Broadband News
Mon, 17th Feb 2020
Broadband tax bill gets senate committee green light
The federal government’s proposed broadband tax on non-NBN operated fixed line services looks set to begin on 1 July 2020 after the senate committee examining the bill recommended it pass through parliament.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus brings mobile, Internet coverage to Kyneton as blackspot program rolls on
Optus has switched on a new tower in Kyneton in regional Victoria to provide coverage and connectivity to the Macedon Ranges by partnering with the Victorian Government to eliminate a mobile blackspot in the area.
Source: iTWire
Sun, 16th Feb 2020
Rights body calls for scaling back of metadata retention laws
A parliamentary panel, that is reviewing the mandatory data retention laws introduced in 2017, has been told that the legislation goes too far and should be scaled back.
Source: iTWire
Fri, 14th Feb 2020
Australian consumers may never see a fourth player in Australia's mobile market, so are we worse off?
By mid this year Australia's mobile market is expected to be left with just three main players: Telstra, Optus, and a merged Vodafone-TPG. Experts warn consumers could lose out.
Source: ABC News
Thu, 13th Feb 2020
Telcos have to be big to survive: Budde on TPG-Vodafone outcome
Well-known telecommunications consultant Paul Budde has underlined a fundamental truth about the market in his reaction to the Federal Court's decision to clear the Vodafone-TPG merger: "You have to be big in the telecoms market to survive."
Source: iTWire
Fletcher further distances govt from ACCC view on TPG-Vodafone merger
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has further isolated the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on its view that Australia’s telco market would be better with TPG as a fourth mobile operator, saying he “never thought” that would work.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vodafone to bring 5G to 650 sites Australia-wide
Vodafone will still build a standalone 5G network with an initial 650 sites in seven Australian cities and regions, a proposition it says will be considerably strengthened once its $15 billion merger with TPG is finalised.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus net profit declines 24 per cent in Q3
Singtel subsidiary, Optus has reported a decline across its earnings and net profit for the third quarter ending December 31.
Source: ARN
ACCC bemoans TPG-Vodafone merger decision as ‘lost opportunity for stronger competition’
The ACCC has called a decision to allow the merger between TPG and Vodafone Hutchison Australia a “lost once-in-a-generation opportunity for stronger competition”.
Source: ARN
Belong drives Telstra network additions in lean first half
Telstra's pitch to price-sensitive consumers, Belong, is bringing customers into the Australian telco's orbit, the company's half year results show.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone and TPG $15bn merger gets court approval
Vodafone and TPG have been granted permission by the federal court to merge, paving the way for the stalled $15 billion deal to proceed.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telcos Vodafone and TPG can merge after court clears barrier
A $15 billion merger between Australia's third- and fourth-largest telecommunications companies looks set to go ahead after Vodafone and TPG beat the competition watchdog in court.
Source: ABC News
Telstra net profit and earnings take a hit
Telstra has seen its first half net profit take a 6.4 per cent hit down to $1.2 billion and underlying earnings before tax decreased 6.6 per cent to $3.9 billion.
Source: ARN
Wed, 12th Feb 2020
ACMA acts against telcos over breaches of critical customer data rules
The telecommunications regulator ACMA has taken action against 15 telcos for failing to provide vital information that supports Australia’s emergency services such as Triple Zero and the Emergency Alert system.
Source: iTWire
Biggest evening dip in NBN speeds seen on 100Mbps plans
Users of 100/40Mbps plans on the National Broadband Network (NBN) are seeing an almost 6Mbps dip in their evening speeds according to the latest instalment of the Measuring Broadband Australia report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) covering November.
Source: ZDNet Australia
High speed NBN ‘underperforming’ for a quarter of consumers
A quarter of Australians on high speed NBN plans are being delivered an underperforming service, a damning report by the consumer watchdog has found.
Source: ARN
Elon Musk's SpaceX takes one giant leap into Aussie broadband
Elon Musk, philanthropist and madman, is one step closer to being able to provide high-speed internet for Australians.
Source: WhistleOut
Yes, Optus! Telco again tops ACCC broadband speed report
Singtel Optus has again recorded the highest score or 89.9% in the ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia quarterly report, a compilation and comparison of broadband scores across the country.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 11th Feb 2020
Australia keeps telco data longer than all but three countries
The Law Council of Australia (LCA) has joined the debate for the retention period for data held by the nation's telecommunications carriers to be reduced from the current two-year timeframe.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra payments wipe out NBN first half EBITDA gains
NBN has reported a 40% decline in its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for its half-year to the end of 2019.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co sees revenue increase to $1.81B
NBN Co has seen its half year revenue rise by 39 per cent to $1.81 billion due to strong momentum in total activations, plus continued residential and business growth.
Source: ARN
Mon, 10th Feb 2020
NBN Co boosts National Broadband Network half year revenue to $1.18 billion
NBN Co, the company building Australia’s National Broadband Network lifted total revenue by 39% to $1.18 billion for the six months to the end of December 2019 - up from $1.3 billion in the HY 2018 - with company chief Stephen Rue declaring the result “outstanding during a crucial time of the build”.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co begins renegotiating its role in enterprise market
NBN Co has outlined the uncertainties it faces from no longer entering direct contracts with large enterprise and government users, including clawback mechanisms for fibre build costs.
Source: iTnews Australia
Australian Police Can See More Of Your Metadata Than You Think
A senate hearing has revealed Australian telcos might be giving away more metadata to police than first realised due to "ambiguities" in the controversial data retention laws. This means law enforcement officials have a pretty good clue of what you've been looking at just by looking at the URL.
Source: Gizmodo
Fri, 07th Feb 2020
Phone Metadata Used To Track SA Coronavirus Patients
South Australian authorities have admitted to using phone metadata in order to track the movements of a couple infected with coronavirus after seeing South Korean officials do the same.
Source: Gizmodo
Telstra reveals latest round of job cuts, provokes ire of union
Telstra is cutting an additional 280 jobs as it continues culling its workforce as part of the program announced in 2018 that it would effect a net reduction of 8000 employees and contractors by 2022 - and reduce two to four layers of management, with one in four executive and middle management roles to go.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 06th Feb 2020
Telstra says bushfire costs “in order of $50m”
Telstra is expecting a financial hit from Australia’s devastating bushfires “in the order of $50 million”, with CEO Andy Penn calling for “more urgent action” on climate change as a result.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra pledges to help 'vulnerable customers'
Telstra chief executive Andy Penn has announced that the telco giant would commit to a series of changes in a move to provide "vulnerable customers" access to services, while taking into consideration their current financial position.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone to remove Huawei from core of European network
Vodafone will remove Huawei technology from the core of its European networks following Britain's decision to restrict the Chinese company's role in 5G and new EU guidelines on the firm's equipment, Chief Executive Nick Read said.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus releases new student discounts
Optus know that textbooks are expensive, but your phone plan doesn’t have to be, which is why they’re offering exclusive discounts for students on a range of plans.
Source: WhistleOut