Broadband News
Wed, 04th Aug 2010
AFACT: Time to change business model?
The long-running copyright case between ISP iiNet and the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) looks to have come full circle, with one Federal Court judge musing out loud that there is a commercial solution to the issue, regardless of what is decided by the bench.
Source: iTWire
Why not do the NBN better, cheaper, faster?
When you are faced with an opponent that has a great game, sometimes the best offence is to just do what they are doing, but better.
Source: Computerworld
AFACT didn't explain notices to iiNet
On the morning of the third day of the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) appeal against the iiNet copyright case verdict, iiNet barrister Richard Cobden said that the federation had passed infringing customer data to iiNet without explaining it.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Will the Coalition preside over the No Broadband Network?
It's crunch time for the Australian Liberal Party and its coalition partner, The Nationals, as Australians are faced with an awful Federal election choice: the socialist Labor party with its plan to spend $43b building a national broadband network at 100Mbps speeds, only to cruel it with a freedom-killing filter, or the freedom-loving, capitalist Liberal Party which still hasn't stated what its NBN policy is, or whether it truly is 100% opposed to a filter.
Source: iTWire
iiNet: AFACT did not ask for gradual steps against pirates
iiNet has attempted to rebuke claims by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) in the Full Federal Court that the ISP could have - and should have - taken gradual steps against copyright infringements by its customers.
Source: ARN
Optus revamps mobile broadband plans
Optus has announced a new range of mobile broadband plans starting at $A20 that differentiate between peak and off-peak usage.
Source: iTWire
iiTrial: Concerns iiNet could be re-sued even it it wins appeal
One of three judges presiding over the appeal between the film studios and ISP iiNet over alleged copyright infringement on ISP networks has questioned whether a decision by the full bench of the Federal Court will actually solve anything in the war between the two sides.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiNet v AFACT judge: What’s the point of this case?
One of the Full Federal Court judges overseeing the copyright case between iiNet and the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) has questioned the point of the proceedings.
Source: ARN
Tue, 03rd Aug 2010
ISPs throw cold water on Conroy's 'uncapped' NBN
ISPs rejected a prediction by the Federal Communications Minister that capped data plans will disappear once the $43 billion National Broadband Network is built.
Source: iTnews Australia
Poll: Should ISPs be held accountable for customers who infringe copyright?
The ongoing legal battle between iiNet and the Australia Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) is back in the Federal court this week.AFACT launched an appeal back in February after the judge overseeing the much-publicised copyright case, Justice Cowdroy, dismissed the case, following a five-month investigation that uncovered instances of copyright infringements by users of iiNet's services. The case raises the question of whether ISPs should be held accountable for the actions of its users?
Source: Computerworld
iiTrial: Studio case "way out there", says iiNet
The relative importance of a copyright case between the film studios and ISP iiNet has again been played out in the Federal Court, with the ISP's lead barrister describing the film industry's case as "adventurous" and "way out there".
Source: iTnews Australia
iiTrial: Studios call for graduated response against infringers
The film industry has again put the disabling of BitTorrent in the too-hard basket, preferring instead that ISPs start "graduated responses" against users accused of sharing copyrighted materials.
Source: iTnews Australia
We lose NBN, you lose our vote poll tells Abbott
The Liberal-National Coalition could well lose a significant proportion of the all-important swinging voters unless it modifies its plans to scrap the NBN. That appears to be the message of new poll which may be the kick in the backside that the Federal Opposition needs to perform a necessary policy backflip.
Source: iTWire
iiNet spam policy perfect for copyright
On day two of the appeal against the verdict in the landmark iiNet copyright trial, Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) barrister David Catterns said iiNet's "sophisticated" policy procedure for dealing with customers with malware and spam should apply to copyright breaches.
Source: ZDNet Australia
iiNet had power to stop downloads
Film studio lawyers say ISP iiNet had the technical ability and power to prevent customers from abusing its network for film piracy but failed to act.
Source: Australian IT
iiNet defends 'win' verdict against AFACT
iiNet's legal representative has taken the stage to strengthen the company's 'win' verdict against the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT).
Source: ARN
iiNet joins broadband big league
iiNet's $60 million acquisition of AAPT's consumer arm will cement its role as a major player in the National Broadband Network world.
Source: Australian IT
Mon, 02nd Aug 2010
iiNet to trial Broadcom's DSL boosting technology
iiiNet is planning trials of technology from chip-maker Broadcom that it hopes will significantly improve the performance of its recently launched IPTV service, provided by Fetch TV.
Source: iTWire
Family First looks to NBN for free online uni
The Family First Party has called for the Labor Party’s proposed National Broadband Network (NBN) to be used in setting up free online university courses.
Source: Computerworld
Optus HFC upgrade done, reaches 75Mbps
Optus has completed a substantial upgrade of its hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) cable network in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney that will allow residents in supported areas access to speeds ranging up to around 80Mbps or more, using the improved DOCSIS 3 standard.
Source: ZDNet Australia
iiTrial: ISPs "can't just throw hands up" on piracy
ISP iiNet should not rely on the magnitude of matching alleged evidence of copyright infringements to user information as a reason not to act on piracy, the film industry's lead barrister told the Federal Court today.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiTrial: Film studios don't want to sue individual downloaders
The film industry has submitted that it is "not desirable" to sue individual internet users alleged to have infringed copyright, returning to a discussion of "authorisation" during opening submissions to the full bench of the Federal Court.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiNet plugged into users, piracy: AFACT
Lawyers for the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) have said that iiNet authorised users' copyright infringements, because although it was in close communication with users and knew of their infringing activities, it did not act.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Could Tony Abbott unscramble the NBN egg?
All the momentum in this so far tedious federal election campaign has been Tony Abbott's, delivering opinion polls suggesting for the first time that he is a real chance of becoming Australia's next Prime Minister – and that the Coalition can make good its promise to scrap the national broadband network.
Source: iTWire
Telco consolidation kills NBN choices
Shortly after former Alcatel-Lucent executive Mike Quigley stepped on board as the first employee and leader of the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) in mid-2009, a new term entered the lexicon of Australia's telecommunications sector: "retail service provider" or RSP.
Source: ZDNet Australia
AFACT: iiNet punishes spammers but not pirates
The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) has claimed iiNet punishes spammers but not copyright infringers in the first day of the copyright case’s appeal hearing in the Full Federal Court.
Source: ARN
Sat, 31st Jul 2010
How iiNet beat the pack to AAPT
The battle for Telecom New Zealand's struggling Australian operation, AAPT, was fought among a clutch of telecoms heavyweights.
Source: Australian IT
Fri, 30th Jul 2010
Tassie NBN unviable alone, pricing to rise
The Liberals' plan to axe the NBN and leave existing services in place would never work because Tasmania's NBN would be unviable without current high levels of cross-subsidisation, Senator Stephen Conroy argued in a far-reaching speech after which he also confirmed that Tasmanian NBN access prices are certain to rise in the near future.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Budde barney over NBN blowout
Telecommunications analyst, Paul Budde, has slammed comments by a rival consultant that the National Broadband Network (NBN) could cost in excess of $80 billion.
Source: Computerworld
iiNet pays $60m for AAPT consumer business
ISP iiNet has confirmed with the Australian Stock Exchange that it plans to acquire the consumer business of AAPT for $60 million.
Source: iTnews Australia