Broadband News

Thu, 08th Jul 2010

Gillard should halt filter plan: Greens

The Greens have urged Prime Minister Julia Gillard to put the controversial ISP filtering plan on hold or risk affecting Labor's election chances.

Source: Australian IT

Filter cops criticism in cyber-safety commitee

Telecommunications providers and Internet advocate groups have called for more funding to educate Australian Federal Police (AFP) and state law enforcement on lawful data interception and cyber-safety.

Source: Computerworld

NBN Co releases 14 new trial sites

NBN Co has announced 14 new sites next in line to be strung up with fibre broadband services as part of the rollout of the National Broadband Network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Labor ups NBN trial sites

The Gillard government has rushed ahead with its NBN plans even though the project will be cancelled if it loses the next election.

Source: Australian IT

TIO mulls Twitter as complaints gateway

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is exploring Twitter and Facebook as potential new avenues for consumers to file complaints against their telecommunications or internet service provider.

Source: iTnews Australia

Vodafone and 3 gets new mobile broadband plans

Vodafone Hutchinson Australia (VHA) has enhanced its mobile broadband plans.

Source: ARN

Foxtel shelves Telstra net TV deal

Foxtel has scrapped a controversial plan to enter the budding internet television market through an exclusive deal with Telstra.

Source: Australian IT

Gillard to stick with web filter despite disquiet

The Prime Minister will push ahead with controversial plans for a mandatory internet filter despite acknowledging public concerns that it will interfere with "legitimate use".

Source: SMH

Wed, 07th Jul 2010

Alcatel-Lucent: NBN to solve gamer latency woes

Gamers struggling with high-latency while playing online games will find solace on the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to networking vendor, Alcatel-Lucent.

Source: ARN

Conroy says he's not the IT Minister

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy today told press at the launch of a new Macquarie Telecom call centre that he didn't consider information technology to be part of his portfolio - claiming that role belonged to Industry Minister Kim Carr.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Conroy: Internet filter bill with fixes will be out by November

Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, has said he expects mandatory ISP filtering legislation to be out by November. But he refused to promise it would be ready before the election.

Source: ARN

Conroy shortlists next 20 NBN sites

The Federal Government has selected the next 20 sites across Australia to receive high-speed broadband as part of the $43 billion national broadband network rollout.

Source: iTnews Australia

Conroy cuts the crap on sewer broadband

At the launch of Macquarie Telecom's new customer service centre in Sydney today, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy wished Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman good luck with his proposal to build a fibre network through Brisbane sewers.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Gillard acknowledges fears over internet filter

... but says she has confidence that Stephen Conroy will sort out the glitches in the policy.

Source: APC Magazine

Telstra dives into big pond of diversity

Australia's telco giant may have one monkey off its back after its National Broadband Network (NBN) deal, but its boss says it now has its sights set on diversifying the business and satisfying unhappy customers.

Source: SMH

'Unlawful' net filter claim referred to AG

A network engineer has taken his complaint about the Federal Government's internet filtering trials being conducted illegally to the Attorney-General's Department after being stonewalled by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE).

Source: ZDNet Australia

Melbourne council to offer free WiFi

A Melbourne council plans to spend $45,000 on a free wireless hotspot trial to target the 40 percent of local residents who don't have home internet access.

Source: PC Authority

iiNet IPTV launches

iiNet has launched its long-awaited IPTV service based on resale of FetchTV and branded fetchtv 2, soon to be followed by fetchtv 1.

Source: iTWire

Tue, 06th Jul 2010

Internode strips Naked, for $10

Internode has reduced by $10 the monthly fee for its Easy Naked broadband plan and has extended coverage. It has also revived an ADSL2+ resale agreement with Optus.

Source: iTWire

NBN connections should be mandatory

The Tasmanian Opposition is right to propose that Australians should have to opt out from having their houses connected to National Broadband Network fibre cables - not have to opt-in as the process currently stands.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN Co ready to roll with test sites

Construction of the first five mainland sites to be connected to the $43 billion national broadband network is expected to begin this month.

Source: Australian IT

Mon, 05th Jul 2010

900 Sanctuary Cove homes get FTTH services

A consortium of three companies - Universal Communications Group (UCG), Telcoinabox and Utilibill formed in 2009 - has completed the installation of an FTTH network to 900 'brownfield' homes in the Sanctuary Cove development on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Source: iTWire

NBN Co defiant in face of uncertain telco industry

For all the benefits the Federal Government intends to reap from its $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN), the negative aspects of a complete revolution of Australia's telecommunications industry are starting to become all too clear.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra slims down Dial IP network

Telstra has switched off the first of 87 points-of-presence for its ageing Dial IP network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra fibre not enough: NBN Co

Though Telstra is believed to own and operate one of the most extensive fibre networks in Australia, it isn't nearly enough for the National Broadband Network (NBN), according to the head of corporate affairs at NBN Co, Kevin Brown.

Source: Computerworld

Is Australia's data retention idea that scary?

Is the government really talking about recording all your web browsing? Is the European Directive on Data Retention, which the government is using as an example of what it could adopt, really benign?

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN could be opt-out in Tasmania: Premier

Tasmanian State Premier David Bartlett has committed to ask the Tasmanian NBN Company whether it would be feasible for Tasmanians to be required to opt-out from having the planned optic fibre cables connected to their premises -- reversing the current policy where they are required to opt-in.

Source: Computerworld

Vividwireless unveils $75 unlimited broadband plan

ISP vividwireless has introduced an unlimited downloads plan on its WiMax network that puts it in line with competitive fixed-line offers.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN key to better services

Fast broadband will improve health, education and the environment, a national think tank will hear in Brisbane today.

Source: Australian IT

Sun, 04th Jul 2010

Brisbane looks to sewers for broadband

Brisbane is investigating bringing broadband to the city's houses using its sewer pipes to carry the fibre optic cable.

Source: ZDNet Australia