Broadband News
Fri, 12th Nov 2010
Extending NBN may add $30 to phone bill
Controversial plans to extend the monopoly reach of the $43 billion high-speed broadband network could add $30 a month to phone bills.
Source: Australian IT
Thu, 11th Nov 2010
Optus chief sorry for misleading broadband ads
Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan has apologised for an advertising campaign described as "tricky" by a Federal Court judge, but insisted the telco would continue to "push the boundaries" on marketing and take "aggressive action" to get back on track.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACMA research highlights increased internet use
New research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) suggests that Australians are embracing the digital economy, with growth in the volume of data downloaded and online activities since June 2009.
Source: Computerworld
Quigley faces battle over infrastructure
A seemingly technical debate over points of fibre "interconnect" is looming as a critical industry issue for the NBN project.
Source: Australian IT
NBN plan could 'hurt business, regions'
Business has slammed NBN Co's plans to build billions of dollars worth of privately owned infrastructure.
Source: Australian IT
Wed, 10th Nov 2010
Nextgen hits half-way in regional backbone blackspots rollout
Transmission services provider Nextgen Networks today celebrated the completion of 3000km of construction in the Australian Government's Regional Backbone Blackspots Program (RBBP) in an event attended by Communications Minister in Melbourne. According to Nextgen, it has now reached the half-way point of its network construction.
Source: iTWire
Alcatel-Lucent's glossary of broadband and NBN terms
Global telecommunications equipment vendor, Alcatel-Lucent, today released a glossary of key terms that explain broadband and NBN concepts. We've reproduced the document for your general information.
Source: ARN
DSL kickstarts engin's business
SMB telco, engin, has reported a major turnaround in its business in the 2010 financial year, notching up a record EBITDA of $0.7 million off revenues of close to $20 million.
Source: Computerworld
Kazacos: NBN should keep Tasmanian Government as joint venture partner
The Federal Government's decision to drop the Tasmanian Government as a joint venture partner in the National Broadband Network's rollout is a worrying sign, according to telco boss and Anittel executive chairman, Peter Kazacos.
Source: ARN
Treasury warns over costings for the NBN
Treasury has warned cabinet it needs to give "very careful consideration" to the National Broadband Network's implementation study over coming months.
Source: Australian IT
Interpol offers "worst of" list to Australian ISPs
Australian authorities have welcomed an INTERPOL initiative to provide a list of Internet domains containing severe child sexual abuse content to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) voluntarily participating in a scheme to reduce the availability of such material on the Web.
Source: iTnews Australia
400Mbps VDSL rings touted as cut-price alternative to FTTH
The Coalition might have another weapon in its battle to push alternative technologies against the Government's $43b, predominantly FTTH, National Broadband Network: a UK company claims to have technology that can deliver up to 400Mbps over existing copper, at less than 10 percent of the cost of FTTH.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 09th Nov 2010
iiNet appeal victory 'won't protect universities' from Net piracy law suites
Lawyers have warned that, even if iiNet ultimately triumphs in the Internet piracy case brought against it by movie industry bodies, Australia's universities remain wide open to similar litigation, but have fewer defences than iiNet.
Source: iTWire
Dead and buried: Tasmania’s NBN joint venture
Some 18 months after it was first proposed and after a year of uncertainty about its legal structure, the various parties involved in the stillborn Tasmanian National Broadband Network joint venture with Aurora Energy have walked away from the idea.
Source: iTWire
Australia's emissary to Blizzard: Simon Hackett
You've got to love Simon Hackett's constant Whirlpool posts. They're a fount of information, controversy and entertainment. Over the years I've greatly enjoyed watching the principled and ethical leader of broadband rebel splinter group Internode tussle with the denizens of the nation’s most famous online forum.
Source: Delimiter
Conroy: Turnbull is a telco market hypocrite
Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, has defended the Australian Compeition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) inquiry into the NBN's Points of Interconnect and labelled the Opposition's comments as hypocritical.
Source: ARN
Why copper and HFC can't save us
The Coalition is hanging onto the idea that the copper network - if we just give it a few nips and tucks - is good enough to keep us basking in 12Mbps glory for years to come. Yet a bit of work with Google Earth shows that it's a quite optimistic work of fiction to suggest that Telstra's copper and Telstra/Optus-owned HFC networks are enough to guarantee 12Mbps to everybody. Here's why.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Mon, 08th Nov 2010
NBN monopoly will mean compo: Optus
NBN Co is killing competition and opening itself up to compensation claims by not proposing enough points of interconnect for the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to Optus and Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co delivers business plan to Government
NBN Co has delivered its business plan to the Federal Government and Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy.
Source: ARN
NBN not a gift, but a debt: Abbott
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said that although the National Broadband Network looks like it's being given to the nation on a platter, it's a gift everyone will regret when the bill arrives.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone trials price cuts for data roaming
Vodafone Australia plans to trial a major cut in data roaming charges for customers travelling to New Zealand this summer.
Source: iTnews Australia
Abbott won't dismantle Tasmanian NBN
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he won't rip up National Broadband Network infrastructure already rolled out in Tasmania.
Source: Australian IT
Fri, 05th Nov 2010
TPG to open direct Asian internet route
ISP TPG expected data roundtrips between Sydney and Asia to fall to as little as 100ms when a new direct internet traffic route goes live next week.
Source: iTnews Australia
Pivotel to upgrade Aussie satellite facilities
Satellite mobile communications provider Pivotel has announced plans for a $20 million upgrade of its Australian facilities, following the launch of six next-generation satellites over Kazakhstan.
Source: iTnews Australia
4G definition creates marketing free-for-all
Now that LTE and WiMax officially are not 4G, use of that heavily advertised term is a free-for-all -- at least until it comes time to name the next wave of mobile networks.
Source: Computerworld
Optus customers given chance to opt out of misleading plans
Those who signed up to Optus' 'Think Bigger' or 'Supersonic' broadband plans between 25 April and 15 October this year will be given a chance to terminate their contracts without additional fees, a letter to be sent to those affected will state.
Source: Computerworld
iiNet gives free phone calls for mental health services
Perth-based ISP, iiNet, is giving its customers free phone calls to mental health services.
Source: ARN
Thu, 04th Nov 2010
NBN Co goes on hiring spree
The NBN Co has dramatically ramped up its hiring activity, posting an average of three new roles a day on its job vacancy site as its rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) ramps up.
Source: Computerworld
NBN universal service obligation should cater for wireless internet users: Swinburne University
Not including wireless broadband under the National Broadband Network's (NBN) universal service obligation (USO) plan means some users won’t be covered if services goes down, Swinburne University Smart Services senior researcher, Scott Rickard, has warned.
Source: Computerworld
Internode warns IT departments to factor IPv6 into procurement decisions
With IPv4 addresses set to run out in mid 2011, internet service provider (ISP), Internode, is warning that IT departments need to ensure that procurement decisions must factor in IPv6 compatibility or face being stuck with obsolete gear.
Source: Computerworld