Broadband News
Wed, 24th Nov 2010
PM acts to break NBN deadlock
Julia Gillard has personally intervened to rescue legislation underpinning the construction of the $43bn National Broadband Network from a hostile Senate.
Source: Australian IT
Xenophon reserves Telstra split bill judgement
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has ultimately reserved his position on the Telstra split bill, supporting the separation of Telstra but holding out on a 'yes' vote until the release of the NBN Co business plan.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 23rd Nov 2010
Nick Xenophon not a phoney NBN independent
The news that Senator Nick Xenophon has decided to act like a true independent and intends to hold the Government to account over the NBN will come as a refreshing change to many who are astounded that so-called independents in the Australian Parliament are prepared to allow important legislation to be rammed through without adequate scrutiny. The question now is whether the Government is prepared to accede to the Senator's request that it lifts the veil on the NBN business plan and if not, then what?
Source: iTWire
Conroy exits Coalition-dominated Telstra debate
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has walked out of the Senate on the third day of debate on the Telstra split bil, as Coalition opponents lined up to rail against the bill, the NBN and the Government.
Source: iTnews Australia
Government announces another NBN Inquiry
Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese today announced that the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications would examine the economic and social benefits of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Source: iTnews Australia
Government mum on independent NBN examination
The Gillard Government has refused to publicly release an independent examination of the assumptions used to develop NBN Co's business plan.
Source: Computerworld
Turnbull: Government commissioned external NBN evaluation "puzzling"
Shadow Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has criticised the Federal Government hiring of external advisers for the National Broadband Network (NBN), branding the idea "unusual" and "puzzling".
Source: ARN
Gillard runs ruler over NBN
The Gillard government has hired external corporate advisers to test the assumptions underpinning the confidential business case behind the NBN.
Source: Australian IT
Millions of consumers unhappy with telco customer service
The Australian Communications Consumers Action Network (ACCAN) has released the results of a survey saying it shows that a third of people who lodge a complaint with a telco are unhappy with the outcome.
Source: iTWire
Ericsson joins EnergyAustralia in LTE tryst
EnergyAustralia today announced that it had signed an agreement with Ericsson to roll out Long Term Evolution (LTE) for a 4G communications network as part of its smart grid deployment.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Senator in stand-off with government
Independent senator, Nick Xenophon, admits he is in a Mexican standoff with the federal government over its national broadband network (NBN).
Source: ARN
Tim Berners-Lee warns of threats to open web
Web creator says Facebook and Apple are threatening the openness of the web.
Source: PC Authority
Mon, 22nd Nov 2010
Telstra, Ericsson link cities with LTE
Telstra and Ericsson have successfully conducted a high-quality video link-up between Sydney and Melbourne using Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology.
Source: ZDNet Australia
PM denies bowing to Greens on NBN
Labor still plans to privatise the National Broadband Network, after a deal with the Greens for more scrutiny and parliamentary approval of the sale.
Source: Australian IT
Conroy absorbs Senate fire on NBN Co plan
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy faced a hostile Senate again today, repeatedly skirting questions on the NBN business plan and confidential briefings offered to key independents.
Source: iTnews Australia
Greens back out of NBN briefing
The federal government's attempt to win parliamentary backing for the national broadband network (NBN) has suffered another setback, with the Australian Greens rejecting a private briefing of its business plan.
Source: ARN
Coalition "outrage" at Greens NBN deal
The Coalition has expressed "outrage" that the Federal Government will allow the Productivity Commission to examine the NBN only after the multi-billion dollar network is completed.
Source: iTnews Australia
Greens strike deal to prevent NBN Co privatisation
The Greens have struck a deal with Labor to support Labor's contentious legislation to restructure the telecommunications industry, on the basis that provisions be included to make it difficult to privatise NBN Co.
Source: Delimiter
NBN broadband prices will drop: Quigley
Despite claims to the contrary, broadband prices will fall over time on the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to a letter from NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Deal ensures Greens support for NBN bill
The Greens have defended a deal with Labor to make it more difficult to privatise the $43 billion National Broadband Network.
Source: Australian IT
Turnbull holds $10m network conflict
The opposition communications spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, has a $10 million investment in an information technology company which, its managing director says, stands to reap ''new wealth'' from the Labor government's $43 billion national broadband network.
Source: SMH
Sun, 21st Nov 2010
Greens go green at gills over goofy NBN private briefing offer
OMGreen - Australia's "Green" party has refused the offer of a "private briefing" on Australia’s National Broadband Network business plan because of the Federal Government’s onerous "non-disclosure" restrictions that last up to 7 years.
Source: iTWire
Telstra adamant that $11bn NBN deal figure non-negotiable
Telstra CFO John Stanhope told the company's AGM on Friday that Telstra was hopeful of finalising draft definitive agreements on its NBN deal by Christmas, but hosed down speculation that the $11b figure could be negotiable.
Source: iTWire
Higher scrutiny is best solution to the nation's $43 billion broadband mesh
Funny how politicians love to talk about transparency and the benefits of parliamentary scrutiny - before they get into power. You can bet that if the boot was on the other foot, and the Coalition was holding back information about some national broadband network-type project, Labor would be screaming.
Source: SMH
Fri, 19th Nov 2010
What of Telstra if shareholders reject NBN deal?
Telstra will survive without the $11 billion deal with NBN Co but its fixed line business will struggle, according to analysts.
Source: ARN
Future Fund blocks Telstra at AGM
Telstra's biggest shareholder, the Future Fund, has voted against all resolutions at the telco's AGM in Melbourne today.
Source: Australian IT
Shareholders rail against Telstra at AGM
Telstra's board and senior management today faced down a series of shareholders angry about the company's dwindling share price, with one accusing the beleaguered telco of having suffered "ten years of failure" in terms of its management and another branding the situation "a shocker".
Source: ZDNet Australia
Turnbull rails against parliamentary NBN blockage
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused several of the independents and Greens MP Adam Bandt of irresponsibility for their decision not to support his private member's bill designed to increase transparency of the National Broadband Network and force the Government to conduct a cost/benefit analysis.
Source: iTWire
Optus to send letters for misleading ads
The Federal Court has today ordered Optus to send letters to each of its customers who bought broadband plans during the company's misleading "Superfast" and "Think Bigger" broadband advertising campaigns.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Young adults leading trend away from fixed-line phones: ACMA
A growing number of Australians are ditching their fixed-line phones in favour of internet-enabled mobile devices, according to research by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Source: Computerworld