Broadband News
Fri, 29th Oct 2010
Conroy, Telstra differ on NBN trial
Telstra pre-selected 100 customers to its free NBN Tasmania trial -- contrary to what the Communications Minister said in the Senate.
Source: Australian IT
Thu, 28th Oct 2010
US expert: The future is wireless broadband
Blair Levin was the lead author of the US Government's version of the NBN, the National Broadband Plan, which has faced similar controversies and challenges. He talks to ARN about how wireless broadband is the future and why the Australian method may not be the best for promoting growth.
Source: ARN
Turnbull 'misguided' on telco reform: Conroy
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull is "misguided" if he thinks the telecommunications industry reform legislation is putting a gun to Telstra's head, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said today.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN batteries to cost $150m
Providing back-up batteries for 11 million phone subscribers to the National Broadband Network will cost taxpayers up to $150 million a year.
Source: Australian IT
Libs seek monitoring of Telstra split
The opposition will today make a bid for the competition watchdog to be empowered to oversee the deal between Telstra and NBN Co.
Source: Australian IT
Wed, 27th Oct 2010
ACCC demands Optus label throttled speeds "sub-broadband"
Competition watchdog the ACCC has said that Optus should have advertised that users of its unlimited plans would be throttled to "sub-broadband" speeds after exceeding their peak download quotas.
Source: iTnews Australia
Turnbull plan to short-circuit NBN
The Coalition has adopted a high-speed internet policy that would render redundant the proposed National Broadband Network.
Source: SMH
Independents open to scrutiny of NBN
Independent MPs have backed Malcolm Turnbull's call for greater transparency on the National Broadband Network.
Source: Australian IT
Internode wholesale negotiations better, still not "equitable": Hackett
Internet service provider (ISP), Internode has furthered its negotiations with Telstra for more equitable wholesale pricing, following concerns the ISP's managing director, Simon Hackett, has aired in previous months.
Source: Computerworld
NBN wins fans and critics in TV debate
The National Broadband Network last night received votes of confidence from a school, university, paediatrician, patient and rural resident in a televised debate - but the reaction of a resident in a Tasmanian first release site showed how far the Government has to go to bridge dividing public opinion on the network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Nokia Siemens claims world DSL bandwidth record
Nokia Siemens Networks claims to have achieved 825Mbps over 400 metres and 750Mbps over 500 metres using 'Phantom DSL' technology.
Source: iTWire
Proof's in the ports for ultra-fast broadband
If Telecom New Zealand is to become a partner in the New Zealand Government's ultra-fast broadband project, it will certainly have to raise its game.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Analyst: NBN is wasteful as copper is still viable
The National Broadband Network (NBN) will not drive productivity significantly and the existing copper network still has more to give, according to telco analyst, Kevin Morgan.
Source: ARN
Tue, 26th Oct 2010
Internode's better 50GB deal, take that, Telstra!
Competition in the telco section continues apace despite the glacially impending NBN, with Internode slicing some prices after having squeezed blood from a stone by wringing better pricing from Telstra Wholesale, with the hope that ongoing negotiations will see even better pricing.
Source: iTWire
Huawei inks another NBN contract, backs FTTH
China-based networking giant Huawei says the announcement of another fibre to the home roll-out in the region - the latest in Brunei - demonstrates Australia is on the right track with its own plans for an FTTH National Broadband Network.
Source: iTWire
Tasmanians spurn offer of 'free' NBN
It was described as "free" broadband by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy but only 18 customers in Tasmania have signed-up.
Source: Australian IT
NBN to pay for linking up units
The National Broadband Network Co will cover the costs of rewiring old apartment blocks to ensure they can connect to the service.
Source: Australian IT
Australian Industry Group backs NBN
A report by a leading industry group has backed the National Broadband Network (NBN) but has also raised concerns about the lack of a cost-benefit analysis of the $43 billion project.
Source: ARN
NBN could hurt backhaul providers
NBN Co may compete with private backhaul providers selling capacity to mobile carriers to boost its commercial returns.
Source: Australian IT
Mon, 25th Oct 2010
Cheap broadband strands aged-care firm
South Australian internet service provider (ISP) Tardis Telecommunications has told one of its aged-care provider customers that it will need to terminate internet services to hundreds of elderly people because the broadband deal it had put in place wasn't as lucrative as it had first believed.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra buys spectrum for mobile broadband
Telstra has bolstered its Next G network with 2.1 GHz spectrum licenses for 1,400 base stations within months of rival Optus licensing similar spectrum assets.
Source: iTnews Australia
Video: Gillard hits YouTube for NBN legislation
After watching this video, we're convinced that Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard really does not know what she is talking about when she's referencing the National Broadband Network. Does anyone else get the sense she's reading from a script but not deeply understanding many of the concepts she's discussing?
Source: Delimiter
Return from NBN not enough: Turnbull
The National Broadband Network will not deliver enough of a commercial return to justify government support, Malcolm Turnbull has declared.
Source: Australian IT
ACCC wants final say on NBN, Telstra
ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel has outlined the competition regulator's desire to have final say on undertakings submitted by Telstra and NBN Co, without facing the prospect of court appeals.
Source: iTnews Australia
RBA's Stevens cautious on tech sector, NBN
Australia probably doesn't need a large information technology production industry, and may be better focusing on being sophisticated users, the Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens said.
Source: iTWire
Why can't Labor sell the NBN's benefits?
The National Broadband Network (NBN) is Australia's biggest-ever infrastructure project, we're told. So you'd think the government could do a better job of selling its benefits than TV advertising containing little more than vague generalities and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's magic smart dishwasher.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Turnbull’s NBN transparency bill hits parliament
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has tabled in parliament his brief piece of legislation designed to force the Government into disclosing key financial details of its flagship National Broadband Network project and conducting a cost/benefit analysis into its construction.
Source: Delimiter
Greens want NBN costings
Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown has called for the government to release costings relating to the $43 billion National Broadband Network.
Source: Australian IT
Windsor against NBN cost-benefit analysis
Key federal independent MP, Tony Windsor, won't back any move for a Productivity Commission analysis of the $43 billion National Broadband Network.
Source: ARN
Sun, 24th Oct 2010
NBN cost study a waste of money: Conroy
Malcolm Turnbull's call for a Productivity Commission cost-benefit study of the National Broadband Network was a waste of money, and Mr Turnbull was unlikely to support the roll-out even if such a report was positive, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says.
Source: iTWire