Broadband News
Fri, 11th Mar 2011
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
Telstra's threatening its wholesale: NBN Co
Telstra's proposed amendments to legislation for the National Broadband Network (NBN), which seek to limit NBN Co's ability to offer services directly to non-telco corporations with carrier licences, would in fact stop Telstra from offering wholesale fixed-line services, a Senate inquiry has heard.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Dumping cherry-picking laws 'a risk to NBN rollout'
The company building the NBN say the government's investment in the $36 billion project could be undermined.
Source: Australian IT
The need for more air
Wireless spectrum is being fought over by mobile providers, TV networks, emergency services and a myriad of other users.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 09th Mar 2011
NBN: What does 'retail service provider' actually mean?
From the joint parliamentary committee into the National Broadband Network today (and associated submissions released over the past week) comes news that energy utilities want to be able to buy services directly from NBN Co.
Source: Delimiter
Internode boosts intercap fibre links to 10 Gbps
ISP Internode has upgraded capacity on its leased intercapital fibre network, swapping 24 small-capacity links for five fat 10 Gbps links.
Source: iTnews Australia
TransACT concerned NBN will force its split
Wholesale telecommunications provider TransACT has raised concerns with a parliamentary committee that National Broadband Network (NBN) legislation could force it to structurally separate in a similar manner as Telstra.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Optus guns for NBN volume discounts
Optus has supported NBN Co offering volume discounts to ISPs with large customer bases.
Source: ARN
Get a licence, telcos tell utilities on NBN
Utility companies that want to access services directly from the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) should have to get a carrier licence, Telstra and Optus have argued.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra makes case for NBN cherry-picking
Telstra has a "difference of opinion" with the Government and a key Greens senator on proposed cherry-picking provisions in NBN legislation before Parliament, saying the controversial rules should be culled.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra, Optus oppose 'special' NBN rules for utilities
Australia's largest telcos have spoken out against proposals to allow utilities to bypass retail service providers by buying a wholesale fibre service directly from NBN Co.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 08th Mar 2011
We need direct NBN services: utilities
The Energy industry has rejected calls from Optus, Telstra and the Federal Opposition for the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) to be prevented from supplying retail services to utilities, saying that receiving retail services would over-complicate energy networks.
Source: ZDNet Australia
AARNet increases Basslink capacity to 10 Gbps
AARNet has secured a revised 15-year agreement with subsea cable operator Basslink that will provide Tasmanian researchers with access to mainland-equivalent fibre links for the first time.
Source: iTnews Australia
Albanese on board in spectrum dispute
Transport Minister Anthony Albanese has stepped into a dispute between rail operators and mobile carriers and regulators over radio spectrum.
Source: Australian IT
Telstra: LTE and NBN are complementary
LTE wireless technology will work alongside the NBN, not against it, according to Telstra.
Source: ARN
NBN Co, Telstra close to deal
Telstra and NBN Co are finalising an interim arrangement for the network builder to have access to the telco's pits and pipes.
Source: Australian IT
Telstra sets up 1800 MHz LTE interest group
Telstra has set up an 1800 MHz Long Term Evolution (LTE) special interest group to pool operator enthusiasm for deploying next-generation mobile broadband services in that spectrum band.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 07th Mar 2011
LTE pull is capacity, not speeds: Telstra
Key Telstra executives this morning emphasised that its newly announced Long Term Evolution (LTE) roll-out was about freeing up capacity on its flagship Next G network, rather than just boosting top-line speeds.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra hangs up on Salmat contract
Telstra has cancelled its call centre contract with Salmat today, forcing the contact company to slash its guidance for the second half of the year.
Source: ZDNet Australia
How LTE will become Telstra's capacity trump card
In a broader sense, Telstra's shift to the 1800MHz spectrum for LTE mirrors the approach the telco took when it rolled out its 850Mhz Next G network starting in late 2005. At the time, the telco was pilloried by industry observers for using a spectrum frequency which was unpopular with international telcos -- with some claiming few handsets would ever support the range.
Source: Delimiter
Turnbull's crash course on Asian broadband
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has embarked on an impromptu tour of broadband facilities and networks throughout the greater Asian region, in what appears to be an effort to keep on the cutting edge of technology as part of the debate about Australia's own National Broadband Network.
Source: ZDNet Australia
FRITZ!Box 7270: Review
The FRITZ!Box is a perfectly priced, and ideally configured device for one category of customers -- professionals with a small home office, or companies of only a handful of staff members. For this type of use, the FRITZ!Box 7270 is perfect, and we commend it to them. A marvellous piece piece of engineering, it will serve as a valuable investment that will deliver network stability for many years to come.
Source: iTWire
iiTrial appeal sets "high bar" for film studios
Copyright owners may have celebrated too soon a series of steps laid out by judges in the iiTrial appeal that could force ISPs to address piracy allegations, according to Baker & McKenzie special counsel Anne Flahvin.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra revenues slashed by ACCC
Telstra could be stripped of $60 million a year in revenue because of a crucial interim decision by the competition watchdog, analysts say.
Source: Australian IT