Broadband News
Wed, 06th Feb 2019
ACCC puts blame for slow NBN speed squarely on FTTN
Fibre-to-the-node connections are acting as a drag on overall speed averages on the NBN, prompting calls for action to remediate problems or migrate more users onto cheaper plans.
Source: iTnews Australia
Aussie Broadband upgrades network
NBN RSP Aussie Broadband has revealed significant network upgrades giving it the capability to support five times as many users than it currently has.
Source: iTWire
TPG keeps top spot for download speeds in fourth NBN report
TPG delivered the highest percentage of maximum plan download speeds, while Exetel delivered on upload speeds and latency in the ACCC's final broadband speed monitoring report for 2018.
Source: ZDNet Australia
FTTP and HFC outperform FTTN in broadband speed test
FTTP and HFC NBN services delivered about 86 per cent to 87 per cent of maximum plan speeds at busy hours, compared to about 79 per cent for FTTN, according to the ACCC’s broadband speed test.
Source: ARN
Optus Fined $10 Million For Misleading Customers
The ACCC has just announced that the Federal Court has ordered Optus to pay $10 million for misleading customers. Proceedings against Optus began in October 2018, with the order being handed down today. In a breach of corporate regulations, some Optus customers unknowingly bought digital content such as ringtones and games through third party billing services.
Source: Gizmodo
Tue, 05th Feb 2019
More than 2,500 NBN Co services disrupted in Townsville floods
NBN Co has confirmed there are currently 2,656 services impacted over the National broadband Network (NBN) in Townsville as a result of the flood in the area.
Source: ARN
YouTube ripping sites the new piracy site-block target
Thanks to the expansion of piracy site-block laws to websites that have the primary effect of facilitating copyright infringement, a series of music copyright holders have sought the block of sites that allegedly allow users to download YouTube videos and strip them down to audio files.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Music industry tackles illicit challenge to streaming services
A group of major music labels is seeking court orders that will force major telcos to block online services that they say represent an illicit challenge to streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify.
Source: Computerworld
Labor calls on NBN Co to reduce number of missed appointments
The Australian Labor Party has called on NBN Co, the company rolling out the national broadband network, to improve its processes and communication with users in order to reduce the number of missed appointments.
Source: iTWire
Mon, 04th Feb 2019
Telstra blames NBN Co for rising copper costs
Telstra says NBN Co’s decision to use Sky Muster for hard-to-serve premises on metropolitan fringes means higher costs to keep copper infrastructure online for tiny numbers of geographically-spread users.
Source: iTnews Australia
Chorus trials 10Gbps broadband
Chorus gigabit broadband customers in Auckland and Wellington can apply to be among the first to trial a new 10Gbps-speed service.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Labor again hints at NBN write-down if it is elected
The Australian Labor Party has again hinted that it would look at a write-down of the value of the national broadband network if elected, a move that would bring down connection prices and help retail service providers.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 31st Jan 2019
Optus unveils an NBN-like 50Mbps-plus wireless service
Optus has revealed it will offer a wireless broadband service capable of at least 50Mbps speeds with unlimited data quota for $70 a month.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus releases 5G plans, says launch gives Australians chance to be amongst first to experience 5G
Optus has released the first details of its 5G Home Broadband service which is underpinned by a plan to deliver 1,200 5G sites by March 2020.
Source: iTWire
Optus 5G Home Broadband goes live in Canberra and Sydney
Optus is expecting to deliver its 5G Home Broadband service to customers across 50 sites in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, and Western Australia in the second quarter of 2019.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Wed, 30th Jan 2019
NBN Co finds its new CFO
NBN Co has finally sourced a replacement chief financial officer after its previous one, Stephen Rue, was promoted to CEO in the middle of last year.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co appoints 30-year financial veteran as CFO
The NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, has appointed former APN Outdoor executive Philip Knox as chief financial officer.
Source: iTWire
Tue, 29th Jan 2019
TPG stops its mobile network due to Huawei ban
TPG is stopping the rollout of its mobile network because the government’s ban on Huawei equipment for 5G networks would prevent it from ever being upgraded.
Source: iTnews Australia
'Sad day for competition' as TPG cans Australia's fourth mobile network
Telco TPG is ceasing the rollout of its mobile network, which would have been a fourth competitor in the Australian mobile phone market.
Source: ABC News
Should ACCC also tackle NBN Co about speeds? One ISP thinks so
The Australian competition watchdog has the right intentions when it fines Internet service providers for not living up to the speed claims they make, a small ISP says, but adds that the NBN Co should not be allowed to get off scot-free.
Source: iTWire
Vodafone holds off deploying Huawei in core network due to security row
Vodafone is "pausing" the deployment of Huawei equipment in its core networks until Western governments give the Chinese firm full security clearance.
Source: ARN
Mon, 28th Jan 2019
Vodafone gets on board with typical peak NBN speeds
Vodafone has stopped marking the speed of its NBN plans as variable, falling into line with most other retail providers in publishing “typical” performance numbers.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 25th Jan 2019
IPstar delivered NBN services go offline
All NBN Co satellite broadband services delivered by IPstar went offline this morning, after what appears to be a core network equipment failure.
Source: iTnews Australia
Indigo completes installation of new subsea cable system
A consortium comprising Telstra, AARNet, Google, Indosat Ooredoo, Singtel and SubPartners has announced a significant milestone in the construction of the INDIGO subsea cable system with the installations of the INDIGO West and INDIGO Central cables completed as scheduled.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 24th Jan 2019
Telstra sacks another 752 workers under T2022 plan
Telstra is sacking another 752 workers as part of its move to cut more than a quarter of the total workforce, a move announced in June last year.
Source: iTWire
NBN Co's 100Mbps move suits ISPs offering contracts: claim
The NBN Co's latest promotional move, offering retail service providers $160 for each customer who signs up for a 100Mbps service, effectively requires these customers not to downgrade or disconnect until January 2021, according to the head of a small ISP.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 23rd Jan 2019
ACCAN proposes automatic payments to users for missed appointments and repairs
Under proposals from ACCAN, telcos and NBN would need to automatically compensate users for missing repair deadlines and appointments.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Woolworths to run its retail sites on NBN fibre
Woolworths has struck what is being called a “significant enterprise deal” that will eventually see it run connectivity for some 3000 retail sites over NBN fibre.
Source: iTnews Australia
Two thirds of consumers not taking up NBN compensation offer: ACCC
Over 142,000 consumers are eligible for refunds due to receiving slower-than-advertised speeds from RSPs, with two thirds of these refunds still not claimed.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Consumers at risk due to inadequate telco accountability
Australians are being put at risk due to inadequate consumer protection frameworks around the reliability of telecommunications services, according to the telecommunications consumer interest lobby group the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
Source: iTWire