Broadband News
Fri, 09th Jul 2010
Broadband fibre via sewer mooted for Brisbane
A successful trial of a system for running fibre optic cables through sewers has been completed in Brisbane, and a large-scale rollout may follow.
Source: iTWire
ISPs cry foul over Telstra 'price squeeze'
Following a Telstra revamp of its retail DSL pricing, competitors are considering lodging complaints with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over an alleged "price squeeze" between the company's wholesale and retail margins.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Opposition mounts for Gillard's filter push
Members of the parliamentary cyber-safety committee have criticised new Prime Minister Julia Gillard for standing behind her party's controversial internet filtering proposal.
Source: iTnews Australia
Barnaby Joyce gets behind an ISP filter
Maverick Nationals Senator, Barnaby Joyce, has revealed his strong support for the filter and dissatisfaction over rural and regional broadband.
Source: ARN
Thu, 08th Jul 2010
Maps: Second release of NBN Co sites
Darwin, Perth, Geraldton, Mandurah, Townsville, Toowoomba, inner-city Brisbane, Adelaide, Western Sydney, Coffs Harbour, Melbourne and Bacchus Marsh among those to get NBN fibre services in 2011.
Source: iTnews Australia
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