Broadband News
Fri, 30th Jul 2010
NBN coverage maps reveal 93 percent fibre footprint
The Federal Government has extended the National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre footprint from 90 to 93 percent of Australian premises, in accordance with KPMG-McKinsey recommendations.
Source: iTnews Australia
The NBN coverage maps
These maps show an indication of where the NBN will be rolled out.
Source: Computerworld
NBN adds 300,000 premises to fibre footprint, releases details of full coverage
The $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre reach will now cover 93 per cent of homes, schools and businesses, extending to 300,000 additional premises.
Source: ARN
Labor uses NBN as election plus
Labor will use its $43 billion national broadband network to make up for lost ground as the second week of the election campaign comes to an end.
Source: Australian IT
AAPT tells staff: Welcome to iiNet
AAPT chief executive Paul Broad has told staff of the company's consumer telecommunications business that they are soon to join iiNet.
Source: iTnews Australia
Labor to force people to connect to broadband
Confirming an increase in the coverage of its national broadband network, Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy said he would support a rollout where people were automatically connected to the network unless they chose to opt out of it.
Source: SMH
Thu, 29th Jul 2010
Conroy pledges more of the same in tech if Labor wins
Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, has promised the Government will execute a major review of regulatory systems, but said most policies will remain the same.
Source: ARN
iiNet CEO spells death sentence for AAPT unlimited
The chief executive of ISP iiNet has indicated he would dump AAPT's unlimited broadband plans - and the "leechers" on them - if iiNet bought the Telecom New Zealand subsidiary.
Source: iTnews Australia
Bannon won't front AFACT's iiNet appeal
The film industry's star barrister Tony Bannon will not lead the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft's (AFACT) appeal against ISP iiNet in the Federal Court next week.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiNet calls trading halt over AAPT
Shares in iiNet entered a trading halt today as it prepared to announce a potential acquisition, expected to be AAPT's consumer division.
Source: Australian IT
Federal Government set to release exact NBN footprint tomorrow
The Federal Government is set to release the exact locations for the National Broadband Network tomorrow, according to Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy.
Source: ARN
TPG and iiNet battle for AAPT
Iinet is locked in a battle with TPG Telecom to acquire Telecom New Zealand's struggling AAPT unit.
Source: The Australian
Pacnet hoses down AAPT bid rumours
Pacnet has ruled itself out as a bidder for Telecom NZ subsidiary AAPT, at least in the "near future", according to chief executive Bill Barney.
Source: iTnews Australia
Working from home on NBN
Australians could save up to $1.9 billion a year in travel costs, petrol and time if they spent half their work hours at home on NBN.
Source: Australian IT
Conroy backs NBN opt-out model
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy appears to have backed a so-called 'opt-out' model for the National Broadband Network where Australians would be required to choose not to have fibre internet connected to their premises.
Source: ARN
Wed, 28th Jul 2010
Pacnet joins $447m Sydney-US undersea cable
Pacnet has stepped in to jointly fund a US$400 million ($447 million) undersea fibre cable connecting Sydney to the United States via Auckland that will double capacity along the route.
Source: iTnews Australia
Election 2010: Halting NBN 'economically irresponsible'
The Coalition faces a significant business community backlash if it fails to deliver a broadband plan for Australia that at least matches the Government's existing National Broadband Network initiative, according to the internet sector’s peak industry body.
Source: iTWire
NBN could see the end of business ADSL: IDC
The connection of the first business to the National Broadband Network (NBN) this week may have sounded the death knell for SME ADSL-based business broadband plans, according to IDC.
Source: Computerworld
Gillard backs NBN investment
The Prime Minister says opposing Labor's $43 billion national broadband network is like opposing the building of the railroad years ago.
Source: Australian IT
Cable to double internet capacity out of Australia
Two companies will invest an estimated $US400 million ($AU447) in a new 13,600 kilometre submarine cable that they say will double telecommunications capacity out of Australia and further reduce broadband costs to consumers.
Source: SMH
Lundy vs. Ludlam, Fletcher: election debate
At the launch of Google's Election 2010 portal at the internet giant's Sydney headquarters this morning, three of the country's most IT-savvy politicians went head-to-head on the National Broadband Network and the government's planned mandatory internet filter.
Source: ZDNet Australia
The Coalition defends its lack of NBN alternative, claims policy delay is standard
The Coalition has defended its delay in releasing an alternative to the Government's National Broadband Network and claimed it's entirely normal for an election campaign.
Source: ARN
Telstra fined $19m
Telstra has been slapped with an $18.5 million fine for blocking its rivals from installing broadband equipment at its telephone exchanges.
Source: Australian IT
Ditching NBN like axing railroads: Gillard
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said today that opposing Labor's $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) is like opposing the building of the railroad years ago.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Conroy on the run instead of the hustings
Senator Stephen Conroy has failed to answer the tough questions at a Melbourne event yesterday. In an election month, voters could be forgiven for thinking that the Broadband Minister was not up to another tough session about his filtering and NBN policies.
Source: iTWire
Australia scores a C on Akamai broadband report card
Akamai's latest State of the Internet was a shot in the arm for supporters of the National Broadband Network, reporting that Australia was in the bottom half of nations in the Asia-Pacific for broadband speeds and slower than neighbour New Zealand.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra's rivals fuming
Telstra's rivals are furious about drastic price cuts to its consumer broadband plans, saying it erodes competition in the telecoms sector.
Source: Australian IT
Tue, 27th Jul 2010
ABC: The NBN will degrade commercial media around Australia
The ABC's managing director, Mark Scott, has told a Sydney event the rise of the National Broadband Network will accelerate the decline in commercial media.
Source: ARN
NBN ramp up generating severe IT skill shortages, slashes labour pool
A hiring ramp up by NBN Co has already put the Australian skilled labour market under strain, with ICT personnel being snapped up like hotcakes, according to a new survey. In the past three months, the available skilled ICT labour pool has shrunk by a massive 80%.
Source: iTWire
ISPs rally against Telstra ADSL price cuts
ISP TPG has shrugged off an aggressive price revamp of Telstra's ADSL plans as Internode rallied users to stand by the ISP and not move their services to Telstra.
Source: iTnews Australia