Broadband News

Tue, 11th May 2010

NBN has hidden price trap

Wholesale prices in the government's $25 million implementation study may have little effect on prices for end users.

Source: Australian IT

Mon, 10th May 2010

Interview: Inside a censored China

Beijing-based academic Kaiser Kuo will bravely step into a local political storm in a series of televised debates this week as one of the few voices arguing that some forms of internet censorship can be justified.

Source: iTnews Australia

TransACT eyes NSW for fibre growth

TransACT is eyeing the expansion of its FTTP network into greenfields sites around the NSW/ACT border as it continues to grow fibre connections on the network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Australian broadband standards bumped up

The Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) standards have changed to increase the minimum Internet speed requirements for registered ISPs.

Source: ARN

Exetel's Linton thanks "thug" Conroy for free plug

The controversial chief of ISP Exetel has thanked Stephen Conroy for the "free plugs" for Exetel's cheap NBN plans while appearing to quietly change the final shape of those plans.

Source: APC Magazine

Conroy reassures Telstra shareholders

Telstra's management team is driving a hard bargain over the Rudd government's National Broadband Network (NBN), according to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

Source: ZDNet Australia

US and Conroy 'agree to disagree' on filter

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said that he and the United States Government were "going to agree to disagree" on the issue of a mandatory internet service provider level internet filter.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra holding out on national broadband network

Telstra's management team is driving a hard bargain over the Rudd government's national broadband network, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says.

Source: The Australian

Conroy: NBN Co doesn't need regular telco commercial returns

The company building the national broadband network, NBN Co should not have to make the same commercial returns as other telecommunications players, communications minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, has argued.

Source: Computerworld

Only 30pc to log in to national broadband network

The man in charge of the first rollout of the national broadband network predicts fewer than 30 per cent of premises will take up its super-fast internet service in its first few years.

Source: The Australian

Sun, 09th May 2010

Optus one-ups Telstra in iPad stakes

Hot off the heels of Telstra's iPad announcement, Optus have announced their own range of data plans for Apple's hot new device.

Source: iTWire

Telstra's prepaid Next G plans for 3G iPad: from $20/1GB to $100/12GB

Telstra reveals its prepaid Next G plans for Apple's 3G iPad, spanning from $20 for 1GB to $100 for 12GB, all with 30 day expiry.

Source: APC Magazine

Conroy confirms regulatory negotiation with Telstra

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has confirmed Government is involved in a separate set of negotiations with Telstra over regulatory policy and its legislative program, in addition to the talks Telstra is having with the Commonwealth-owned NBN Company.

Source: iTWire

The NBN is a risky technology punt: Hockey

Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey has confirmed the Coalition will halt the $43 billion National Broadband Network project in its tracks if it is elected later this year, saying Kevin Rudd is risking massive expenditure on a "technology punt."

Source: iTWire

Sat, 08th May 2010

Telstra deal would cut network costs: analysts

The fact the broadband network can be built without Telstra's involvement does not undermine the benefits of a deal, sharemarket analysts said in response to the the latest study into the $43 billion network.

Source: SMH

Telco battered by network review threat

The possibility that the government could slap a controversial levy on Telstra if it chose to build its own fibre network in competition with the national broadband network has dragged down the company's stock and shocked industry players.

Source: The Australian

Telstra to cut prices with or without NBN

Consumers are likely to get cheaper, faster broadband from Telstra this year no matter what happens with the government and NBN Co in the protracted negotiations over the national broadband network.

Source: The Australian

NBN shouldn't go it alone: analysts

The national broadband network implementation study released this week backed the government's claim that it was economically feasible for the network to ''go it alone'' without Telstra's involvement, but even analysts who did not express scepticism about the report's numbers say this is unlikely.

Source: The Age

Telcos joined by Google, Intel to applaud NBN Study

Google has joined the telecommunications industry in reacting warmly to a study that concludes the National Broadband Network (NBN) can be implemented for less than $43 billion with a mix of fibre, wireless and satellite technologies.

Source: Computerworld

Fri, 07th May 2010

AAPT revenues continue to slide

Aapt has reported a $130 million decline in revenues to $668 million for the nine months to 31 March with almost across the board drops.

Source: Computerworld

NBN: Not in my lifetime

One of the amazing things about the national broadband network announcement made by the Australian federal government yesterday is that it has attracted little questioning and little negative comment.

Source: iTWire

NBN no cash cow for providers

The National Broadband Network (NBN) will not be a cash cow for Internet Service Providers, according to a BBY financial analyst.

Source: Computerworld

NBN study highlights IPTV hurdles

Radical improvements in pay-TV competition will depend on regulatory change in a post-NBN world.

Source: Australian IT

Study 'erodes' Telstra's options: analyst

As the government sets a deadline for negotiations with Telstra on the terms under which it would move its customers and infrastructure into the National Broadband Network (NBN), financial-services firm Goldman Sachs JBWere (GSJBW) has said that the newly released NBN implementation study "erodes" Telstra's bargaining position.

Source: ZDNet Australia

NBN needs a high-fibre diet

The company to operate the national broadband network would need to be adopted by 70 per cent of consumers to give the government a 6 per cent return on investment, according to the implementation study released yesterday.

Source: The Age

When the NBN becomes VDSL

The National Broadband Network (NBN) implementation study was full of good news for the Federal Government, but it also contained contingency plans for the case of cost blow-outs or nasty surprises.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Thu, 06th May 2010

Study: Penalties for those that compete with NBN Co

Any network operator that attempts to compete with NBN Co by under-cutting its wholesale price could be forced to open up its network to competitors or be hit with a financial levy, under recommendations made today by the lead advisor to the NBN.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN: Senate telco debate listed for Wednesday

With the national broadband network implementation study now publicly released, the Government has tabled its crucial telecommunications reform legislation for debate in the Senate next Wednesday, and called on the opposition to get out of the way of a vote.

Source: iTWire

Extra fibre cheaper than wireless

Fibre should be deployed to 93 per cent of the population instead of just 90 per cent target because its cheaper than wireless, the NBN study says.

Source: Australian IT

NBN Implementation Study gets flack from Opposition

Senator Stephen Conroy's release of the NBN Implementation Study has continued to attract attention from Federal politicians.

Source: Computerworld