Broadband News
Wed, 22nd Jun 2011
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
Platform Networks makes NBN connections
Platform Networks has brought five service providers onto a wholesale aggregation service that now includes connections to the National Broadband Network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Rats! Queensland Telstra network chewed up
A rat plague is chewing up parts of Telstra's network in outback Queensland, causing intermittent phone problems at Birdsville.
Source: ARN
Optus urges tougher rules on Telstra split
Optus is urging the Federal Government to tighten proposed regulatory standards that the competition regulator will use to deal with Telstra's structural separation into retail and wholesale arms.
Source: ARN
Tasmanian public schools locked out of NBN
Tasmania's Department of Education has neutered criticism from the state's opposition over public school takeup of the NBN, revealing all schools in trial areas were serving out existing telecommunications contracts.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra broadband plan unrealistic: ACCC
The outgoing boss of the national competition watchdog says Telstra's original broadband proposal was an "illusion" in terms of its cost and speed targets.
Source: ARN
Wed, 15th Jun 2011
NextGen NBN offer not a total fix: Hackett
A service launched yesterday, which will aggregate National Broadband Network (NBN) capacity across Australia, is "no magic bullet" that could completely resolve perceived issues with the NBN's pricing model, according to Internode managing director Simon Hackett.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Southern Cross eyes 6 Tbps capacity
Southern Cross Cable has revised upwards the expected capacity gains from a transmission upgrade to its submarine cable network, expecting it to boost the network to "at least" 6 terabits per second (Tbps).
Source: iTnews Australia