Broadband News
Thu, 04th Feb 2021
Optus has new discounts for regional Australians
Optus is hoping to woo regional Australians onto its network with a whole stack on new discounts. Anyone with an eligible postcode is able to pick from a discounted SIM-only plan or pick up an iPhone SE or Samsung Galaxy A51 for at least 50% off.
Source: WhistleOut
NBN reconnects Mallacoota following Black Summer fire damage
13 months after the residents of the East Gippsland town of Mallacoota were evacuated by the Royal Australian Navy to flee devastating bushfires, the town is able to use the NBN again.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Govt details round one of $20M 5G commercial trial grant program
The federal government is to open round one of its $20 million grant program for commercial trials of 5G technology from 19 February, offering individual grants up to $2 million.
Source: ARN
Telstra proposes 'net reduction of up to 1425 roles'
Telstra has lifted a year-long pause on job reductions under its T22 transformation program, briefing teams yesterday on plans for a “net reduction” of up to 1425 roles.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 03rd Feb 2021
Comms Alliance says telco industry welcomes 11.2% drop in customer complaints
Australia's Communications Alliance has "welcomed the announcement by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) that complaints dropped by 11.2% in the most recent quarter."
Source: iTWire
All but one Telstra prepaid plan to lose 5G access
As of today, Telstra has rescinded 5G network access on all but one of its prepaid recharges.
Source: WhistleOut
Nokia, Vodafone show off 100Gbps fibre broadband in laboratory
Finnish telecommunications equipment vendor Nokia has teamed up with Vodafone to demonstrate a new passive optical network technology that can deliver speeds of up to 100Gbps on a single wavelength.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 02nd Feb 2021
Telstra to power its sports streaming with Kayo
Telstra is set to change the way it streams sports to its customers, striking a long-term partnership with Foxtel and Kayo rather than continue with its own 'Live Pass' services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 01st Feb 2021
NBN Co to stop taking new HFC orders for 'several months'
NBN Co will stop taking new orders for hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) services from tomorrow due to a global shortage of chips used in the network termination devices that are installed at customers’ premises.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus completes $250m amaysim acquisition
Optus has completed its purchase of amaysim’s mobile business with its 1.2 million subscribers for $250 million.
Source: iTWire
Sun, 31st Jan 2021
NBN Co set to halt new HFC services due to NTD shortage
The NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, will stop providing new connections on its HFC network within a matter of days due to an acute shortage of network termination devices, reliable sources have told iTWire.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 29th Jan 2021
Belong vs. Telstra: NBN plans compared
Belong is quite literally budget Telstra, but what does that mean when it comes to NBN plans?
Source: WhistleOut
Thu, 28th Jan 2021
NBN Co floats 250Mbps minimum order to get free fibre upgrade
Users in NBN Co’s fibre-to-the-node footprint that wish to qualify for a free full-fibre upgrade may need to place a minimum 250Mbps order and/or commit to a minimum contract term under draft rules being canvassed with retail service providers.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 19th Jan 2021
Aussie Broadband vs. Superloop
Stuck tossing up between internet providers? We get it - it’s a minefield out there. Superloop and Aussie Broadband are some big fish in the smaller pond, here's how they stack up.
Source: WhistleOut
Mon, 18th Jan 2021
Telstra blasts plan to 'set aside' mobile spectrum for Optus and TPG, but not it
Telstra has rebuked the government and regulators over a proposal that would guarantee Optus and TPG - but not it - some re-farmed mobile spectrum in a forthcoming auction.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 15th Jan 2021
Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ & S21 Ultra on sale January 29 with prices starting at $1,249
Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S21 family of smartphones. Here's everything you need to know.
Source: WhistleOut
Thu, 14th Jan 2021
Telstra says it has half of all Australians covered by 5G
Telstra said on Thursday it was able to provide 5G coverage to half of the Australian population where they live. The company added it planned to hit 75% population coverage by the middle of the year.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 13th Jan 2021
NBN Co cuts average number of users per wireless cell to 19
NBN Co said it has reduced the number of users per fixed wireless cell from “historical levels of around 60” down to 19 “on average”.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN approaches 1Gbps using mmWave 5G over distances of 7 kilometres
The company responsible for the National Broadband Network (NBN) has laid claim to a world record for long-range millimetre wave transmission, saying it hit "close to 1Gbps" across a distance of 7.3 kilometres.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Leading Edge enters into wholesale broadband agreement with NBN Co
Data centre network provider Leading Edge Data Centres has entered into a wholesale broadband agreement with NBN Co for facilities access service.
Source: ARN
Tue, 12th Jan 2021
nbn claims '5G long-range transmission world record' for fixed wireless
Claiming a "world-record" for long-range 5G transmission using mmWave technology, Australia's government-owned National Broadband Network company is actively developing "new options to further optimise the performance and customer experience of the nbn Fixed Wireless network".
Source: iTWire
Wed, 06th Jan 2021
Save $10 per month on NBN 100, NBN 250, and NBN 1000 plans on Internode and iiNet
Sibling telcos Internode and iiNet are both slashing $10 per month from their fastest NBN plans. This means you can save $10 per month on NBN 100, NBN 250, and NBN 1000 plans with either provider for their first 12 months. The plans are contract-free, so you're always able to leave after your discount expires.
Source: WhistleOut
Tue, 05th Jan 2021
Qualcomm takes 5G down to budget phones with Snapdragon 480
Qualcomm has taken the wraps off its lower-tier Snapdragon 480 5G, the successor to the 460 used in phones such as the Nokia 3.4.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Mon, 04th Jan 2021
Optus, Telstra, TPG press for 'partnership' in $22m 5G test case race
Optus has asked the government to make partnering with a telco a prerequisite to secure funding under a forthcoming $22.1 million program to find new enterprise and industrial use cases for 5G.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 22nd Dec 2020
NBN Co a 'low' threat of overbuilding in greenfields estates
NBN Co is considered a “low” threat of using new powers to overbuild other networks in new housing estates in the short to medium term.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC chief Sims says Google and Facebook draft laws 'fair'
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman (ACCC) Rod Sims said proposed laws that will make Australia the first country in the world to force Google and Facebook to pay for news were fair and critical for the survival of the media industry.
Source: iTnews Australia
felix mobile increases unlimited data speeds to 20Mbps
felix's all you can eat plan is now capped at 20Mbps, rather than 5Mbps.
Source: WhistleOut
Mon, 21st Dec 2020
TPG offered sliver of hope in bid to overturn NBN protectionism
TPG Telecom’s bid to be allowed to roll out fixed-line infrastructure that competes with NBN Co again remains a live - albeit limited - possibility after the competition watchdog left the door open to future small-scale proposals.
Source: iTnews Australia
SpaceX Starlink picks up Australian 5G mmWave spectrum
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced on Friday it had offered the first round of its new area-wide apparatus licences to communications providers looking for 5G millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fri, 18th Dec 2020
5G mmWave licence applicants named
Opticomm, Optus, Starlink, Telstra and Field Solutions Group are among the 15 applicants in Australia that have been offered a licence in the 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands by the ACMA.
Source: ARN