Broadband News
Mon, 20th Apr 2020
Australia plans law forcing Google, Facebook to share ad revenue with domestic media firms
Australia will pass legislation within months obliging Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google to share advertising revenue with local media firms, the country's treasurer said on Monday, becoming one of the first countries to require digital platforms to pay for content they use.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co creates new basic Sky Muster Plus tier for low-income internet offer
NBN Co will put currently unconnected low-income families in its satellite footprint on a Sky Muster Plus service but with a much smaller metered data allowance than normal.
Source: iTnews Australia
Sat, 18th Apr 2020
Superloop uses NBN scheme to offer free broadband to 5000 low-income homes
Superloop Home Broadband will offer 5000 currently unconnected low-income households free NBN services until the end of September, utilising a new scheme and temporary price promotion run by NBN Co.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 17th Apr 2020
Australian NBN peak total upstream traffic barely lifts over 1Tbps
Whereas the downstream traffic profile on Australia's National Broadband Network has retained an identifiable evening busy period, for the upstream profile, it is much less so.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Apple, Google technology a safer bet for Canberra's COVID-19 app
Australia's COVID-19 tracing app would be more secure and trustworthy if it used the tech giants' new privacy-focused method, experts say.
Source: SMH
NBN stumps up for AU$150 million COVID-19 relief fund
Money to be directed to low-income households with children at school and struggling small and medium-sized businesses.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co to temporarily cut internet costs for low-income families
NBN Co will temporarily waive wholesale costs for low-income families with school-aged children and other customers suffering financial hardship under a $150 million scheme.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN uploads soar during COVID-19 lockdown
The NBN has seen a substantial increase in upload traffic as the COVID-19 lockdown changes the way we use the internet.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 16th Apr 2020
Optus is using call centre 'microsites' in the Philippines
Optus is taking major steps to rebuild capacity for customer care, retraining 1500 existing Australian staff while setting up call centre “microsites” in the Philippines to get operations there back online.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra pushes for a full breakdown of NBN Co's costs
Telstra wants NBN Co to break down its costs “by technology type and customer type”, a move that would expose the presence of any cross-subsidies between internet products.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACMA still responding to telecoms industry need for 'regulatory relief' due to COVID 19
The telecommunications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says it is continuing to respond to industry requests for regulatory relief and other actions due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 14th Apr 2020
Ditch the NBN: 4G/5G home wireless alternatives
It's an unfortunate reality that some unlucky Australian homes and businesses aren't having such a great time online. Plenty of NBN connections work just fine. But some can be slow, congested or maybe haven't even been installed yet.
Source: WhistleOut
Telstra extends unlimited home broadband offer until the end of June
Telstra announced on Tuesday afternoon that its unlimited data offer for home broadband customers that was slated to end in April would be extended to the end of June.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Optus looks to 'true 5G' to unseat Telstra in the enterprise
Optus is hoping the arrival of “true 5G” technology - and speeds in excess of 20Gbps - will lead to a shake-out of the enterprise telecommunications market.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra extends COVID-19 concessions
Telstra has extended the duration of its COVID-19 customer support measures to the end of June 2020.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 13th Apr 2020
COVID-19 crisis pushes up NBN data demand as online work grows with home self-isolation
The COVID-19 crisis has seen data demand during daytime business hours continue to grow on the National Broadband Network as more Australians self-isolate and shift their work, education and entertainment needs online, according to operators of the network, NBN Co.
Source: iTWire
Facebook comments manifest into real world as neo-luddites torch 5G towers
It shouldn't be surprising that some people eventually read so many conspiracy theories on social media that they decide to attack, possibly over 20 times, what they see as a great intrusion and potential killing machine -- the machine in question goes by the name of 5G.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 09th Apr 2020
Vocus returns Dodo, iPrimus contact centres to 85 percent capacity
Vocus has brought contact centre operations for its internet brands iPrimus and Dodo back up to 85 percent capacity after a “tough few weeks” for its teams in Australia and the Philippines.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co starts testing feasibility of mmWave for future fixed wireless
NBN Co has commenced feasibility trials for the delivery of broadband services in millimetre-wave spectrum, which it sees as a potential long-term upgrade path for its current fixed wireless footprint.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vodafone chief flags co-investment option to upgrade NBN FTTN users to full fibre
The merged Vodafone-TPG entity is hoping to have a hand in bringing full fibre connections to more Australians, potentially via a co-investment arrangement with NBN Co.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 08th Apr 2020
Vodafone launches $10 mobile plan for customers in financial hardship
For just $10 per month, for the next 3 months, existing Vodafone customers can apply for the Stay Connected Cap Plan which includes 3GB of mobile data, and unlimited standard calls and SMS in Australia.
Source: WhistleOut
Tue, 07th Apr 2020
Mobile industry group slams rumours linking 5G and COVID-19
The head of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, a lobby group for the mobile industry, has described claims being spread that there is a connection between 5G and COVID-19 as "false" and "the worst kind of fake-news misinformation".
Source: iTWire
NBN congestion, outages during COVID-19 at low levels, says Rue
Congestion, and outages across the national broadband network have remained at low levels, with no material increase compared to previous months due to increased usage across the network during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to NBN Co chief executive Stephen Rue.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 06th Apr 2020
COVID-19: GPs get free telehealth services from NBNCo
Australian doctors in general practice clinics will get free delivery of enhanced telehealth services with upgrades to the system delivered by NBN Co in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: iTWire
Daytime NBN speeds are as good or bad as usual: ACCC
Although the amount of data going through NBN's network has increased by 70% during the day and is still sitting below the pre-coronavirus 9 pm peak, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has said speeds on the network have remained where they were before the pandemic.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Zoom concedes custom encryption is substandard as Citizen Lab pokes holes in it
Citizen Lab, a research group within the University of Toronto, has been able to drive a proverbial truck through the encryption used by video conferencing app Zoom.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Sun, 05th Apr 2020
Zoom meetings weakly encrypted and get keys from China
Technical analysis of how the very popular video conferencing app encrypts meeting data has found significant weaknesses and dubious practices, leading researchers to warn governments and others who need confidentiality to be protected not to use the software.
Source: iTnews Australia
'No certainty' to Optus telco tower sale
Optus parent company Singtel has said there is no certainty of a deal to sell its telecom towers in Australia following a media report that the telco operator was preparing to put the assets, estimated at $2 billion, on the block.
Source: ARN
Mobile phone tracking should be used to stop virus
Mobile technology, used with appropriate judicial oversight, should be deployed as an efficient and cost-effective tool in the fight against COVID-19.
Source: SMH
Mobile phone location data used to track Australians' movements during coronavirus crisis
Vodafone has provided mobile phone location data to the federal and NSW governments to monitor whether Australians are following social distancing restrictions.
Source: SMH