Broadband News
Wed, 27th Feb 2019
Vodafone posts $124M loss after 30 per cent improvement
VHA has reported a loss of $124 million for the full year ended 31 December 2018, which is a 30 per cent improvement from last year's $178 million loss.
Source: ARN
Vocus getting out of NBN land grab to focus on fibre links and wireless
NBN is complex and economically unattractive, and retail will shift towards fixed wireless and mobile, the company has said.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vocus won't actively pursue more consumer NBN services
Vocus will step out of the NBN ‘land grab’ for new residential connections and focus instead on more profitable wireless and mobile services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vocus won’t seek to grow consumer NBN market share, looks to 5G
Vocus Group says that because of the complexity of NBN pricing, a lack of pricing stability and operational complexity it no longer intends to grow its share of the NBN consumer market and instead will “focus on optimising the broadband experience for existing customers.”
Source: ARN
ACMA warns telcos to comply with customer data obligations
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has told 11 telecommunications providers to comply with their obligations that support emergency service across the country.
Source: iTWire
Optus switches on new mobile tower in Napoleon Reef
Telco Singtel Optus has switched on a new mobile site in Napoleon Reef in NSW, as part of the government's Mobile Black Spot Program.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 26th Feb 2019
TPG to cop near AU$230m accounting hit due to mobile network abandonment
Telco to write-down its mobile network and reduce value of spectrum licences pending the merger with Vodafone.
Source: ZDNet Australia
TPG writes down $76 million spent on ditched mobile network rollout
TPG says that following a review it has reduced the value of spectrum licences its holds by $92 million and will write-down $76 million in capital expenditure associated with the now-halted roll out a mobile network.
Source: Computerworld
Vodafone: US needs to share any Huawei evidence
The US needs to share any evidence it has about Huawei with European authorities so they can decide whether to use such tech in their networks.
Source: ARN
Mon, 25th Feb 2019
Telstra faces potential strike over pay row
Telstra workers could be poised to strike after union members voted for the option of industrial action amid an ongoing pay row.
Source: ARN
NBN available to 75% of premises: Fifield
NBN services are available to three-quarters of Australian premises, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield says.
Source: iTWire
ACMA to issue revised rules for international mobile roaming
The Australian Communications and Media Authority will release modified rules for international mobile roaming later this year, based not on the International Mobile Roaming Standard, but one more attuned to service providers with similar, more flexible rules.
Source: iTWire
Telstra announces it is '5G-ready now' plus three 5G smartphones
Telstra has announced at MWC 2019 it has "partnered with some of the world’s leading 5G smartphone manufacturers for exclusive or first to market deals".
Source: iTWire
Telstra reveals Samsung, LG and Oppo as exclusive 5G smartphone partnerships
Telstra has unveiled some of the smartphone vendors it sealed an exclusive partnership to be the first to bring its 5G smartphones to Australian customers.
Source: ARN
MWC 2019: Optus will gain ‘months more’ 5G experience with fixed-wireless launch
By launching 5G fixed-wireless now instead of waiting for a pure mobile solution, Optus will have around five months more experience in running a 5G service than its competitors, according to CEO Allen Lew.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Fri, 22nd Feb 2019
Second NBN supplier scoped for sham contracting class action
A second major telecommunications technical services supplier is being painted up for a class action on behalf of staff who were allegedly dudded on pay and conditions by deliberately classifying them as contractors when they were legally employees.
Source: iTnews Australia
Casa Systems to acquire NBN supplier NetComm
Massachusetts-headquartered Casa Systems is seeking to acquire ASX-listed NetComm Wireless.
Source: Computerworld
Law firm investigates telco technical services provider
Shine Lawyers has launched an investigation of a possible class action on behalf of telecommunication technicians against technical services contracting company BSA Limited.
Source: Computerworld
Thu, 21st Feb 2019
5G needed to ease 4G LTE congestion: OpenSignal
OpenSignal has compared average speeds and fastest hour speeds on 4G LTE networks globally, with Australia pulling in fifth and seventh rankings, respectively.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra says it has first dibs with Samsung S10 5G
Both Telstra and Optus have announced they will be providing their customers with the new Samsung Galaxy models released overnight, with Telstra claiming to have struck an exclusive deal with the South Korean phone-maker that would ensure its customers get their hands on the 5G device first.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 20th Feb 2019
NBN Co faces calls to endorse good quality modems
NBN Co is facing calls to endorse modems that work best on its network after internal tests uncovered some retail service provider-supplied devices that weren’t performing to specifications.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN flags frozen HFC connections thawing over the coming months
Cable premises still ring-fenced by NBN due to its HFC pause, which will be released to market in the next four months.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co plans four-month HFC blitz
NBN Co is planning to release just shy of 200,000 HFC premises a month from April to June this year, purging a great deal of the footprint that is currently listed as unserviceable.
Source: iTnews Australia
AI firm claims its software will help ISPs reduce NBN CVC use
Australian AI firm Canopus Networks claims to have developed new technology to change the way in which network operators and ISPs classify Internet traffic leading to a reduction in costs and a better user experience.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co eyes new ways to fend off mobile challenge in apartment blocks
NBN Co executives say they are examining ways to address challenges faced by short-term renters, including potentially introducing an arrangement for broadband services similar to that offered by utilities for electricity.
Source: Computerworld
Tue, 19th Feb 2019
NBN Co wants a broadband product to attract renters
NBN Co is exploring product options that would make its services more appealing to transient users such as renters.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co will reach $52 ARPU only if RSPs pay for CVC 'overage': claim
The only way that the NBN Co, the company rolling out the Australian national broadband network, can achieve its stated aim of reaching its goal of $52 average revenue per user by the time the rollout ends, is by earnings from what is called CVC "overage", the head of a small RSP claims.
Source: iTWire
Labor slams govt over 'ridiculous' NBN target claims
The Australian Labor Party has described as "ridiculous" a claim made by the government that the NBN Co - which released its half-yearly results on Monday - was continuing to exceed its targets.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 18th Feb 2019
Nine telcos had no metadata interception plan by mid-2018: ACMA
The ACMA's 2017-18 report also reported almost 2.3 million disclosures of customer information by carriers under legal obligations to assist government agencies and departments.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Co's actual cost per premises for FTTC is $3058
NBN Co has revealed its first actual cost per premises for the fibre-to-the-curb portion of the network, coming in at $3058.
Source: iTnews Australia