Broadband News

Tue, 22nd Jun 2010

Satellite provider slams NBN Co

An Australian-owned satellite operator has condemned the NBN Co for its handling of the tender process for internet services in rural areas.

Source: Australian IT

Mon, 21st Jun 2010

Telstra's NBN deal a win-win: analysts

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has managed a real, tangible win-win outcome with yesterday's deal between Telstra and the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co), according to telecommunications analysts.

Source: ZDNet Australia

National Party votes 'no' to ISP filtering

The National Party of Australia has used its Federal conference to vote against the Government's plan for a mandatory filter.

Source: ARN

Telstra-NBN Co deal: Telstra plans phased copper decommission

Residents and businesses on Telstra's copper and cable networks will be effectively pushed to the National Broadband Network (NBN) under the $11 billion Financial Heads of Agreement deal between the telco, network wholesaler NBN Co and the Federal Government.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra had a gun to its head: Opposition

The Federal Opposition has said that Telstra was forced into signing a preliminary agreement with the National Broadband Network Company because Labor had a gun to the company's head.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Unions, iiNet welcome Telstra/NBN deal

Two major unions, as well as the third-largest ISP, iiNet, have welcomed the deal to sell access to Telstra's infrastructure to the NBN.

Source: APC Magazine

Telstra eyes astronomical pits and pipes lease

Telstra will lease access to its passive infrastructure of pits and pipes to NBN Co over a contract term beyond the "horizons" of any leasing arrangement previously agreed to, Telstra CEO David Thodey said today.

Source: iTnews Australia

FAQ: Making sense of Telstra and NBN Co's agreement

Telstra and NBN Co have struck up a complex and as-yet unfinished agreement to migrate Telstra's copper and cable services onto NBN Co's fibre network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Coalition vows to scrap $11bn NBN Co-Telstra deal

The Federal Opposition will scrap the $11 billion agreement between NBN Co and Telstra should it come to power at the next election, despite widespread industry support for the deal.

Source: iTnews Australia

Sun, 20th Jun 2010

NBN Co to buy Telstra network for $11 billion

Telecommunications incumbent Telstra has agreed to migrate its copper and cable broadband networks to Government-owned NBN Co in a deal worth $11 billion.

Source: iTnews Australia

New company to deliver USO if Telstra does deal with NBN Co

The Government would set up a new company to take over most of Telstra's universal service obligations if the agreement just signed by Telstra and NBN Co is consummated.

Source: iTWire

Telstra signs transfer deal

Telstra has signed an $11 billion deal with NBN Co to transfer customers from the copper network onto the National Broadband Network's fibre network and share Telstra's infrastructure.

Source: SMH

Sat, 19th Jun 2010

Optus urges go-ahead on NBN

The government's national broadband network does not need Telstra for it to roll out, Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan says.

Source: The Australian

Fri, 18th Jun 2010

Toxic net filters 'shelved until after election'

The internet censorship policy has joined the government's list of "politically toxic subjects" and will almost certainly be shelved until after the federal election, Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam says.

Source: SMH

Telstra LTE trial: 100 Mbps wireless over 75km cell

Telstra's LTE trial, which pitches three of the world's largest networking companies against each other in a proof-of-concept for a next generation data network, has racked up some impressive results, pushing a 100 Mbps wireless downlink to the edges of a 75 kilometre cell.

Source: iTnews Australia

Support accelerates against NBN Co privatisation

Support for the Federal Government to keep the key National Broadband Network (NBN) wholesaler NBN Co in public hands has continued to grow among both the industry and the Opposition.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra flags new broadband deals, just in time for T-Box launch

Three new Telstra bundles will go on sale this week, as the planned national launch of the T-Box creates new demand for better value data services.

Source: PC Authority

Kogan mocks cost of internet filter

Australian gadget manufacturer Kogan has weighed into the internet filter debate in a satirical YouTube video that mocks the cost and effectiveness of the Federal Government's plan to filter the internet.

Source: iTnews Australia

Senators question benefits of NBN

Senators investigating the government's ambitious national broadband network have said the project should be dropped.

Source: Australian IT

Thu, 17th Jun 2010

NBN leads the world, says expert

TheĀ $43 billion broadband plan has Australia leading the world in terms of strategies forĀ national infrastructure, a telecommunications expert says.

Source: Australian IT

Senate NBN enquiry winds up after two years and 19 hearings

Two years almost to the day and five reports later the Senate Select Committee set up to enquire into the NBN Mark 1 has issued its fifth and final report and has finally wound up.

Source: iTWire

NBN study doesn't replace cost analysis

In a report on the National Broadband Network, the Senate has again called for the Federal Government to commission a detailed cost-benefit analysis into the project.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Privacy Commissioner sits on fence over ISP snooping policy

The Federal Privacy Commissioner has issued a muted statement in reaction to the Attorney General's proposal to force ISPs to keep records of Australians' internet usage.

Source: APC Magazine

NBN Co confirms analog phone support

The company charged with building Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN), NBN Co, yesterday said that the network will support legacy analog telephone services.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Survey: Broadband customers want pricing based on usage

Broadband customers want pricing based on speed and what is being used, according to a new survey.

Source: ARN

Web snooping policy shrouded in secrecy

The Federal Government is hiding controversial plans to force ISPs to store internet activity of all Australian internet users - regardless of whether they have been suspected of wrongdoing - for law enforcement agencies to access.

Source: SMH

Who will be the content king?

Right now, all over the world, a battle is being fought. Everyone knows that we will soon be watching a significant amount of IPTV, but who will profit from this shift? Existing TV companies have agreements in place with the content providers, but internet service providers have a strong relationship with the end user.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Wed, 16th Jun 2010

Telstra call costs capped by Conroy

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy today announced an extension of price control arrangements on Telstra which will force the telco to continue charging 22c for untimed local calls from home phones and 50c from payphones.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Call for calm over data retention talks

The Internet Industry Association (IIA) has revealed that the Attorney General's Department has been discussing the possibility of data disclosure laws with Australia's ISPs for eleven years.

Source: iTnews Australia

Inside Australia's data retention proposal

Telecommunications industry sources have called the claims by Attorney-General media relations that web browsing history would not be recorded in a controversial data retention proposal "a bit cute" and a question of terminology and semantics.

Source: ZDNet Australia