadband Network.

Source: iTWire

Vodafone may support Interpol filter

National mobile carrier Vodafone has signalled its support for the new voluntary Internet filtering scheme being implemented by rivals Telstra and Optus, but has refused to clarify whether it will definitely implement the scheme or not.

Source: iTWire

Telco ombudsman settles Exetel court stoush

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will conduct a three-month trial of a new complaints handling process as part of a mediated settlement with service provider Exetel.

Source: iTnews Australia

Slow migration to IPv6 a costly mistake

Slow migration to Internet Protocol Version 6 could end up being a costly mistake for Australian enterprises, according to Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU) vice-president, Narelle Clarke.

Source: Computerworld

NBN Co snags remaining LTE spectrum

NBN Co has finalised its second bid for the radio spectrum required to build out its fixed wireless network, with deployment set to begin within a year.

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 13th Jul 2011

Optus satellite facility tour: photos

Zdnet Australia goes behind the scenes at Optus' satellite facility in Belrose just north of Sydney to see how the telco manages its five satellites currently in orbit.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co and Telstra win big in ACMA 2.3GHz spectrum auction

Nbn Co has secured 24 licences and Telstra has nabbed 12 in the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) 2.3GHz spectrum auction.

Source: ARN

AFACT strong-arming ISPs: Pirate Party

The Australian arm of the Pirate Party yesterday opened fire on the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), accusing the group of "strong-arm tactics" and "extortion" in its renewed advances to local internet service providers (ISPs) over the past few weeks on the issue of online copyright infringement through file-sharing services such as BitTorrent.

Source: ZDNet Australia

ISPs should pay copyright costs: AFACT

The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) has said that New Zealand's decision to impose a NZ$25 charge on rights holders who want internet service providers to process user copyright infringement notices is not the ideal answer to tackling the copyright problems.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co forks out $1.3m for spectrum

NBN Co has shelled out $1.3 million for 24 radio spectrum licences across the country, bidding alongside Telstra and Unwired subsidiary, BKAL, in an auction run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Source: Computerworld

ICT employers face tough times, NBN poorly planned staff-wise: ITCRA

The number of suitable candidates per ICT role remained at a low in the second quarter of 2011 in comparison with 2010, according to the Information Technology Contract and Recruitment Association (ITCRA).

Source: ARN

Telstra price squeeze ignored: Internode

Telstra has been squeezing prices to its wholesale customers for almost a year now, and the national competition regulator has taken zero action in response, according to Internode managing director Simon Hackett.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Pirate Party slams AFACT's ISP "extortion"

The Australian arm of the Pirate Party late yesterday opened fire on the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft, accusing the group of "strong-arm tactics" and "extortion" in its renewed approaches to local ISPs over the past few weeks on the issue of online copyright infringement through file sharing services such as BitTorrent.

Source: iTWire

Tue, 12th Jul 2011

Internode aligns plans for simplicity

National broadband provider Internode has revamped its monthly plan structure, with the aim of unifying its disparate product offerings under one simplified structure.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Internode simplifies broadband plans

National broadband provider Internode has revamped its monthly plan structure, with the aim of unifying its disparate product offerings under one simplified structure, and giving customers small bonuses in terms of extra quota and bundled services.

Source: iTWire

Interpol filter: Does it breach user agreements?

Does the mandatory implementation of a limited Internet filtering scheme by Telstra and Optus constitute a breach of the ISPs' existing agreements with their users? So far the situation is unclear, according to Australia's Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co deploys fibre to more NSW housing estates

Three new housing estates across western Sydney have been slated as the next greenfields to receive fibre connections under the National Broadband Network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mon, 11th Jul 2011

ACCC to spell out non-discrimination rules that will apply to NBN Co

The ACCC is preparing a set of documents that will spell out how NBN Co must not discriminate, except in limited circumstances, between organisations seeking access to NBN Co's network services.

Source: iTWire

Telstra Ultimate Wi-Fi

Telstra's Ultimate Wi-Fi hotspot delivers solid mobile data to up to five devices and comes highly recommended - as long as you can afford it.

Source: ZDNet Australia

ISP Netbay to launch advertising funded free-access metro WiFi

Broadband ISP Netbay Internet is planning a network of free-access, advertising-funded WiFi hotspots in metropolitan areas of Australia and has teamed up with GoConnect to sell the advertising for the network.

Source: iTWire

FTTH and FTTB set to overtake wireless connections in APAC by 2014: Ovum

Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and Fiber-to-the-Building (FTTB) are set to overtake the number of wireless internet connections in the Asia-Pacific region from 2014, Ovum has claimed.

Source: Computerworld

Sat, 09th Jul 2011

Rivals fume over Telstra prices

The imminent migration of broadband customers to a new Telstra fibre network in South Brisbane has the telco's rivals fuming.

Source: Australian IT

Fri, 08th Jul 2011

iiNet's Malone calls for end to NBN politics

iiNet chief executive Michael Malone has called for those commenting on the National Broadband Network to return to judging ideas on their "technical merit", instead of letting politics cloud the national debate.

Source: iTWire

Telstra, vividwireless and NBN Co set to do battle for rural 2.3GHz spectrum

Next Wednesday, July 13, Telstra, NBN Co and vividwireless will battle each other for 2.3GHz spectrum covering vast swathes of rural and remote Australia, and home to some 700,000 people.

Source: iTWire