Broadband News
Thu, 20th Jan 2011
Alcatel glitch an NBN worry
A key supplier to the $36 billion National Broadband Network is on the verge of being ejected from Singapore's equivalent project.
Source: Australian IT
Vodafone to waive Qld flood mobile bills
Vodafone and 3 will waive a month's worth of mobile bills of customers in 25 of the worst affected areas in the current Queensland floods.
Source: Computerworld
Wed, 19th Jan 2011
Floods put Telstra's FTTP move on hold
Telco giant Telstra has sent a letter to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), advising that its fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) migration project in South Brisbane will be delayed as the Queensland flood disaster continues to take its toll.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Push to put NBN under FOI law
The Coalition and the Greens hope to force the government to bring the National Broadband Network under the scrutiny of Freedom of Information laws.
Source: Australian IT
Government shrugs off demands for NBN funding shift
The Federal Government has shrugged off pressure from The Business Council and Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, over demands to delay funding for the National Broadband Network (NBN) and direct the money to the Queensland flood disaster recovery effort.
Source: ARN
NBN must face govt razors: Biz Council
The Federal Government should not rule out stalling the National Broadband Network (NBN) to fund the multibillion-dollar rebuilding efforts for flood-affected Queensland and Victoria, according to the Business Council of Australia.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tue, 18th Jan 2011
vividwireless keeps pushing its impressively fast download speeds
There's Telstra Next G, then there's vividwireless. The company keeps pushing it's claims of wireless speeds similar to ADSL2+ and cable at a price that's looks tempting on paper. If you can get it, that is.
Source: PC Authority
Scrap NBN for Queensland recovery: Abbott
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has called on the government to scrap its multi-billion dollar National Broadband Network (NBN) to help fund the Queensland flood recovery.
Source: Computerworld
Telecoms lessons learnt in the flood
As flood-ravaged telecoms services struggle in Victoria and slowly come online in Queensland, the things these disasters have shown us will factor heavily into future telecommunications infrastructure planning. But do they suggest we should change our thinking about the NBN - or just hurry up and build it even faster?
Source: ZDNet Australia
Turnbull to challenge NBN Co FoI exemption
Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says his party plans to challenge NBN Co's exemption from freedom of information laws.
Source: iTnews Australia
Prime Minister defends reducing NBN Co transparency
The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has defended her Government's decision to give NBN Co an exemption from Freedom of Information (FoI) requests despite its status as a taxpayer-funded company.
Source: ARN
Opposition slams NBN Co exemption
The federal opposition has criticised the government after reports that the National Broadband Network (NBN) will be exempt from freedom of information (FOI) laws.
Source: Computerworld
Greens push for NBN Co FoI
The Australian Greens say they will push for NBN Co - tasked with rolling out the national broadband network - to be subject to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act when parliament resumes.
Source: ARN
Mon, 17th Jan 2011
Telcos fight to retain business in digital world: ACMA
New research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) suggests consumers are reaping the benefit of greater telecommunication and media competition caused by the internet.
Source: Computerworld
Aussie manufacturing ramped thru NBN deals
The National Broadband Network Company has inked a trio of small contracts with local equipment companies, in a move that industry minister Kim Carr today claimed would create four hundred Australian jobs.
Source: Delimiter
Telstra warns of Vic and Tas exchange issues
Telstra has warned that repairs to issues with telecommunications services in Tasmania and Victoria could be delayed due to flooding in the two states.
Source: Computerworld
NBN Co awards $1.6 billion of equipment contracts
NBN Co has announced the three companies that will supply hardware equipment to the $35.9 billion National Broadband Network.
Source: ARN
Telstra Tasman link up
Telstra has confirmed that transmission issues affecting some Tasmanian customers late last week have been resolved.
Source: Computerworld
NBN Co awards $110m enclosure deal
NBN Co has lodged a $50 million order for optical distribution frames and sub-racks from Victorian manufacturer Warren & Brown.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vividwireless shakes up broadband plans
ISP vividwireless has announced that it will raise the price of its standalone unlimited broadband service in a plan shake-up that also formally introduces the company's voice service.
Source: iTnews Australia
Opinion: Broadband is needed, and needed now
Applications in health, environmental and resource management could justify NBN investment.
Source: iTnews Australia
Sun, 16th Jan 2011
Broadband users have more gigabytes than they know what to do with
Telecoms market research firm, Market Clarity, says it has confirmed that most customers of Australian fixed broadband services use only a fraction of their monthly download quota: 15 percent on average.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 14th Jan 2011
NBN Co still working on battery issues
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) has been quick to defend its hardware following questions about how basic telephone services over the National Broadband Network (NBN) may be affected if mains power is cut.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Majority of Optus network back online in Queensland
As flood waters recede and power is turned back on, Optus has resumed services to most of its mobile sites in Queensland.
Source: Computerworld
Weather severs Telstra Bass Strait cable
A Telstra Bass Strait fibre link from Tasmania to Victoria went down today after severe weather severed the cable.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Abbott: Government must "rethink spending" due to floods
The Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, has used a visit to flood-afflicted Queensland to push for a change in Government spending priorities in what is most likely an attack on the National Broadband Network.
Source: ARN
Big telcos brace for $50m repair bill
The nation's major telecommunications companies are facing a bill in excess of $50 million and three months of build time.
Source: Australian IT
European ISPs rubbish net filtering
European internet service providers have lobbied the EU Parliament to drop its internet service provider level child pornography filtering. Legislation is set to be voted on next month which may see it become European law. EuroISPA, representing some 1800 European providers, argues the measures are ineffective.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Nextgen to install temporary fibre cable in Queensland
Nextgen Networks will today attempt a "temporary" fix on a flood-damaged fibre cable linking Sydney and Brisbane after field technicians got their first look at the site yesterday afternoon.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 13th Jan 2011
The big update: Telco networks in Queensland
Telecommunication companies are currently struggling to restore their services in flooded Queensland territory, as access to damaged exchange sites is still denied and power outages prevent networks from operating.
Source: Delimiter