Broadband News
Tue, 22nd Oct 2019
NBN Co redirects $200m wireless capex into HFC, FTTC
NBN Co has revealed the discovery of 91,380 non-existent premises in the fixed wireless rollout freed $200m in planned capex, which was diverted to other parts of the network.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 21st Oct 2019
IoT, Virtual ISP: NBN Co details business satellite offerings
NBN Co has released details of ‘Virtual ISP’ (VISP) and Internet of Things (IoT) services for businesses that use the network operator’s Sky Muster satellites.
Source: Computerworld
Telstra, Optus dispute regional 4G crown
New research shows Optus 4G mobile connections are faster and more available in regional and remote Australia, but Telstra says the numbers don't tell the whole story.
Source: SMH
Fri, 18th Oct 2019
Telstra brand spoofed in $500 gift card phishing scam
Telstra’s brand is being employed by scammers in order to launch an email phishing campaign aimed at harvesting confidential details from victims.
Source: ARN
Cutting iiNet staff helps keep TPG steady
TPG has published its 2019 annual report (pdf), revealing frustration at regulatory decisions that impact its business, further staff cuts a surprising rebound in some revenue sources.
Source: iTnews Australia
TPG slashes headcount by 5 per cent
In the course of a year TPG cut 280 jobs, reducing its headcount by almost 6 per cent.
Source: ARN
More than half a million metadata disclosures handed to enforcement agencies: ACMA
Over 508,000 disclosures of metadata to law enforcement agencies for criminal law purposes under the controversial Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (TIA Act) occurred during the 2018-19 fiscal year, an increase from last year's 482,800, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) 2018-19 annual report [PDF] has revealed.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Thu, 17th Oct 2019
NBN Co hits out against claims its enterprise business is 'inequitable'
NBN Co has hit back at criticism suggesting it “overreached” itself by going directly after business consumers with enterprise broadband deals.
Source: ARN
NBN Co downsizes wireless, satellite footprints by 130,000 'premises'
NBN Co has removed 130,449 non-existent “premises” from its fixed wireless and satellite footprints, the latest in a series of culls required as the company has cleaned up national address records it relies on.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co moves goalposts for broadband speed rankings
A report by NBN Co that redefines the metrics typically used to compare broadband speeds to other countries has ranked Australia 17 out of 37 countries.
Source: ARN
NBN rejects speed test reality for one of its own
What do you do if you are a national broadband wholesaler taking the heat for Australia consisting ranking poorly in global speed test surveys? Why, you pay AlphaBeta to come up with a new methodology to make you look better than you are.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 16th Oct 2019
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL on sale from October 24 with prices starting at $1,049
The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are now official, and cheaper than we expected.
Source: WhistleOut
Australian government introduces new telco regulations to fight phone scams
The federal government has announced new telco regulations in a move to prevent fraudsters from hijacking mobile numbers to access personal and financial information, and reduce phone scams.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Govt targets mobile number hijackers with tighter porting rules
Australian telcos will soon be subject to “strict new identification measures” designed to make it harder for bad actors to illegally port - and hijack - mobile numbers.
Source: iTnews Australia
When Telstra shut down the Talking Clock, one man took the time to salvage it
A musician with a penchant for nostalgia and 1990s web design has recreated 'George' the Talking Clock, a service recently unplugged by Telstra after 66 years.
Source: ABC News
Tue, 15th Oct 2019
Foxtel continues New Experience rollout
Broadcaster Foxtel has confirmed the recently released New Foxtel Experience has completed its roll out to iQ4 set top boxes, and updates to the first 50,000 iQ3 set top boxes are now set to commence.
Source: iTWire
Telstra must take part of the blame for NBN creation: Chair
The chair of Telstra, John Mullen, said at the company's annual general meeting that the company must take its share of the blame for not working with the government in the 2000s, as it has resulted in the creation of the NBN as a fibre-to-the-premise based network.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra says Australia would have gotten 100Mbps without NBN
Telstra chair John Mullen says Australia would have ended up with 100Mbps services “to the majority of the population” - though not to regional and rural areas without subsidy - even if the NBN had never been dreamt up.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telcos would have delivered fast broadband without NBN project, Telstra chair says
Without the NBN, over the last decade Australia’s big telcos would have delivered 100Mbit broadband services for the majority of the nation, Telstra’s chair has argued.
Source: Computerworld
Union slams Telstra chief's $5M pay packet as 6,000 jobs axed
The union representing Telstra workers has attacked CEO Andy Penn’s “exorbitant” $5-million-dollar paycheque following a year of mass lay-offs.
Source: ARN
Mon, 14th Oct 2019
Telstra 'reassured' as ACCC looks into NBN pricing
Telstra has called a fresh Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) inquiry into NBN Co’s wholesale pricing “reassuring”, renewing its hopes of less “costly and complex” wholesale products.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co ‘welcomes’ ACCC inquiry into broadband pricing
NBN Co, the operator of the National Broadband Network, says it welcomes any additional options the ACCC may identify through its Access Pricing Inquiry to promote competition and the interests of customers.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co faces ACCC challenge to set prices
NBN Co is facing a formal challenge to its ability to set its own wholesale prices with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) opening a new inquiry with a particular focus on entry-level pricing.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC mulls regulation of ‘unfair’ basic NBN pricing
The competition watchdog has set its sights on potentially “unfair” NBN prices for consumers on basic speed packages.
Source: ARN
NBN Co to revive HFC self-installation option
NBN Co is set to revive a self-installation option for the internal ‘NBN connection box’ in the HFC footprint, with up to a quarter of premises anticipated to be eligible.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 11th Oct 2019
NBN Co reinvents broadband speed test rankings
NBN Co will launch its own broadband speed ranking system - while “debunking” existing ones - in Amsterdam next week, escalating a long-running beef over third-party rankings that place Australia’s internet speeds alongside those of developing countries.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC loses prepaid fee slug case against TPG
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission has walked away from the Federal Court with another shiner after its case alleging misleading and deceptive conduct against mobile provider TPG's prepaid fee slugs was dismissed with costs.
Source: iTnews Australia
TPG cleared of allegedly misleading customers over 'prepayment' fee
A legal challenge by the ACCC against TPG Telecom over alleged misleading conduct relating to a $20 ‘prepayment’ fee has been dismissed.
Source: ARN
Internet Australia lambasts Australian Government over Facebook encryption letter
Lobby group Internet Australia has told the Australian Government it is “deeply concerned” over its request to Facebook to halt plans to introduce strong end-to-end encryption in its messaging systems.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 10th Oct 2019
Vocus wants NBN to stick to its original wholesale remit
Vocus CEO Kevin Russell has hit out at the National Broadband Network (NBN) for the tactics it has used to ramp up its number of enterprise customers, calling on the government to hand the national wholesaler a new statement of expectations.
Source: ZDNet Australia