Broadband News
Wed, 16th Mar 2011
iiNet's piracy authority is only half a solution
The problem with iiNet's scheme is that its 'traffic police' analogy is far from apt for the situation which Australians find themselves in with respect to watching TV and movie content.
Source: Delimiter
Tue, 15th Mar 2011
iiNet: Set up independent body to tackle movie piracy
Iinet has proposed a way of dealing with copyright infringements involving an impartial referee which, it claims, can remedy the friction between ISPs and film studios.
Source: ARN
Telstra more than doubles prepaid data quotas
Telstra has significantly raised the data quotas on its prepaid phone plans with high-end products now carrying a 4GB monthly allowance.
Source: iTnews Australia
Best 3G wireless broadband modems
We test the latest HSDPA mobile broadband hardware on Telstra's, Vodafone's, Optus' and 3 Mobile's 3G networks.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Conroy gets "hands-on" at Geraldton fibre link launch
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy channels his inner network administrator at the opening of the Perth-Geraldton backhaul link - part of the Government's $250m backhaul blackspots scheme. All photos courtesy of Nextgen Networks.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra offers free International calls to Japan
Telstra customers wishing to check on loved ones in Japan can do so for free as the telco offers free calls and text messages to the disaster-stricken nation.
Source: ARN
NBN Co trying hard to sell NBN to end users
NBN Co is ramping up its efforts to 'sell' the benefits of the NBN to end users, releasing a series of case studies of NBN usage by Tasmanians.
Source: iTWire
Communications Alliance to look at consumer info on NBN rollout
Communications Alliance's NBN steering committee has approved the formation of a new working group to focus on consumer information relating to the rollout of the NBN.
Source: iTWire
AAPT to expand into infrastructure-as-a-service
Business telco AAPT has revealed plans to launch storage and server infrastructure-as-a-service products.
Source: iTnews Australia
Satellite not good enough for outback
Rural health providers fear the Australians living in remote areas will be disadvantaged by satellite provided by the National Broadband Network.
Source: Australian IT
FetchTV hints at new ISPs
The FetchTV will shortly be announcing new distribution partners, CEO Scott Lorson told PC & Tech Authority today.
Source: PC Authority
Mon, 14th Mar 2011
Telcos created NBN skills shortage: union
Telstra and the rest of the telco industry have been blamed for the dire lack of skills that could endanger the roll-out of the National Broadband Network.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co smooths ruffled Tassie feathers
The National Broadband Network Company has responded to criticism that it's not explaining its mission well to Tasmanian residents, saying that it had appointed a community relations manager in the state. It's also reassured those in areas to be served by wireless that existing ADSL broadband over Telstra's existing copper network won't be shut down for 10 years.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Stress less: NBN Co reassures Tasmania
Fledgling fibre monopoly NBN Co has responded to criticism that it's not explaining its mission well to Tasmanian residents, pointing out that it had appointed a community relations manager in the state, and reassuring those in areas to be served by wireless that existing ADSL broadband based on Telstra's existing copper network wouldn't be shut down for 10 years.
Source: Delimiter
Internet a lifeline in Japan disaster
The earthquake and tsunami in Japan has proved again how the internet offers a global information lifeline in a time of crisis.
Source: Australian IT
Sat, 12th Mar 2011
Quake damage to Japan cables appears small
Undersea telecommunications cables in and out of Japan seem to have mostly survived the devastating earthquake that struck the country on Friday.
Source: ARN
Fri, 11th Mar 2011
IIA to develop copyright guide for courts
Australia's peak internet industry body has moved rapidly to protect its members from liability for online piracy.
Source: Australian IT
iiTrial costs case likely in June
ISP iiNet may have to wait until June to argue costs stemming from its latest success in a long-running copyright case with the film industry, due to the unavailability of one of three Federal Court judges.
Source: iTnews Australia
Conroy talks up NBN participation
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has joined an international delegation in talking up the opportunity for greater levels of citizen participation through ubiquitous broadband.
Source: iTnews Australia
Is your broadband the worse for Wi-Fi?
Internet performance monitoring company Epitiro says consumers are losing on average of 30 percent of downstream broadband bandwidth and suffering 20 to 40 percent increases in latency by using Wi-Fi rather than wired ethernet to connect their PCs etc to their broadband router.
Source: iTWire
iiNet, Nextep deploy DSLAMs in Geraldton
ISP iiNet has wasted no time taking advantage of a new backhaul route in Western Australia, deploying three DSLAM racks in the Geraldton exchange.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiTrial spurs ISP industry piracy code
The organisation representing Australia's internet industry today revealed it would "immediately" start working on a new industry code of practice to detail ISPs and hosting providers' rights and obligations when dealing with alleged copyright infringements by their users, in the wake of an interim result in copyright holders' high-profile legal action against iiNet.
Source: Delimiter
Nextgen lights up WA fibre
Nextgen has switched on its fibre backhaul link between Perth and Geraldton.
Source: ARN
Keep copper in towns excluded from NBN fibre: Digital Tasmania
Premises in Tasmania earmarked for wireless coverage under the National Broadband Network (NBN) that already have existing ADSL connections should be able to retain their services, according to Digital Tasmania.
Source: ARN
SAP Australia chief decries NBN "wasted investment"
The managing director of the Australian branch of global software giant SAP has broken ranks dramatically with other leaders in Australia's technology industry in their support for the Federal Government's flagship National Broadband Network project, declaring the initiative a "wasted investment" because it doesn't focus on wireless technology.
Source: iTWire
NBN: Korea kept its HFC cable, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Turnbull appears to have returned from an impromptu study tour of the telecommunications facilities in Asian countries with fresh ammunition for Australia's own broadband debate, pointing out that global broadband giant South Korea has maintained both HFC cable and fibre options for residents.
Source: Delimiter
Thu, 10th Mar 2011
NBN will drive working from home opportunities: Lundy
The National Broadband Network (NBN) will increase the advantages of employees working from home for many businesses, according to government and industry representatives.
Source: Computerworld
40% prefer 4G wireless broadband to fibre poll equals NBN financial headache
A poll purporting to show that 4G wireless broadband will not threaten the business case of the FttH National Broadband Network (NBN) appears to show the exact opposite. According to the Compare Broadband poll, 40% of respondents to the small online poll say they would prefer to use 4G wireless to the NBN in the future, which if true would put a severe dent in the NBN business case.
Source: iTWire
$500m rail spectrum investment in limbo
There was still no certainty for the states' 1800MHz spectrum-dependent $500 million investment in national rail safety.
Source: Australian IT
NBN good, but DSL works fine: Salmat
While the the National Broadband Network (NBN) may help some businesses enable remote working, contact centre management specialist Salmat is already making do, according to its head of teleworking.
Source: ZDNet Australia