Broadband News
Thu, 04th Apr 2019
NBN Co reveals 183,000 FTTN users don't get over 25Mbps
NBN Co has revealed that 183,000 fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services aren’t hitting minimum peak speeds of 25Mbps.
Source: iTnews Australia
Atlassian's Farquhar: social media laws will 'cost jobs, damage tech'
Atlassian's billionaire co-founder has joined the chorus of tech and media executives expressing concerns about Australia's new social media laws.
Source: SMH
Optus overcomes blackspot problem to deliver mobile coverage to Pomonal
Australia’s second largest telco Optus has switched on a new tower in Pomonal in regional Victoria as it continues to provide dedicated mobile phone coverage in more areas as part of its mobile blackspot program.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 03rd Apr 2019
Music industry seeks to block stream-ripping services as part of piracy fight
Major record labels are seeking to have Australian telcos block access to a collection of online ‘stream ripping’ services that between them generate hundreds of millions of pageviews every month.
Source: Computerworld
NBN has purchased almost 30,000 kilometres of copper
It is well on the way to hitting the 40,000km milestone of being able to circle the planet at the equator.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Labor won't stand in way of Morrison government's social media laws
The new laws could result in executives at social media platforms facing up to three years in jail, and multi-billion dollar fines for tech companies.
Source: SMH
Tue, 02nd Apr 2019
Budget 2019-20: Government revises regional NBN subsidy
Budget documents reveal the government will revise the cap on its yet-to-be-legislated Regional Broadband Scheme subsidy for the NBN.
Source: Computerworld
Vocus drops 12Mbps NBN plans from iPrimus and Dodo
Vocus has stopped selling 12Mbps NBN services via its retail brands iPrimus and Dodo following a change made by NBN Co to wholesale bandwidth fees.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACMA releases draft spectrum outlook for next five years
The Australian Communications and Media Authority ACMA has released this year’s draft five-year spectrum outlook (FYSO), with an overview of its spectrum management priorities and plans through to 2023.
Source: iTWire
Telstra ditching Thanks scheme for Plus rewards store
Details are scant for the new program, and business customers need not apply.
Source: ZDNet Australia
How Netflix decides what you want to watch
Netflix uses its huge store of data not only to pick which shows it thinks you'll like, but to decide how to promote those shows.
Source: SMH
Telstra unveils rewards program for customers
Telstra has unveiled a rewards program called Telstra Plus that will give its customers points for the money they spend with the telco and they can then use these to obtain discounts on new products and technology.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 01st Apr 2019
NBN Co technicians now missing 469 appointments a day
NBN Co’s technicians are now ‘missing’ 469 appointments a day, though in about one-third of cases the technician is early or late but still completes the work.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 29th Mar 2019
ACCC, Telstra back price stability for copper services
Telcos that sell voice and broadband services using Telstra’s copper network look unlikely to get a price cut, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) saying it’s inclined to maintain the current regulated pricing levels.
Source: Computerworld
Rats, cables and NBN: One journo's tale of 48 days without internet
This is the story of an exhaustive battle to remain connected to the internet via ageing infrastructure, two rat attacks along the way and the bumpy transition to the NBN, writes Malcolm Sutton.
Source: ABC News
Small ISP attempts to undercut the rest on 100/40 NBN plans
South Melbourne-based NBN provider Tangerine Telecom is claiming to offer the cheapest 100/40 plan, offering a price of $69.90 for the first six months. The ISP has now said that this plan includes unlimited data.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 28th Mar 2019
Optus funded to build 49 new mobile sites in blackspot program
Optus says it has successfully secured funding to build 49 new mobile sites as part of Round 4 of the Federal Government's mobile black spot program.
Source: iTWire
Telco sales practices called into question by ACCAN
Telecommunications customer service representatives are being encouraged to concentrate on selling over service, with the result that consumers are confronted by questionable sales tactics.
Source: iTWire
Why the fax machine refuses to die
The fax, with its 170 years of history, is a symbol of obsolete technology long superseded by computers — but it's far from dead. So who is keeping it alive?
Source: ABC News
Aussie Broadband releases support app on iOS, Android
Small ISP Aussie Broadband has launched a support app for its customers and created a matching version on its online portal.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 27th Mar 2019
NBN Co makes final move to kill off 12Mbps broadband plans
NBN Co is putting the squeeze on the quarter of its user base that have not yet upgraded to more expensive plans by making their existing services even more congested or costly.
Source: iTnews Australia
Tue, 26th Mar 2019
Morrison flags new laws to stop social media platforms being 'weaponised'
Scott Morrison is foreshadowing tough new criminal laws to crack down on social media companies which fail to quickly remove footage like that streamed by the gunman in the New Zealand massacre.
Source: Computerworld
Apple enters video streaming, updates news, game and payment apps
Apple lifted the curtain on Monday on a television and movie streaming service that will allow users of its 1.4 billion gadgets worldwide to stream television shows and movies, both Apple originals and those from other creators, in a first step to challenge streaming video leaders Netflix and Amazon.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 25th Mar 2019
CA wants stronger, enforceable protections for telecoms consumers
The telecommunications industry lobby group, Communications Alliance, has told the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) it wants stronger, enforceable protections for Australia’s telecommunications consumers.
Source: iTWire
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone fail to provide information to consumers with disability
According to an ACCAN research project, telcos failed to provide information about products catered for consumers with disability when reasonably required 50 percent of the time.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Comms authority warns Australian telcos over disability information failures
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have been warned for failing to provide disabled consumers with adequate guidance about suitable products and services.
Source: ARN
NBN Co warns against scammers impersonating its staff
NBN Co, the firm rolling out Australia's national broadband network, has warned customers not to be taken in scammers who try to impersonate its officials.
Source: iTWire
Optus stopping Braille bills, looking for alternatives
Singtel Optus will stop issuing bills in Braille to visually-impaired customers as it is moving to a new billing platform, the telco says.
Source: iTWire
EU to drop threat of Huawei ban but wants 5G risks monitored: sources
The European Commission will next week urge EU countries to share more data to tackle cybersecurity risks related to 5G networks but will ignore US calls to ban Huawei, four people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 22nd Mar 2019
Telstra wins rights to Belong trademark after court case
Australia's biggest telco Telstra has prevailed in a Federal Court trademark case against an energy firm known as Belong Energy which was founded late in 2018.
Source: iTWire