Broadband News
Mon, 16th May 2011
Telstra opens up second release NBN sites
NBN Co has negotiated early access to Telstra's infrastructure to fuel the rollout of its fibre network at the planned second release sites, ahead of the finalisation of what NBN Co chief Mike Quigley described this morning as the pair's "hideously complex" permanent arrangement.
Source: iTWire
Pro rata, Internode had fewest TIO complaints
In an analysis of complaints about Internet services statistics blog site Bernoulli Trial has found that Internode recorded the lowest rate of TIO complaint numbers compared to its market share.
Source: iTWire
No NBN 'go button' until Telstra deal
Although Telstra and the National Broadband Network company (NBN Co) have agreed to use Telstra's pits and ducts at second release sites, the "go button" on the NBN will not be hit until the deal is finalised, according to CEO Mike Quigley.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co shops for more fixed wireless spectrum
NBN Co has revealed it is shopping for unallocated 2.2 GHz spectrum, which it intends to use to offer fixed wireless broadband services in Western Australia.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co opens peace talks with Simon Hackett
NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley today said his team had opened discussions with Simon Hackett over the Internode managing director's NBN pricing concerns, but stopped short of saying NBN Co would be able to address what Hackett has previously described as the company's
Source: iTWire
GFOA claims NBN Co exploited greenfield fibre operators
Greenfield Fibre Operators in Australia (GFOA) has accused NBN Co of milking its member’s knowledge and expertise before unceremoniously dumping them in favour of Fujitsu for the National Broadband Network (NBN) deployment to greenfield estates.
Source: ARN
ACMA outs teacher online security course
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released a national online training program today to help teachers learn how to protect students online.
Source: ZDNet Australia
In the NBN world, the buck stops…Nowhere
A paper in the latest edition of the Telecommunications Journal of Australia argues that, in the NBN world, unlike today, there will be no single entity responsible for the overall end-to-end performance of services delivered over the NBN.
Source: iTWire
Bribe countries on NBN boss's watch
Michael Quigley was responsible for overseeing Alcatel operations in four countries where company employees paid bribes to corrupt officials.
Source: Australian IT
Sun, 15th May 2011
Optus spends $25m on Tassie mobile sites
Optus will spend $25 million on its mobile network in Tasmania, challenging rival Telstra's dominance of the state.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Sat, 14th May 2011
Telstra windfall if NBN changes
Telstra could receive a multi-billion-dollar windfall if a Coalition government sought to redesign the National Broadband Network.
Source: Australian IT
4G will deliver three times more capacity than 3G: Ofcom
Ofcom has published new research that says 4G mobile technology will deliver more than 200 percent of the capacity of existing 3G technologies, on the same amount of spectrum.
Source: ARN
Fri, 13th May 2011
Optus accused of 'price gouging' on data roaming
Optus is Australia's most expensive mobile network for data roaming, according to a study by Australian Business Traveller.
Source: iTnews Australia
Quigley and court records at odds
A host of public claims made by NBN chief Michael Quigley about French Telco giant Alcatel-Lucent are different from allegations made in US court documents.
Source: Australian IT
NBN Co picks Fujitsu to roll out fibre in new estates
Fujitsu has been named NBN Co's prime alliance partner for laying out fibre for the National Broadband Network (NBN) to new development areas in a deal worth over $100 million.
Source: ARN
Telstra techs find cut cable concreted over
Building site contractors severed a 1200-pair cable on the NSW South Coast before concreting over it a fortnight ago, knocking out about 800 residential and business lines on Telstra's network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Abbot says spend NBN cash on roads and hospitals
The federal opposition leader, Tony Abbott, has used his reply speech to the 2011-2012 federal budget to once again attack the National Broadband Network (NBN) and argue for a market-oriented solution to the need for faster broadband.
Source: Computerworld
Thu, 12th May 2011
NBN Co may lower prices if overcharging
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) has indicated it may lower wholesale NBN prices to retail service providers if its pricing model is overcharging carriers.
Source: ZDNet Australia
800MHz public safety broadband would waste time and money
Using the 800MHz spectrum instead of the 700MHz spectrum for public safety broadband use would be extremely costly and could delay plans for an emergency services broadband network by up to 10 years.
Source: ARN
Optus lifts profit 15 percent through strong mobile growth
Optus as reported steady growth for the full year to 31 March led by its mobile business with mobile connections passing the nine million mark.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co aims to solve the activation blame game
If all goes to plan with the National Broadband Network, internet service providers may no longer be able to use the age-old excuse of "It's Telstra's fault!" for activation delays. According to NBN Co's industry integration manager, an uncomplicated activation should take no longer than five minutes.
Source: Computerworld
Optus, Telstra share the spoils
Optus and Telstra have divvied up the gains from customers leaving Vodafone Hutchison Australia.
Source: Australian IT
NBN Co virtualises with Citrix
Initial rollout to focus on the desktop, Citrix to provide three years support
Source: ARN
Wed, 11th May 2011
ISP filtering not so hot
There's no word yet on whether mandatory Internet filtering in Australia will go ahead, although the government has revealed "limited interest" in a filtering grants scheme.
Source: PC Authority
Optus wireless broadband reviewed
Optus’ network performance remains impressive, but we wish they’d come up with simpler and much better value plans
Source: PC Authority
Budget gives ACMA & ACCC $13.8m to prepare for NBN
The Federal Budget has allocated $34.4m over five years to DBCDE for additional work to support the finalisation of definitive agreements between Telstra and NBN Co and $12.4m to the ACMA and the ACCC to set up the regulatory framework for the NBN.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co lays out timeline for ISP interfaces
NBN Co has revealed a timeline of three major releases of its service portal and B2B gateway that provide the technical interface between the network builder and access seekers (ISPs).
Source: iTnews Australia
Internode deploys multicast to national Agile network
Adelaide-based internet service provider Internode has completed a national deployment of multicasting architecture on its Agile DSLAM network, allowing it to officially launch FetchTV internet protocol television (IPTV) services since first partnering with the company last year.
Source: Computerworld
NBN Co to trial direct calls to ISPs' customers
NBN Co has revealed it will make direct contact with prospective end users of its broadband network if they require an NBN field technician to attend their homes.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 10th May 2011
Broadband users pouring bundle down drain by not bundling
A new survey purports to show that one third of broadband users are wasting money by using different service providers for voice and internet services. Apparently bundling is the key to reducing the financial impost of communications these days.
Source: iTWire