Superloop to boost offerings with BigAir acquisition
Fibre network provider Superloop has announced its intent to acquire BigAir Group, a telco that manages one of the largest metropolitan fixed wireless networks in Australia.
Political brawl erupts over NBN sub-committee
Federal Parliament hasn't even been back in session for a week, but a political brawl has already erupted between the largest three parties over whether and how new parliamentary sub-committees will be established to provide oversight of the National Broadband Network project, in yet another sign that the initiative has become increasingly politicised.
Fletcher wants Oz to learn from UK broadband policy
In a new blog entry entitled “What can we learn from the UK?”, Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has lambasted the broadband policies of the Gillard Government, unfavourable contrasting them with the approach of the Cameron Government in the UK.
Detailed analysis of NBN Co’s finances shows FTTP better value than FTTN
A researcher from Monash University has published a detailed analysis of the NBN company's costs which appears to show that Labor's technically superior Fibre to the Premises model represents better financial value than the Coalition's preferred Fibre to the Node technology only a scant few years after FTTP was deployed.
Vodafone replaces CEO Dews
Vodafone Australia yesterday announced the appointment of Bill Morrow as the company’s new chief executive, succeeding Nigel Dews, the current Vodafone CEO who has been assigned a senior role within Vodafone part-owner Hutchison Whampoa, reporting to group managing director, Canning Fok.
Telstra NBN remediation work on again
The nation's largest telco Telstra has announced that it will restart remediation work on its pits and pipe infrastructure, as controls on asbestos handling have been put in place to deal with the hazardous material. The remediation work is necessary for the National Broadband Network rollout to go ahead, using Telstra's infrastructure.
EFA has mixed feelings on anti-piracy scheme
Digital rights group Electronic Frontiers Australia has indicated there are both positive and negative aspects to a plan unveiled last week by the ISP industry to deal with Internet piracy.
NBN detracts from productivity, claims Hockey
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has made some ... interesting claims about Labor's flagship National Broadband Network project.
NBN “disastrous” for piracy, claims music industry
Australia's peak music industry organisation has claimed that the rollout of the National Broadband Network could have "disastrous results" for the local music industry due to the lack of "graduated response" or "site blocking" processes to stop the "serious problem" of Internet-based piracy of music.
Hackett hammers iiNode critics
Internode managing director Simon Hackett has strongly defended the pre-Christmas deal in which rival iiNet bought out his company Internode, stressing the strength and duration of his long-term relationship with iiNet's management team in two outspoken forum posts published last week.
Redditor downloads 994GB on second Telstra ‘free mobile data day’
A single Australian who set records by downloading 421GB of data during Telstra's free mobile data day in February has more than doubled his previous record during the second such occasion yesterday, pulling down a total of 994GB of data during the 24 hour period.
FTTN or FTTH? It doesn’t matter, says Vodafone
The chief executive of ailing national mobile player Vodafone stated over the weekend that it wasn’t “important” whether Australia’s National Broadband Network policy pursued a fibre to the home or fibre to the node approach, with only “minor nuances” between the two platforms proposed separately by the Government and the Opposition.
‘No apology, no explanation’: Residents want FTTP back, says Labor
The Opposition today claimed it was being inundated by "countless" complaints by Australians alarmed after the new Coalition Government 'wiped them off the NBN rollout map' with "no apology and no real explanation".
Conroy fights Internet control in Dubai
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has revealed he is leading a team to a key telecommunications conference being held in Dubai this week at which the International Telecommunications Union is attempting to seek greater control over the operation of the Internet.
Govt takes no action on website blocking
The Federal Government has admitted it has as of yet taken no action to improve the transparency and accountability of the unilateral use by individual departments and agencies of an obscure section of the Telecommunications Act to force telcos and ISPs to block websites suspected of conducting illegal activities.
Copper maintenance cost not an issue, says Turnbull
Upgrading Telstra’s copper network to fibre to the node was the “quickest and easiest” way to get better broadband for Australians, the office of Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said this week, highlighting a study which had shown that the cost of maintaining the decades-old infrastructure was not significant compared with the overall investment required for universal fibre.
Switkowski worried about “heroic” effort needed to meet NBN targets
Some of you may recall that then-Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull was fond of using the word "heroic" with reference to the NBN company's rollout targets and revenue assumptions under the previous Labor Government, indicating that he did not believe they were realistic. With this in mind, we were surprised this week to read in the pages of the Financial Review that the NBN company's chair Ziggy Switkowski has chosen the same word to apply to the NBN's rollout plans for the next five years.
TPG releases unlimited NBN business plans
National broadband provider TPG has released a new range of National Broadband Network plans aimed at businesses, with the headline plan offering 100Mbps speeds and unlimited data and telephone usage for $120 per month.
Australians still overwhelmingly support the NBN
Research from the University of Melbourne shows that Australians still overwhelmingly support Labor's National Broadband Network project, despite the fact that the same research shows newspapers have been overwhelmingly negative about the project.
NBN questions needed for Q&A
I thought I would do a quick post noting that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be appearing on the ABC's Q&A program tonight. If you have questions that you would like to see the Earl of Wentworth respond to, on any issue, but especially the hot button topic of broadband policy, then I recommend you submit those questions as soon as possible online here.
Fatality: Optus plans to kill Telstra’s 4G monopoly
The nation's number two telco Optus has kicked off a verbal offensive aimed at the mobile dominance of its arch-rival Telstra, with the SingTel subsidiary claiming its own fledgling 4G infrastructure will be the "highest capacity" and "best-performing" mobile network in Australia when it is completed.
Caretaker mode? No. NBN Co should go hog wild.
Not only should NBN Co ignore Malcolm Turnbull's spurious claim that it's in some form of 'virtual caretaker mode' ahead of the upcoming Federal Election, it should intentionally sign as many long-term construction and equipment contracts as possible before September, in case the Coalition wins government and tries to shut it down.
The Coalition’s policy is a sensible NBN alternative
The Coalition's rival policy is a sensible alternative to Labor's National Broadband Network project, based soundly on its traditional principles of liberalism and support for the free market, but also pragmatically taking into account the situation which the the current Federal Government will leave the Coalition with if it takes power in September.
Hockey admits: We can’t shut down the NBN
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey yesterday admitted that the Opposition would find it hard to “shut down” the National Broadband Network project completely if it wins the upcoming Federal Election in September, and would release further details “in the next few weeks” about the Coalition’s plans for the project.
‘Open letter’ galvanises marketing sector into NBN action
An 'open letter' from a senior figure in Australia's marketing and advertising sector calling for action to address the Coalition's "sub-standard" National Broadband Network has generated an instant and strong response from other high-profile industry figures.
NBN originally just a “media stunt”, says IPA
Just how well-developed was the NBN policy, five or so years ago when it was first put together by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and then-PM Kevin Rudd? According to free market thinktank the Institute for Public Affairs, not very well-developed at all.
Turnbull to reveal the ‘shocking’ NBN truth
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday said a Coalition Government would, following the election, release a full analysis of what Labor's NBN project would actually take in time and money to complete, an accounting which he said would leave the Australian public "shocked".
Leaked numbers show NBN fibre rollout lagging
I've been quite optimistic about the speed at which NBN Co is rolling out its brownfields fibre infrastructure, but that optimism has been challenged today by what appears to be the inadvertent release of new statistics regarding the company's rollout progress.
TPG considering unlimited NBN plan
National broadband provider TPG is reportedly considering launching a National Broadband Network pricing plan offering unlimited download quota, similar to its popular existing ADSL2+ unlimited plans.
Optus 4G equal to ADSL2+, tests show
A new series of real-world usage tests conducted on Optus' 4G network have shown the brand new next-generation currently performs on par with legacy ADSL2+ broadband in terms of raw download speeds and latency, and offers significantly better upload speeds.
TPG takes 4.4 percent stake in iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet today revealed rival TPG had quietly bought about 4.4 percent of its shares, in a move which will likely lead to speculation about the future of iiNet as an independent company.
Copper network not “rooted”, says Telstra
The nation's largest telco Telstra has rejected unsubstantiated claims that its copper network was suffering a fault rate of up to 30 percent, pointing out that in October this year, only about 1.3 percent of its telephone lines nationally suffered any kind of fault, and that it invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year keeping it that way.
The Department for ACTA
A key player in Australia’s negotiations to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) revealed itself last Monday and surprisingly it wasn’t News Ltd, the US Embassy in Canberra or even a reigning political party. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade emerged as ACTA’s cheerleader-in-chief in Australia, trumpeting the benefits of the treaty before a rare open federal parliamentary committee.
Conroy bushwhacks Fifield with NBN transparency reform
Former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has blindsided the Government in the Senate, successfully passing an amendment to an otherwise innocuous piece of NBN legislation that will enforce a degree of radical transparency on the NBN company.
Telstra 12Mbps wireless to surpass NBN: Liberal MP
A Liberal Member of Parliament inaccurately claimed this week on national television that Telstra would launch a 12Mbps wireless broadband service which would "surpass" the National Broadband Network's 100Mbps fibre to the home service, meaning there was no need to proceed with a project he said was a "white elephant".
Conroy threatens naughty NSW with NBN powers
Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and the National Broadband Network Company have threatened to use Federal telecommunications powers to force the Coalition New South Wales State Government to provide access to electricity infrastructure NBN Co needs to roll out its fibre infrastructure in the state.
BT, Alcatel-Lucent show 1.4Tbps fibre speeds
British telco BT and French networking equipment supplier Alcatel-Lucent have teamed up for a trial which has demonstrated speeds of up to 1.4Tbps over BT's core fibre network, in what is believed to be the fastest data speeds ever achieved using commercial-grade hardware in a real-world telco environment.
Telstra rejects Choice’s unfavourable price comparison as “flawed”
Telstra has said that a price comparison of some of its mobile and Internet plans that suggested consumers are paying a premium of up to 92% over other telcos' products is "flawed".
Telstra to make 480 positions redundant
On October 27th, Telstra informed the Communication Workers Union (CWU) about its proposed operational changes that will result in making 480 positions redundant. The majority of the affected positions are held by Telstra employees, while the rest include agency staff.
nbn project to hire 4,500 more staff
nbn this morning unveiled plans to train a further 4,500 workers to join the ranks of its construction partners and the company itself, in a move which Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has hailed as a victory for a project he dubbed “The Coalition’s NBN”.
Never gonna give you up: ACCC takes TPG to High Court
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission this morning flagged plans to appeal a bruising legal loss against TPG, with the regulator continuing to push its case that TPG's 'unlimited' ADSL and telephone bundle advertisements were misleading.
Telstra hires Kevin Russell and … Stephen Elop?
Telstra has announced two notable executive hires in its retail and innovation divisions as it moves to simplify and strengthen its core business.
Real speeds 25 percent slower than Turnbull MyBroadband tracker
The final analysis of a crowdsourced comparison of real-world broadband speeds has shown that the MyBroadband broadband availability site launched by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull last month is significantly inaccurate, with most Australians receiving speeds more than 25 percent slower than those listed.
Blatant hypocrisy: Victoria demands NBN “fair share”
Long-time NBN watchers will remember that the Coalition State Government in Victoria has had a schizophrenic history with Federal Labor's National Broadband Network project.
Abbott not telling whole NBN truth, says Politifact
Opposition Leader Tony Abbot's statement that the Coalition's NBN policy would deliver broadband speeds "at least five times faster than the current average" was only half-true, fact-checking website Politifact said yesterday, in an article which has been heavily disputed by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Big fish, bigger fish: iiNet, M2 considered merger
Australia’s market recently dodged a potential merger that would have created an NBN-era telecommunications behemoth by combining M2 Telecommunications and iiNet.
Consumers paying up to 92% more with Telstra, says Choice
Choice, the not-for-profit consumer advocacy group, has said that consumers are paying "up to a 92% price premium" to access Telstra’s network, which has experienced a number of major outages in the last six months.
NBN Co’s wireless rollout also behind
Bad news upon bad news is continuing to pile on for the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project. Hot upon the heels of the asbestos scandal which continues to plague Telstra as it remediates its pits and pipes for the NBN infrastructure, the Financial Review has reported this morning that the wireless component of the NBN rollout is also significantly behind.
“Captain of the Titanic”: Turnbull mocks Quigley’s NBN tenure
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has mocked the tenure of outgoing NBN Co chief Mike Quigley in leading the National Broadband Network Company, comparing the respected executive to the "Captain of the Titanic" in what Turnbull claimed was an inability to get the job done with respect to the NBN.
Govt redacts ISP anti-piracy consultation text
The Federal Government has quietly deleted a controversial section of text published in a consultation paper last Friday that proposed a "streamlined" legal process to aid anti-piracy organisations such as Movie Rights Group and AFACT to target individuals allegedly downloading copyrighted material online.
NBN Co inks $300m Arianespace satellite deal
This morning NBN Co inked a $300 million contract with French aerospace giant Arianespace to launch its two satellites into space in 2015. Now that's progress.
Why NBN Co should finish Tassie FTTP rollout
If you've been reading Australia's technology media recently, you will not have been able to escape the fact that quite a few people in Tasmania are more than a little bit unhappy about the fact that they may not get the Fibre to the Premises-based National Broadband Network they were promised. Well, as I argue on Delimiter 2.0 this afternoon, the FTTP-based NBN rollout should proceed as planned, due to the specific situation in the state.
Leighton confirms telco business sale
You may recall that diversified contract and industrial group Leighton Holdings has been looking to sell its NextGen, Metronode and Infoplex telecommunications and technology businesses for some time. At one stage interested bidders apparently included Telstra, but as it turns out, a somewhat different organisation has bought them.
Telstra has resolved South Brisbane issue, says ACCC
The national competition regulator has declared it is satisfied with a new deal which the nation's largest telco Telstra has offered rivals with respect to its controversial fibre replacement program in the South Brisbane exchange area, in a move immediately welcomed by the big T.
Exetel may offer $54.95 ‘unlimited’ ADSL2+ plan
Cut-rate broadband player Exetel is also considering offering the 'unlimited' plans which have become common for most of its competitors, for low prices starting from $54.95 a month -- slightly cheaper than both TPG and Dodo. As a first step, the customer last week introduced a range of new plans with a higher 500GB quota.
Bell Canada plans 10Gbps speeds for ‘easier to maintain’ FTTP
Canadian telco Bell Canada has revealed it is planning to extend its Fibre to the Premises network to some 2.2 million premises by the end of 2015, hyping the technology as being far easier to maintain than Fibre to the Node and also being capable of delivering 10Gbps speeds to customers by 2017.
Quigley refutes “incorrect, misleading” AFR report
The chief executive of the National Broadband Network Company this afternoon strongly criticised the Australian Financial Review newspaper for what he said was a "disappointing", "incorrect and misleading" report that had "wrongly" claimed NBN Co would not recover its costs by its projected date.
iiNet confirms TransACT acquisition
iiNet this morning confirmed it had bought Canberra-based telco TransACT, in a deal which will cost the Perth-headquartered national broadband provider some $60 million and bring it a great deal of infrastructure in Canberra and Victoria, as well as 40,000 new customers.
Telstra offshores 326 more call centre jobs
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has condemned Telstra for its decision to sack 326 Australian workers and send some of those jobs overseas.
Exetel’s John Linton has passed away
John Linton, the maverick chief executive of Internet service provider Exetel, has tragically passed away, according to several public notices published by Exetel staff this morning.
Quigley’s right: Morrow says $15bn NBN blowout “mostly” relates to MTM
NBN chief executive Bill Morrow this morning broadly confirmed analysis by his predecessor Mike Quigley showing that the up to $15 billion blowout in the NBN company's costs was due to the Multi-Technology Mix imposed by Malcolm Turnbull, in a move that appears set to increase the pressure on the Government over the issue.
New NBN policy galvanised Coalition voters
The release of the Coalition's new National Broadband Network policy had a dramatic effect upon support for Labor's existing policy, analysis of polling data shows, with a large chunk of Coalition voters abandoning their previous long-term support for Labor's existing NBN policy in favour of the new Coalition alternative.
Telstra, Cisco team up for Software-Defined Networking products
Telstra has joined forces with Cisco to launch a suite of software-defined networking products that are aimed to enable Australian businesses to quickly deploy and configure services over its networks.
Optus mulls user pays FTTH NBN plans
The nation's number two telco Optus has revealed that it is considering launching plans which would allow Australians to individually pay to have the Coalition's fibre to the node NBN infrastructure extended all the way to the premises, in a move which will echo similar plans launched in the UK by British telco BT.
Oops
The Australian newspaper is forced to correct a report regarding the National Broadband Network and a college in South Australia.
NBN board, Govt blocking FTTdp despite FTTN-like cost
The NBN company yesterday revealed its board and the Federal Government were blocking a switch to a Fibre to the Distribution Point model, despite the fact that new revelations have shown the cost of the FTTdp option is coming very close to that of the technically inferior Fibre to the Node incumbent model.
Pointless? Google to trial net balloons in Oz
Is there a point to launching balloon-based broadband Internet in Australia?
The Coalition’s NBN policy is a triumph of short-termism over long-term vision
Malcolm Turnbull has moved the Coalition light years – or at least several million fibre optic kilometres – from the Luddite criticisms thrown up by the Opposition during the 2010 federal election campaign. That said, it was sad to see the number of debating tricks employed in launching his national broadband policy.
NBN CTO pitches 5Gbps speeds for HFC cable modems
The chief technology officer of the NBN company yesterday said new modems launched by the company's equipment supplier ARRIS will allow theoretical top speeds of 5Gbps down and 2Gbps up, in comments which appear to run contrary to ongoing claims by the company that Australians are not interested in gigabit NBN speeds.
The shape of things to come: FTTN criticism will not die
The creation of a fast-growing petition and the publication of a landmark article by the ABC on the issue are among growing signs that a powerful level of dissent about the Coalition's unpopular fibre to the node-based National Broadband Network policy will come to dog the incoming Abbott government on an ongoing basis.
Pro-NBN National Day of Action is tomorrow
Supporters of Labor's all-fibre vision for the National Broadband Network project have organised a national day of action for Tuesday 26 November, which will see thousands of Australians physically present Members of Parliament with copies of a 270,000-strong petition on the issue.
Internode streams music festival Australia-wide
Internet service provider Internode has introduced a public high definition video stream of the first Gorgeous Festival, which features rock icon band Icehouse backed by supporting acts Josh Pyke and Emma Louise, showcasing the newest enhancements of its Content Delivery Network (CDN).
ISPs don’t have to collect voluntary filter data
The Australian Federal Police has confirmed there is no obligation by Internet service providers participating in its voluntary Internet filtering trial to collect data about how many requests to visit the sites they block under the trial -- or to disclose that data if it is actually collected.
The NBN FTTdp option in detail
If you’ve been following Australia’s national broadband debate for some time, you’re probably familiar with most of the “fibre to the” terms. Fibre to the Premises is what Labor wanted to do with its National Broadband Network policy, Fibre to the Node is the watered down Coalition alternative and Fibre to the Basement is what most of the telcos want to build to apartment buildings. But what about Fibre to the Drop Point (FTTdp)? The concept, which would see fibre extended to the lead-in pit in front of Australian premises but the existing copper reused from that point on, has been explored in an extensive article published by the journal of the Telecommunications Society of Australia.
Telstra buys MSC Mobility to boost enterprise mobility focus
Telstra has announced it is acquiring long-term partner MSC Mobility (MSC), a provider of mobile device solutions for businesses in Australia, in a move that is designed to enhance the telco's enterprise mobility capabilities.
Telstra starts VDSL vectoring FTTN trial
The nation's largest telco Telstra has reportedly kicked off a trial of the Coalition's preferred fibre to the node, VDSL and vectoring technologies in an effort to show what they are capable of on its copper network, as the Coalition's plan to dial down Labor's more ambitious fibre to the premises NBN rollout gets into gear.
Fast-growing M2 buys Dodo, makes Eftel offer
According to a cluster of media releases and company presentations issued to the Australian Stock Exchange this morning, fast-growing telco M2 Telecommunications has bought independent ISP Dodo for $203.9 million and has made an offer for similarly independent ISP Eftel for $44.1 million.
Why the NBN probably won’t kill Foxtel
The theory that the National Broadband Network is a threat to Foxtel's pay TV business doesn't really hold water.
Telstra kicks off P2P throttling trial
Six months after it notified customers of its plans, the nation's largest telco Telstra has finally kicked off a limited and completely voluntary trial of advanced traffic management techniques on its network that will see peer to peer traffic through platforms such as BitTorrent throttled.
Telstra cuts 651 jobs in offshoring move
The nation's largest telco has revealed it will cut some 651 Australian jobs in areas such as customer support, with some of the work to be absorbed by other workers locally and some to be offshored to facilities in countries such as the Phillipines.
Visionstream secures $250M Telstra ‘wideband’ contract
Visionstream, a services provider to the telecoms industry, has inked a new deal with Telstra to extend its delivery of 'wideband' services across Australia.
#firstworldproblems
Life is tough when you're a gazillionaire Australian ISP mega-mogul ;)
BT rollout shows what Australia could have had
I've been closely observing the rollout of BT's fibre to the node network in the UK, and while I don't think Australia should go down the same path now, I do think the BT example gives Australia a clear reminder of what could have been ... if we hadn't screwed it all up over the past decade.
Vodafone buys TelstraClear for $660m
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning confirmed it would walk away from its ill-fated venture into the New Zealand market, with rival Vodafone New Zealand to buy its Kiwi division TelstraClear for A$660 million.
“Wi-Fi breakthrough” undercuts NBN: Andrew Bolt
Controversial conservative commentator Andrew Bolt has published a blog post arguing that a new development in wireless technology revealed this month could leave the Federal Government’s flagship National Broadband Network project looking like “the biggest white elephant in our history”.
Most ISPs sign NBN Co wholesale contract
The National Broadband Network Company this morning revealed some 27 wholesale customers -- generally retail Internet service providers, including major market players Telstra and Optus -- had signed its permanent Wholesale Broadband Agreement that will shape the way they work with the company. However, at least one major ISP -- iiNet, has reportedly refused to sign.
iiNet decries “ugly” South Brisbane situation
National broadband provider iiNet has rejected the competition regulator's statement that it is satisfied with Telstra's contentious fibre network replacement project in the South Brisbane Exchange area, pointing out that the bigger telco was still imposing a number of "ugly" conditions on its wholesale customers.
Telstra’s NBN plans: Just universally awful
Telstra's National Broadband Network plans released today are the broadband equivalent of Kryptonite. With less choice, less download quotas and less value than any other provider on the market, but for a higher price, Telstra's NBN options do more than stink -- they glow with a sickly radioactive foulness and should be avoided at all costs.
Aussie Internet freedom at risk, says Sex Party
The Australian Sex Party has accused the Federal Government of following the lead of the United States in restricting civil liberties in Internet usage, with proposed American legislation such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in play in the US and controversial talks between the content and ISP industries similarly under way locally.
Primus, Dodo owner M2 sacks 100
M2 Group has revealed plans to make about 100 staff redundant as it finishes digesting recent major Internet service provider acquisitions such as Dodo, Primus and Eftel, stating that the positions are not necessary in the newly merged business.
Australia’s 4G mobile services more reliable than 3G: J.D. Power
Emerging 4G networks are proving to be more reliable and deliver a better wireless experience than established 3G networks, a J.D. Power and Associates study has found. The 2013 Australia Wireless Network Quality Study measured problems per 100 (PP100) based on ten common problems that impact overall network performance, including dropped calls, calls not connected, audio issues, failed or lost voicemails, and more.
Union issues ‘please explain’ on 400 Sensis job cuts
Well, it didn’t take long. Just one month (one month!) after Telstra agreed to sell 70 percent of its ailing directories and advertising business Sensis to US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity, up to 400 jobs are reportedly set to be cut at the division.
Informa analyst slams NBN ‘political sideshow’
We can’t help but agree with wise comments by seasoned Informa telecommunications analyst Tony Brown. In an opinionated article, Brown broadly argues that the NBN is pretty much a normal infrastructure project — but that the political debate swirling around it has obscured the actual project and outcomes.
Filter gaffe says more about Fletcher than the Coalition
The botched resurrection of Labor's mandatory Internet filtering policy late yesterday afternoon would appear to be more the work of one continually inept Liberal MP than a grand conspiracy by the Coalition to hoodwink the Australian public into generating a false mandate for Internet censorship.
Telstra tests 700MHz 4g on “advanced HTC smartphone”
The nation's biggest telco Telstra late last week revealed it had started testing the use of the 700MHz spectrum in its 4G mobile network, using equipment from Ericsson and "an advanced smartphone from HTC that will launch later this year".
‘We’re fixing Labor’s NBN mess,’ says Turnbull
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has avoided directly answering the question of whether he still stands behind the NBN company's existing cost estimates with respect to its use of HFC cable and copper technologies, instead claiming that the Coalition Government was cleaning up the NBN "mess" which he said Labor had created.
Quigley thanks Whirlpool for NBN contribution
Outgoing NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley has posted a comment on broadband forum Whirlpool thanking the site's community for its support of him personally and for informing commentary on the subject of broadband in Australia, in a move which further demonstrates the influence the site wields in the nation's telco sector.
Telstra’s Adam buy will boost competition, say Hackett & Malone
Telstra’s controversial move to acquire South Australian ISP Adam Internet would actually increase competition in the state, iiNet chief executive Michael Malone and Internode founder Simon Hackett said yesterday, despite concerns from Adam Internet customers about the deal.
M2 to merge with Vocus
Mid-tier telcos M2 and Vocus this morning announced they would merge into a large company with a market capitalisation in excess of $3 billion, in a move that will further cement M2’s place as Australia’s fourth-largest broadband player and further consolidate the already minimalist Australian telecommunications industry.
Virgin ups quota on postpaid broadband
Optus subsidiary, Virgin Mobile, has announced it is refreshing its suite of Postpaid Mobile Broadband plans.
Telstra unhappy with ACCC ADSL regulation
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) decision to declare (regulate) a wholesale ADSL service and set an interim access determination for it has elicited strong reactions from Telstra and Optus. While Telstra expressed disappointment at the ACCC decision, Optus welcomed it as a significant win for both consumers and the industry.
Vodafone releases $39 plan with unlimited text
Vodafone Hutchison Australia has launched a new $39 Plan with "infinite" text messages included, with a range of handsets for zero monthly cost to choose from, including the Samsung Galaxy S II.
Telstra and NBN Co haven’t started talks yet
Telstra yesterday confirmed it had not yet kicked off renewed negotiations with NBN Co over access to its HFC cable and copper networks, as concerns continue to grow that the Coalition's Broadband Network Project, which has several components highly dependent on the talks succeeding, is likely to be significantly delayed.
Nationals Leader factually incorrect (again) on NBN
The Federal Leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss, has for the second time this year made a major factually incorrect public statement with regards to Labor's National Broadband Network project, inaccurately stating that no resident in his electorate would be able to connect to the infrastructure until "at least the latter part of this decade".
Australia Post wants to be a major telco …
Industry newsletter Communications Day this morning revealed that Australia Post was planning a major push into telecommunications services, with Optus regulatory chief Maha Krishnapillai (who recently quit the company) joining to spearhead the effort.
ispONE sold … without Kogan Mobile
Those who’ve been following the Kogan Mobile saga will be interested to know that the wholesale company at the heart of all the controversy, ispONE, has been sold. However, Kogan has still not been able to negotiate arrangements for its affected customers.
Vodafone promises: Our 4G will be fastest
Mobile carrier Vodafone today revealed it would launch its 4G network in June this year in Australia's capital cities, promising the long-delayed network would deliver Australia's fastest 4G speeds so far due to initial spectrum advantages over rivals Telstra and Optus, which have had 4G infrastructure available for a substantial period already.
Telstra parts ways with Sensis CEO
Telstra yesterday announced that long-time Sensis CEO Bruce Akhurst would leave the company in May after 15 years in service.
Queensland’s flood-hit Grantham gets the NBN
Internode has switched on high-speed broadband at the first newly completed house in a subdivision of Grantham. The Queensland town is under reconstruction, with 150 residents moving to higher ground, after it was destroyed by floods in January this year. This makes the newly connected home the first to link to the National Broadband Network in South East Queensland.
Further Liberal hypocrisy on the NBN
It seems Liberal MPs all around Australia just can't stop demanding that the National Broadband Network be rolled out in their area.
NBN Co largely cleared over greenfields competition
A Productivity Commission review of the National Broadband Network Company's behaviour in greenfields fibre rollout environments has largely exonerated the company of any uncompetitive behaviour, following complaints made by existing service providers in such areas.
Tassie NBN “will take 80 years”, claims Abbott
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has inaccurately claimed that the rollout of Labor's National Broadband Network in Tasmania will take "80 years" to complete, in what Labor's Regional Communications Minister Sharon Bird immediately labelled a deliberate attempt to deceive residents and businesses in the state.
Turnbull taints Budget with NBN cost lie
Malcolm Turnbull late yesterday used the Federal Budget announcements process to again erroneously claim that the Coalition's technically inferior version of Labor's National Broadband Network project would be $32 billion cheaper, despite the fact that the Communications Minister is aware this claim is not true.
NBN Co renews Service Stream greenfields deal
National construction firm Service Stream this morning revealed the National Broadband Network Company had renewed its contract to design and deploy NBN Co's fibre network to greenfield developments (usually housing estates), in a deal which could eventually be worth some $140 million.
ISPs won’t talk about Interpol filter support
Three of Australia's major ISPs -- TPG, Dodo and Primus -- have not responded to repeated requests to disclose whether they are planning to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme which is being promulgated by the Australian Federal Police in cooperation with international policing agency Interpol.
NBN critics: Can’t you do better than this?
Attention, NBN critics: If you're going to engage in the popular Australian pastime of sledging the National Broadband Network, at least get your basic facts right before doing so. Otherwise, you'll end up with egg all over your face.
NBN Co not keeping secrets unnecessarily, finds review
A review of NBN Co's compliance with Freedom of Information laws has found that the company is meeting its legal responsibilities with regard to the release of information, despite the fact that out of 35 FoI requests over the past year, only two resulted in the information sought being fully released.
Quoting the Economist belies Turnbull’s intelligence
But Steve Jobs, as we have heard repetitively over the past few weeks, didn't believe in doing market research before developing Apple products. He anticipated and created consumer demand -- he didn't discover it. If Turnbull truly wants to be known as an innovator and a visionary in Australian politics, he must stop clutching at every half-baked twig that passes his way as evidence that the NBN is flawed policy, and start swimming for himself.
Turnbull slams “dishonest” Labor NBN propaganda
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has come out swinging against what he today described as "misleading and dishonest" material criticising the Coalition's NBN policy and promoting Labor's own, which prominent Labor MPs have started distributing to their constituents ahead of the upcoming Federal Election.
Turnbull “virtually invented the Internet in Australia”, claims Tony Abbott
Oh dear. Sometimes you just have to laugh — because if you didn’t laugh then you would cry. Tony Abbott is talking about Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull massively as the man who “virtually invented the Internet in Australia." Riiight.
Telstra trialling 450Mbps 4G, says AFR
It’s only been a couple of months since mobile carrier Vodafone started claiming it’s got Australia’s fastest mobile broadband network, and although our tests show it has some basis to the claim, it appears it’s not a claim Telstra is going to take sitting down. The Financial Review newspaper reports this morning that the big T is testing mobile broadband speeds up to 450Mbps.
Telstra cancels covert filter testing
The nation's largest telco Telstra today announced it had stopped archiving the web browsing activity of its users for the purpose of implementing a new voluntary Internet filter product, following widespread concern expressed this week after the test was revealed by a savvy group of network administrators.
‘I have never misstated facts,’ says Turnbull
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has told radio listeners in Brisbane that he has never personally been guilty of deliberately misstating facts, despite the fact that a number of the Liberal MP's statements over the past several years with respect to national broadband policy have been highly contested by commentators.
ACMA outlines management strategy for mobile broadband spectrum
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has outlined its strategy for addressing growth in mobile broadband traffic and its latest work plan in a package released yesterday.
War of NBN words: Turnbull clashes with Pesce again
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has again engaged in a highly public clash of wills with technology innovator and futurist Mark Pesce, over whether Labor's flagship National Broadband Network policy is the right way forward for Australia's telecommunications industry.
Telstra releases ‘Top Hat’ project details
We've received the following statement from Telstra regarding its 'Top-Hat' project.
Vodafone to cut up to 500 jobs
Troubled mobile telco Vodafone has flagged its second staff restructure in less than a year, in a move that has seen a number of senior executives appointed and internal investment priorities changes, and which could see up to 500 staff lose their roles in the near future, representing about 10 percent of the company’s Australian workforce.
Turnbull’s ‘agnostic’ approach could restore faith in the NBN
My frank assessment is that we will probably see a lot more fibre being delivered than we were expecting under the new government. DSL technologies on copper will be exploited where these can deliver a better connection than existing arrangements, even if it means these customers wait longer for their inevitable fibre connection.
Optus dumps off-peak quota, raises prices
news The nation's number two telco Optus has revamped its broadband plan structure in a move which will see it follow rival iiNet and dump the practice of separating quota into on- and off-peak chunks, but it has also simultaneously raised prices on most broadband plans, in a move that has already angered some customers.
iiNet to blanket Canberra with free Wi-Fi
National broadband provider iiNet today revealed that it had been selected by the nation’s capital to build Australia’s largest free Wi-Fi network, blanketing 12 business districts across Canberra during the coming year.
$5 per day flat rate: Vodafone revamps global roaming options
Ever been hit with a massive global roaming bill? Vodafone's got your back. The telco this morning announced that it would be implementing a flat $5 per day fee for customers using their mobiles in popular international destinations such as the UK, US and New Zealand.
NBN on Media Watch tonight
Just a brief note to let everyone know that media coverage of the National Broadband Network is expected to be featured on Media Watch tonight, with a focus on the recent articles of ABC Technology + Games Editor Nick Ross and the controversy last week surrounding them. I would encourage all readers who have a view of this issue to contact Media Watch directly and make their opinion or analysis of the situation known.
Crowdsourced NBN think tank launches Senate submission
A loose-knit collective of Australian technologists has formed what it has dubbed an online crowdsourced think tank focused around the National Broadband Network project and has started putting together a submission to the NBN Senate Select Committee which will argue for a network built on the best available 'fit for purpose' technology - not on political ideology.
‘Red’: Vodafone overhauls plan structure
Bit by bit, cell tower by cell tower upgrade, customer by customer, Vodafone is attempting to bring its ailing operations in Australia back into the black. Today's new initiative from the big V is a new mobile plan structure which will see three price points established with "infinite standard calls" and "infinite texts".
Turnbull avoids Treasury costing question
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has avoided directly answering the question of whether the Coalition will submit its alternative National Broadband Network policy to the Treasury or any other organisation for costing purposes, instead accusing the Labor Government of not being transparent about its own numbers.
More NBN cost/benefit analysis pointless: Budde
One of Australia’s most respected telecommunications analysts this week called for the nation’s politicians to show “leadership” when it comes to national telecommunications infrastructure, arguing out that further cost/benefit analysis conducted on the sector would constitute further ‘procrastination’, after dozens of such studies have already been conducted.
NBN enjoys massive public support despite “overwhelmingly negative” print coverage
A new comprehensive study of public attitudes towards Labor's National Broadband Network project has found the initiative still enjoys very high levels of widespread public support from ordinary Australians, despite what the study described as an "overwhelmingly negative" approach to the project by print media such as newspapers.
Abbott, Turnbull: No NBN talks with Murdoch
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull both deny they've held discussions with News Corp chief executive Rupert Murdoch over the National Broadband Network.
Copper rapidly losing ground to fibre in global broadband figures
IT market intelligence provider Point Topic has released new figures revealing that the numbers of people using fixed broadband globally climbed in the third quarter of 2015, with the numbers using copper-based technologies to connect taking a sharp downturn and fibre rapidly on the way up.
‘You’re a disgrace’: Turnbull slams lecturer’s accurate NBN analysis
Communications Minister-elect Malcolm Turnbull has savagely attacked a University of Queensland lecturer for a seemingly innocuous article analysing rising online dissent towards the Coalition's NBN policy, inaccurately labelling the academic's article as "false" and "misleading", and claiming that it was "a disgrace".
ISP market needs more mergers, says Budde
One interesting view on iiNet's likely acquisition of TransACT has come today from maverick (we normally describe him as 'rogue) analyst Paul Budde, who says that not only does the sale make sense, but more such buyouts should take place.
Conflict of interest: Milne’s $1.5m in Telstra shares
If you had spent a decade in a high-profile role at Telstra that netted you $1.5 million worth of shares in the telco, would you consider it a good idea to sell those shares before taking a similarly high-profile role at NBN Co, which is engaged in billion-dollar negotiations with Telstra that could significantly affect Telstra's share price?
Take that, Telstra: Optus has 500 4G towers
The nation's number two telco Optus has revealed it has already upgraded some 500 mobile phone towers across Australia to support high-speed 4G mobile broadband services, in a rapid-fire rollout aimed at curtailing Telstra's lead in the provision of the next-general mobile services.
Hackett’s NBN scale claim “sheerest nonsense”: Linton
Exetel chief executive John Linton has labelled as "the sheerest nonsense" the claim by Internode chief Simon Hackett that ISPs will need to gain scale to compete when the National Broadband Network is rolled out around Australia.
“The NBN is dead,” says Jason Clare
Shadow Communications Minister Jason Clare yesterday said he believed Labor's National Broadband Network project was "dead" and that all that was left was "a bunch of different technologies rolling out in different parts of the country", despite the fact that most Australians still want the project to go ahead.
Kogan drags ISPOne into court over mobile
blog Remember how Kogan issued a strenuous denial that it was its fault that high-usage customers were being dumped from its fladgling "unlimited" mobile...
Get on with FTTN job, Quigley tells NBN Co
NBN Co founding chief executive Mike Quigley has advised the company's new management to get on with the job of fulfilling the Coalition's Fibre to the Node vision for the project and not to politicise it further, in his first public appearance since retiring several months ago.
Vocus/M2 consider FTTB rollout to compete with NBN Co, TPG
You may recall that several weeks ago, mid-tier telcos M2 and Vocus announced they would merge into a large company with a market capitalisation in excess of $3 billion, in a move that will further cement M2’s place as Australia’s fourth-largest broadband player and further consolidate the already minimalist Australian telecommunications industry. But what was not widely reported at the time was that the merged pair of telcos are also considering pursuing a Fibre to the Basement rollout to compete with the NBN company and TPG, which are already deploying this kind of infrastructure.
Optus kicks off 2600MHz 4G trials
The nation's number two telco Optus this morning revealed it had kicked off trials of 4G mobile services using the 2600MHz frequency, as the nation's three major telcos continue to battle for mindshare in the next generation of mobile broadband services.
ISP data retention still an issue, Ludlam warns
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has warned that a secretive proposal -- known as 'data retention -- by the Attorney-General's Department to force internet service providers to store a wealth of information pertaining to Australians' emails and telephone calls is still an issue, with the public needing to remain vigilant on how the Government handles Internet surveillance.
“Shocking”: Turnbull accuses Rudd of NBN “lies”
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly accused Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of telling "shocking lies" about the National Broadband Network and the Coalition's rival NBN policy, as election tensions continue to grow between the two major sides of politics over the issue of who's telling the truth about the key project.
Govt blocks surveillance inquiry extension
The Federal Parliament has rejected a number of requests from interested parties to extend the short deadline for submissions to an inquiry into a wide-reaching package of legislative reforms proposed by the Federal Government which the Greens have slammed as constituting a “systematic erosion of privacy” in Australia.
FactCheck: will regional internet users pay more under the Coalition’s NBN plan?
Both major parties are trying to convince voters that their plan is better than their competitor’s. So, is it true that the Coalition’s broadband plan will cost more for regional households and businesses?
Turnbull lies on NBN to Triple J listeners
Malcolm Turnbull yesterday made several statements on the ABC's Triple J radio station regarding financial projections for Labor's National Broadband Network project which the Communications Minister is aware are false, with the former investment banker inaccurately conflating investment capital and government expenses for the project as well as exaggerating financial figures.
iiNet taking lion’s share of NBN customers
National broadband provider iiNet has revealed it is taking the lion's share of customers who have connected to the National Broadband Network so far, with other large ISPs such as TPG lagging behind due to their unwillingness to engage with the new national network.
‘Bold & visionary’: UK MP loves Australia’s NBN
One of the UK Government’s up and coming technology-focused politicians, Chi Onwurah, has declared Australia’s National Broadband Network to be bold and visionary following a visit Down Under and asked her own country’s administration why it doesn’t have similar ambitions in its own, much more limited broadband policy.
Turnbull sends TPG share price into tailspin
A statement made yesterday by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull which appeared to have undercut the stability of Australia's telecommunications regulatory environment has had a dramatic impact on the share price of national broadband provider TPG, with the company's stock taking a steep dive yesterday.
At death’s door: Vodafone loses 216k more customers
Vodafone's global parent in the UK has revealed that its Australian division lost a further 216,000 customers in the first quarter of this year, as indications continue to mount that the ongoing customer outage from the beleaguered telco is accelerating, rather than declining.
Vodafone claims 3G network as fast as Telstra
Vodafone Australia chief executive Bill Morrow claimed this week that the telco’s 3G mobile network was as fast as that of Telstra and significantly faster than that of Optus, in yet another sign of the company’s confidence that its technical capabilities are catching up with that of its competitors.
Reality check: China’s not getting an “NBN”
You wouldn’t believe the number of outraged readers who’ve contacted me today encouraging me to take The Australian newspaper to town for its controversially headlined story in this morning’s edition, entitled “A billion Chinese to get an NBN for a third of the cost of ours”.
Fairfax columnist prints blatant NBN falsehoods
A senior columnist writing for Melbourne newspaper The Age has falsely claimed that the fibre technology used in Labor's NBN project had a life of only 25 years and that it could be made obsolete by "low earth orbiting satellites", in an article riddled with inaccurate and highly disputed claims regarding the project.
Attorney-General ignoring consumers: Pirate Party
The Pirate Party of Australia has strongly criticised the former Attorney-General Robert McClelland for ignoring consumers and supporting the content industry instead, in secretive talks held by his department.
Media Watch weighs in on Ross NBN coverage
We were pleasantly surprised with the conclusions which Holmes drew on last night’s program regarding the National Broadband Network coverage which ABC Technology + Games Editor Nick Ross has been generating over the past year.
‘Cooked books’, ‘funny money’, ‘trickery’: Coalition on NBN budgeting
Leading Opposition figures have slammed the Government's handling of funding for the National Broadband Network in this week's Federal Budget, alleging that the project's finances are being misallocated to cover up holes that would have sabotaged the policy aim of delivering a budget surplus.
China concerned by Huawei NBN ban, says Bob Carr
Foreign Minister Bob Carr hit up the ABC's flagship current affairs program 7:30 last night and was quizzed by host Chris Uhlmann on, among other things, the attitude of Chinese officials to the Federal Government's move to block Chinese networking gear supplier Huawei from participating in National Broadband Network contracts.
NBN rollout update a “fantasy”, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed the latest update to the rollout plans for Labor's National Broadband Network project as a "fantasy", pointing out that the initiative has been under way for four years but has failed to meet its targets and has only successfully rolled out infrastructure to a "miniscule" number of premises.
Jason Clare a ‘coward’, claims Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull has taken the extraordinary step of accusing his opposite Jason Clare of not having the "courage" to question him about the National Broadband Network project in Parliament, in response to building allegations that the Communications Minister and other Coalition figures are openly lying about the project in public.
Further evidence Turnbull’s MyBroadband tracker overestimates speeds
The Australian Labor Party has published what it claims is further evidence that the MyBroadband broadband availability site launched by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull in February is significantly inaccurate, with average broadband speeds in the Federal electorate of Perth universally below the data produced by the site.
Exetel launches 4G mobile plans
Tier two national broadband provider Exetel has launched a range of 4G mobile broadband plans with monthly download quota ranging up to 20GB, based on Optus’ new 4G infrastructure located in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Newcastle.
We’re not shutting down T-Box, says Telstra
The nation's biggest telco Telstra has rejected a report by The Register that it is expected to shut down its T-Box IPTV streaming video platform and shift its 300,000-odd customers using the platform to the Foxtel pay TV company it part owns.
Turnbull has “grave misgivings” on data retention
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has broken his silence regarding the Fedeal Government's controversial data retention and surveillance package, declaring that he has "grave misgivings" about a project which he feels "seems to be heading in precisely the wrong direction".
NBN raises possibility of multi-gigabit symmetric HFC speeds
NBN could soon roll out symmetric multi-gigabit broadband via the HFC network following developments announced by CableLabs, the US consortium that sets standards for cable technology.
Coalition MTM model a ‘$40bn fraud’, says Conroy in epic Senate rant
Stephen Conroy has accused the Coalition of perpetuating an "absolute fraud" on the Australian public through its drastic reworking of Labor's NBN project, with the former Communications Minister pointing out that the Coalition could not guarantee speeds on its planned infrastructure, and that no other country globally was buying back its incumbent telco's copper network.
iiNet completes Internode buyout a month early
National broadband provider iiNet this afternoon announced it had completed its $105 million buyout of rival Internode, a month ahead of schedule.
New Nationals leadership slammed copper as “redundant” in 2005
The new federal leadership team of the Nationals unveiled late last week -- Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash -- personally criticised the use of copper for broadband services in 2005, it has emerged, telling the then-Howard Government to focus on the use of Fibre to the Premises technologies instead.
Australia doesn’t need the NBN, says Abbott
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has proclaimed that Australia doesn't "need" the National Broadband Network project and the billions being invested in the initiative would be better spent on "our roads, our rail and our ports" under a Coalition Government.
SkyMesh offers symmetric 100/100Mbps NBN
news SkyMesh has launched a set of broadband plans with symmetric speeds of 100/100Mbps over the National Broadband Network’s Fibre to the Premises infrastructure,...
NBN critics ‘like climate deniers’, says Budde
Telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has accused the harshest critics of Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network project as being similar to “climate change deniers” in their irrational opposition to the project, arguing that such critics are given undue prominence in the media, despite representing less than five percent of the population.
Whinge: Telstra wants to stop NBN Co helping smaller ISPs at all
The nation's biggest telco Telstra has told the Federal Government that the NBN company must not be allowed to assist smaller ISPs to better compete for customers on the National Broadband Network, despite the fact that Telstra itself already has a 50 percent NBN market share.
Coalition to adopt UK broadband platform
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed plans to implement the same underlying broadband infrastructure platform in Australia which has already been used for some time in the UK, with the two nations' incumbent telcos Telstra and BT to collaborate on the exchange over the next several years.
Turnbull wants ‘user pays’ FTTH model
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made some interesting comments backing BT’s ‘user pays’ fibre to the premise model in the UK, which sees the telco’s fibre to the node rollout extended upon user demand.
Strategic Review: NBN Co needs consultant help
The National Broadband Network Company this morning issued a request for proposals for consultancy services from the private sector to support its Strategic Review into the future of the NBN under the new Coalition Government.
No comment: Greens, Coalition on Internet piracy
Senior figures from the Opposition and the Greens have declined to respond to repeated requests for comment over a period of several weeks on recent Federal Government moves to firm up its policy on Internet content piracy, as the future of Australia's response to the issue continues to be in doubt.
Revealed: ASIC’s secret website block notices
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has published the full text of its official notices to telcos requesting they block websites suspected of providing fraudulent financial information, with the documents revealing that both the frequency and breadth of the agency's blocking activities has increased since they began 12 months ago.
“Policy vacuum”: iiNet slams politicians’ NBN ‘fail’
Australia's third-largest broadband player iiNet has opened a broadside on the nation's political class over the "policy vacuum" the ISP says exists in telecommunications policy, agreeing with veteran analyst Paul Budde that further discussion is needed around the actual uses of upgraded broadband infrastructure and less discussion of entry level broadband speeds.
Optus to refund $2.4m over mobile insurance breaches
Optus is being forced to refund around $2.4 million to around 175,000 of its mobile customers following the Australian Securities & Investments Commission's (ASIC's) concerns about the telco's compliance with financial services laws.
BT demonstrates 10Gbps on normal fibre
British telco BT has demonstrated that it is possible to deliver broadband speeds of up to 10Gbps over its normal fibre infrastructure extending to some homes and businesses; the same Fibre to the Home infrastructure which is being deployed in Australia as part of the Federal Government’s National Broadband Network project.
Delimiter endorses Greens based on tech policy
In an article on Delimiter 2.0 today (subscriber content), I argue that the Greens are the best option for technologists in the Federal Election, winning out over the Pirate Party by a nose.
“Extraordinary incompetence”: Turnbull on NBN greenfields
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has gone on the warpath regarding NBN Co's performance in rolling out fibre to greenfields housing estates, touring a number of estates nationwide and damning what he said was NBN Co's "extraordinary incompetence" in its greenfields rollout schedule.
Palmer pushes for minimalist NBN policy
The National Broadband Network Company's Strategic Review found conclusively that under almost every model, the company's network rollout would make a long-term return on investment, ultimately costing the Federal Government nothing due to the cost being reimbursed by subscriber fees paid by millions of Australians. Despite this, Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer this week referred to the cost of the NBN and how it could be brought down further.
The NBN, service providers and you … what could go wrong?
The NBN will provide Australians with a raft of exciting new opportunities. For services providers, it will provide a much-needed chance to improve their customer relations and procedures. And who wouldn’t welcome that?
Help us fact-check Fletcher’s NBN comments
Delimiter invites readers to help us fact-check an important NBN-related article by Coalition MP Paul Fletcher. Let's get to the truth of the matter, together.
Low-cost Telstra ‘Adam’ brand worries iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet has warned the competition regulator that Telstra must not be allowed to introduce a new, low-cost ‘Jetstar’-like brand into the broadband marketplace without strict controls being placed around such an initative, due to the potential for Telstra to further increase its already dominant market share.
Fifield praises “superfast” Fibre to the Node rollout
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has praised the controversial Fibre to the Node technology which the NBN company is launching at the moment as part of the Coalition's Multi-Technology Mix vision, describing FTTN as "superfast", despite the fact that some residents may only get speeds of 50Mbps.
Movie Rights Group website shut down, VP leaves
The website for controversial anti-piracy organisation Movie Rights Group has inexplicably vanished from the Internet and its vice president of sales and marketing has quit, leading to speculation that the organisation has been shut down for good.
Does Telstra have a million 4G devices or not?
Does Telstra have a million 4G devices on its Next G network or not? It depends who you ask, apparently.
iiNet halts trading after Transact report
National broadband provider iiNet has halted trading of its shares on the Australian Stock Exchange today, following a report in the Financial Review newspaper that it was in the final stages of negotiations to acquire Canberra and rural NSW/Victoria-based telco TransACT.
Defence worthy of a High Court victory? “Yes, Minister”
Given iiNet's conclusive victory in its High Court defence against AFACT this morning, it seems an appropriate time to remind readers of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's opinion of the case, aired in March 2009.
NBN future “clearly wireless”, claims Alan Jones
Radio shockjock Alan Jones made a statement riddled with factual errors about the Federal Government’s National Broadband Network project on his radio program this morning, describing it as a “white elephant” and a “disaster” and inaccurately claiming that the future of telecommunications is “clearly wireless”, rather than the mainly fibre model the NBN is mainly using.
Owning the mid-range: Internode chops NBN prices
National broadband provider Internode has substantially modified its National Broadband Network pricing on the eve of the launch of commercial services on the fledgling fibre infrastructure, cutting the prices on some of its plans and delivering extra options to customers in other areas.
No, Minister: The Tasmanian NBN rollout has not stopped
Amidst the ramping up of the new Australian government, and with reviews of just about everything under the sun underway, we see yet more incorrect statements from incoming federal Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull in regards to the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
NBN Senate Committee politicised from start
The Senate's move to force senior executives from the National Broadband Network Company to appear before its new NBN committee starkly demonstrates the extreme degree of politicisation which the NBN project as a whole is subject to.
NBN competition will rest almost solely on price
Retail competition on the National Broadband Network will rest almost solely on price, in my opinion, as the importance of other differentiating factors between telcos like Telstra, Optus, TPG and iiNet will diminish almost to zero. And here's why.
How does fibre over powerlines stack up against other potential NBN technologies?
Tasmania’s assertive push to keep up deployment of optical fibre, and make it cost effective by using overhead rollout, makes a lot of sense. In urban areas, no other technology has a feasible lifetime beyond 2025, and many of the existing broadband technologies are already obsolete with no hope of evolution. It will work for the vast majority of urban areas.
Aussie telcos not using Carrier IQ
Worried about that nasty Carrier IQ keylogging/tracking software which is causing such a ruckus in the US? You probably shouldn't be.
‘It’s complicated’, but Vodafone losses are still accelerating
The rate of customer losses being suffered by Vodafone Australia has accelerated again over the three months to the end of September this year, with the company reporting overnight that it lost some 584,000 Australian customers that quarter. However, the troubled company's situation is a little more complex than it looks from the outside.
Truth: A lack of Wi-Fi is definitely bad for your health
Australia's national broadcaster has unfortunately let one of its senior journalists engage in a fear-mongering campaign to convince Australians we should be scared of a technology we invented: wireless data transmission. The truth is that the only thing we should be scared of is a lack of signal.
Albo refuses National Press Club NBN debate
Communications Minister Anthony Albanese has rebuffed an open invitation to debate his opposite Malcolm Turnbull in a formal televised election debate at the National Press Club on the topic of the National Broadband Network, stating that he would prefer instead to debate Nationals Leader Warren Truss in the Infrastructure and Transport portfolio.
More ISPs sign up to AFP’s Interpol filter
The Australian Federal Police has revealed that two more ISPs have signed up to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme that has been developed by the AFP and industry group the Internet Industry Association, although their identities at this stage are unclear.
Foxtel and Stan agree: Peak hour broadband congestion real, significant
Senior executives from two of Australia's largest online content providers have provided testimony to the Senate that peak hour and weekend broadband congestion is a real phenomenon that is significantly affecting broadband users around Australia.
Jason Clare appointed Shadow Comms Minister; Michelle Rowland to assist
Former Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jason Clare, a politician with no previous known history in the Communications portfolio, has been appointed Shadow Communications Minister, with experienced former telco lawyer Michelle Rowland to assist him in opposing sitting Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Abbott confirms Coalition FTTN policy; Hints Turnbull will be Comms Minister
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott this afternoon confirmed the Coalition would take Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull's fibre to the node-based broadband plan to the Federal Election as its broadband policy and appeared to hint that Turnbull would become Communications Minister in an Abbott administration.
Telstra ready for NBN asbestos work again
It seems like Telstra went from a situation where asbestos contamination was randomly occurring around Australia at NBN worksites, to a situation two months later where Telstra appears to believe that everything is under control. But does this really represent the situation on the ground, or is it all just Telstra PR guff?
Coalition NBN policy launch: Full video
Missed the Coalition's rival policy launch on TV this morning and want to catch up? No worries, Delimiter's got your back. Catch the whole presentation by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull in this YouTube video. We're also working on uploading the question and answer session in which yours truly and a number of other journalists put the tough questions to the pair.
‘Shelved’? No. Data retention will be back
Yesterday it was widely reported that the Federal Government had 'shelved' its data retention plans, walking away from the controversial proposal to monitor all Australians' communications. But the reality is the complete opposite: Data retention is still being actively considered as a policy and will shortly return to plague Australia once again.
TPG launches unlimited HFC NBN plans from $59.99
Internet provider TPG has announced a number of broadband plus phone plans offering unlimited NBN via hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) cable starting at $59.99.
NBN Co’s Quigley to retire
The National Broadband Network Company's founding chief executive, Mike Quigley, announced today that he would retire from the company and from corporate life, after four years of tumultuous life setting up NBN Co and initiating the construction of the NBN.
Tick tock, NBN Co. Where are the rollout stats?
By continually declining to release hard statistics about how the rollout and uptake of its network are proceeding, the National Broadband Network Company risks portraying itself as exactly the kind of negligent and overly bureaucratic monopoly which the Federal Opposition has long accused it of being.
Spirit deploys 200Mbps FTTB to Southbank
It’s only a very limited rollout so far, but Melbourne residents might be interested to know that local telco Spirit Telecom has deployed what appears to be a Fibre to the Basement broadband rollout in the Triptych apartment facility in the Southbank area. It appears that Spirit has been able to achieve speeds of up to 200Mbps by using Fibre to the Basement and then deploying its own in-building network to extend broadband to each apartment — skipping the existing in-building copper infrastructure.
NBN could cost $100 billion, claims Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly claimed that Labor's National Broadband Network project could could cost as much as $100 billion to build, despite the company’s own estimates showing that it will require around $37 billion of capital injection from the Government and eventually make a return.
Huge 4G expansion: Telstra to double coverage
The nation's largest telco Telstra has responded to the threat of expanded 4G networks from Optus and Vodafone by pledging to almost double its number of mobile towers with 4G support by the end of the year, as the race to cover the country with the latest mobile broadband infrastructure steps up a notch.
Optus targets renters with 50GB 4G wireless broadband plan
Australia’s second-largest telecommunications company, Optus, has announced a new 50GB 4G wireless broadband plan it says is perfect for renters or students who need to quickly set up a reliable Internet connection or those living in areas with no access to cable broadband.
NBN Co faces wireless tower backlash
The National Broadband Network Company is under fire for an alleged lack of community consultation as it rolls out fixed wireless infrastructure across parts of regional Australia, with local councils expressing frustration at what they say is an 'apply first, consult later' pattern of behaviour.
TPG, iiNet, ACCC support competitive FTTB rollouts
National broadband companies TPG and iiNet, as well as the competition regulator, have published extensive submissions to the Federal Government supporting the right for commercial telcos to deploy their own Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) infrastructure throughout Australia in competition with the Coalition's Broadband Network (CBN) project, rejecting the idea that such planned investments should be blocked or otherwise regulated to support NBN Co's finances.
Offended by ‘fraudband’? Maybe you shouldn’t have said it first
There’s been a bit of hoohah about the use of the hashtag #fraudband recently by [Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull[ & his cronies, decrying every use as ‘poor form’ & the like. Yet when you look deeper into the use of the term ‘fraudband’, the reality is that the Liberal & National Party were using it LONG before anyone supporting the NBN was.
Strong NBN support amongst Coalition voters
More Coalition voters support the Labor Federal Government's flagship National Broadband Network project than are against it, according to new research released today, as support for the initiative continues to grow to record levels.
Hockey wrong on 4G, says analyst
A senior telecommunications analyst who has previously praised the Coalition's alternative NBN policy has heavily criticised Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey over his claims that 4G mobile broadband could be "far superior" to the NBN's fibre in some areas.
NBN nightmare install escalated to CEO, fixed
Remember Andrew Devenish-Meares, the Armidale resident who penned a nightmarish tale several weeks ago relating to his ongoing struggle to get the National Broadband Network fibre connected to his house? Well, the situation has been resolved, and Devenish-Meares is now a happy NBN camper with Internode.
Malcolm’s Blacktown visit: Silly tweets, a ridiculous video and technical inaccuracies
Malcolm Turnbull's site visit to a National Broadband Network location in Blacktown was primarily notable for the Communications Minister's silly tweets, his "ridiculous" video and technical inaccuracies in his comments, according to Shadow Assisting Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, who is also an MP for the area.
Chorus launches gigabit broadband across New Zealand
New Zealand telco Chorus is to extend its 1Gbps residential and small-to-medium business fibre broadband service across its entire ultra-fast broadband footprint from 1 October.
Fifield gets serious about VDSL cross-talk issue
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has registered a new regulation which will force Australia's broadband industry to develop its own industry code dealing with the thorny issue of cross-talk interference in the new generation of Fibre to the Node and Basement technologies.
Ludlam suspects Govt of bugging his iPhone
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has publicly stated that he suspects law enforcement agencies of bugging his mobile phone, despite admitting that he doesn't have a shred of evidence that such action might be taking place, and despite the fact that he has not had his mobile phone examined for bugging software.
ABC delayed Alberici’s pro-NBN article until after the election
The ABC delayed publishing an article by Lateline co-host Emma Alberici starkly critical of the Coalition's rival National Broadband Network policy until after the election, it has emerged, as questions continue to be raised about the public broadcaster's coverage of Australia's largest ever infrastructure project.
“Misinformation”: Turnbull slams Digital Tasmania
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched a broadside directly against Tasmanian technology activist group Digital Tasmania, accusing the group of instigating a “misinformation campaign” regarding the rollout of the NBN’s infrastructure in the state.
NBN Co to pay Telstra to fix its own copper network
The NBN company today announced it had signed or was working on deals with Telstra and Optus that would see the pair continue to fix, maintain and operate the legacy copper and HFC cable networks which they have already sold to the NBN company.
Optus’ NBN plans: The most intelligent so far
Well, colour me extremely surprised. Optus' National Broadband Network plans released today are among the best so far, and represent a level of innovative thinking about the next-generation infrastructure that has so far been missing from all previous NBN commercial pricing options.
Govt censors secret anti-piracy meeting notes
Citing the "public interest", the Federal Attorney-General's Department has censored from documents released under Freedom of Information laws eight pages of notes taken by one of its staff members at a secret meeting held in September last year to address the issue of Internet piracy, after initially stating that no minutes were taken of the meeting.
SA Premier gets US fast broadband tour
South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill has toured the high-tech city of Chattanooga, Tennessee in the United States, to survey the city’s revitalisation brought about with the use of high-speed broadband.
Our NBN debate: Where everyone is partly wrong
Like a blade out of the dark, this week ex-ACCC chief Graeme Samuel came from nowhere to drive a stake into the heart of the Coalition’s rival NBN policy, arguing that the FTTN technology it’s based on is “obsolete”. And just as viciously, Malcolm Turnbull fired back. But who is objectively on the side of truth in this storm in a teacup? As is so often in our flawed NBN debate, the answer is: ‘Nobody’.
First Vodafone 4G tests: It’s fast, but patchy
Due to its spectrum supremacy and the fact that there aren't many people using the network yet, Vodafone's 4G infrastructure does offer speeds that can in places be faster than those offered by Telstra or Optus. However, the telco is still lagging behind when it comes to the breadth of its network coverage.
Help us fact-check Turnbull’s NBN comments
Delimiter invites readers to help us fact-check an important and lengthy policy statement by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Let's get to the truth of the matter, together.
Telstra may terminate 280k mobile services
Wholesale telco ispONE this morning issued a media release stating that it had filed an application with the Federal Court seeking to stop its own upstream provider, Telstra, from terminating the supply of prepaid mobile services to ispONE. Why is this an issue? Because if Telstra moves ahead with the move, it will result in some 280,000 customers losing their mobile access.
NBN enjoys prolonged popular support
The results of a new poll released this week by research houses Essential Media and Your Source has shown that Labor's flagship National Broadband Network policy has continued to enjoy strong levels of popularity, especially amongst Labor and Greens voters, since the last Federal Election.
PM Gillard meets global Huawei chair
Julia Gillard meets with Huawei's global chair during a visit to China.
ASIC repeatedly delays S.313 FoI responses
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has on multiple occasions over the past month, involving multiple parties, delayed responding to Freedom of Information requests seeking documents relating to its controversial decision to start unilaterally blocking websites it suspects of fraudulent activity.
Turnbull’s MTM CBN should not be a monopoly
The only way for Labor's all-fibre National Broadband Network to sensibly function was for it to be a legislated infrastructure monopoly. But the Coalition's watered-down, multi-technology alternative is a very different kettle of fish, and consumers will clearly benefit if rival telcos such as Telstra, Optus and TPG are allowed to overbuild portions of the network.
Kogan issues updated mobile usage policy
Telecommunications comparison WhistleOut has dug up the news that Kogan has issued a new acceptable usage policy for its so-called "Unlimited" plans.
Emperor Turnbull has no clothes
In a new scathing commentary published this afternoon, ZDNet columnist David Braue rips the recent performance of Malcolm Turnbull as a flailing Shadow Communications Minister to shreds and leaves the mangled corpse behind in the dust.
Virgin Media announces “largest” UK FTTP rollout ever
Virgin Media has committed to what it called the "largest UK fibre broadband rollout", that will bring fibre optic services directly to domestic and business premises.
NBN policy should integrate FTTN, HFC: Budde
Maverick telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has published a blog entry arguing that realising the vision of the National Broadband Network (NBN) initiative will require not just building new FTTH (Fibre to the Home) networks, but also retaining the current HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial) and FTTN (Fibre to the Node) networks currently being used in Australia.
NBN technology choice doesn’t matter, says Switkowski
NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski has declared that the specific technology chosen by the company in its network rollout "does not matter", as long as that technology can deliver the "speeds" that Australians need today and that it can be upgraded as demand required, in a controversial statement which appears to fly against conventional wisdom in the telecommunications sector.
Internode CTO quits iiNet after two years
Long-time Internode chief technology officer John Lindsay has resigned from a similar position at the company's owner iiNet, just two years after iiNet bought the South Australian ISP.
Fibre to the home the ‘preferred’ option, says NZ
New Zealand's conservative party technology minister has hailed fibre to the home as the preferred option for national telecommunications infrastructure, stating during a visit to Australia this week that it made better "fiscal sense" to deploy fibre all the way to the premise where possible, instead of only to neighbourhood 'nodes' as Australia's Coalition is proposing.
Please explain Huawei ban, Greens tell Labor
The Greens have called on the Labor Federal Government to publicly disclose its reasons and associated evidence for blocking Chinese networking giant Huawei from tendering for National Broadband Network contracts, pointing out that the company has not been accused of breaking any laws.
Past history: When the Nationals backed the NBN
Think all elements of the Coalition have always been irrevocably opposed to Labor's ambitious National Broadband Network project? Think again. Back in April 2009 when it was first announced by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the good Senator Barnaby Joyce issued a media release supporting the idea.
Ludlam to do Reddit AMA this Wednesday night
Just a very brief message to let y'all know that Greens Senator, Communications Spokesperson and William Gibson fan Scott Ludlam is planning to open up his world to all and sundry this Wednesday night -- 15 May, from 7:30 to 9PM, for a Reddit AMA ('Ask Me Anything') session.
What’s actually important for the NBN: Upload speeds
Shadow Assistant Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has published an opinionated article arguing strongly that upload speeds represent one of the key aspects of Australia's current and future broadband needs and that this issue has been almost completely overlooked under the Coalition's "dog's breakfast" Multi-Technology Mix model for NBN Co's rollout.
Ziggy Switkowski appointed NBN Co exec chair
As expected, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull this afternoon confirmed former Telstra and Optus chief executive Ziggy Switkowski had been appointed as executive chairman of NBN Co, with most of the company's board departing and NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley to leave the company.
Aussie focus as NBN Co awards $635m in deals
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) yesterday announced that it had awarded contracts worth up to $635 million over the next five years to six companies with a robust local presence.
NBN Co’s Telstra bill may be $98 billion
Ever received one of those giant telephone bills from Telstra with a massive amount of extra fees which you never expected? Spare a thought for the National Broadband Network Company. Industry newsletter Communications Day has gotten its hands on a report compiled by investment bank Goldman Sachs which, for the first time, fully projects the amount NBN Co could be paying Telstra over the next half-decade for access to infrastructure such as pits and pipes.
‘No apologies’: ASIC pledges to block more sites
The chairman of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission last week said the regulator would not "apologise" for using an obscure section of the Telecommunications Act to block websites suspected of fraud, and stated that the organisation would continue to use the controversial power to block more sites.
FTTN could cost more, says NBN chairman
NBN Co chairman Harrison Young gave a landmark speech in Sydney yesterday claiming that the Coalition's policy of delivering NBN cost savings by using fibre to the node technology wouldn't necessarily save money, and wouldn't actually meet the objective of structurally separating Telstra either.
‘Malcolm, you’re not listening’: Pro-fibre NBN ad unveiled
The group of pro-fibre National Broadband Network activists planning to publish advertisements in the local newspaper of Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull have revealed the creative they will use to target the Liberal MP, headlining their ads with the admonition: “Malcolm, perhaps you haven’t heard us clearly.”
You’re flat out wrong, NBN Co tells AFR
NBN Co and two of its key contractors have categorically denied a front page report by the Financial Review this morning that the contractors weren't bidding for the next round of NBN construction deals due to rollout delays, describing the newspaper's report as "patently untrue".
Australia’s biggest ‘China threat’ is not Huawei, but itself
What we should really learn from the Huawei ban is that the biggest threat to Australia’s future development is not Chinese firms such as Huawei, but Australia’s own poverty in high-tech capability, and in understanding China.
Turnbull brings back Australian Broadband Guarantee
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has reinstituted a direct consumer subsidy scheme very similar to the Australian Broadband Guarantee program initiated under the Howard administration, in a move which will directly fund some 9,000 premises to access satellite services from commercial providers that are not NBN Co.
Have iiNet’s acquisitions helped or harmed competition?
Has iiNet's ongoing series of acquisitions harmed or helped the development of market competition in Australia's telecommunications sector? It's a difficult and complex question -- and one which we will attempt to answer in this in-depth analysis of the situation.
The theory of infinite Simon Hacketts
Over on Whirlpool, forum poster Garthy advances an interesting theory about why the iiNet buyout of Internode took place, applying mathematical rigour to the situation to come up with the terrifying (or maybe glorious, depending on which way you look at it) prospect that the event may have the practical effect of creating an infinite number of Simon Hacketts.
Full text: Quigley’s farewell email to NBN staff
Retiring NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley sent the following email to all NBN Co staff this afternoon, following the appointment of Ziggy Switkowski as NBN Co's executive chairman.
“Truth”: Kogan wins ispONE fight
If you were watching Ruslan Kogan’s Twitter feed closely this afternoon, you would have seen the Kogan chief claim victory in his company’s contentious court battle against mobile wholesaler ispONE.
I don’t know how to cover the NBN anymore
Australia's National Broadband Network project is now in uncharted territory. Beyond a joke, beyond a politicised mess, and even beyond farce, the incredibly inconsistent handling of the project by Liberal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has led it far outside the bounds of rational discourse or intelligent consideration.
NBN Co to deceive users on FTTN/FTTB speeds
The National Broadband Network Company has issued a product specification document in which it openly considers the possibility of allowing customers on its planned Fibre to the Node or Basement (FTTN/B) infrastructure to order speeds between 50Mbps and 100Mbps which their connections could not actually deliver.
BT’s FTTN has passed 16m since 2009
British incumbent telco BT revealed overnight that its fibre to the node network has passed more than 16 million premises since the network rollout was commenced in 2009, with more than 1.7 million customers having signed up for active connections to the infrastructure.
Screw you, Turnbull: TPG starts FTTB deployment
National broadband company TPG today revealed it had started deploying its planned Fibre to the Basement rollout in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, in a move which directly challenges a statement by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the legality of such deployments would be examined by a panel within the next six months.
ISPs, consumers sign up for NBN Co’s FTTB pilot
The National Broadband Network Company has signed up four of Australia's major Internet service providers for its trial of Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) technology in its rollout, with ordinary consumers to be given a chance to test the technology and provide feedback on their experiences.
What would Turnbull need to do in his first 100 days as Communications Minister?
Turnbull has made a very strident argument over the past several years that Labor needs to drastically rework its National Broadband Network policy. Well, it looks like the Viscount of Vaucluse is about to get his chance to make that argument reality. Will Turnbull fold or fly in his first 100 days in office, if the Coalition takes power next week?
FTTP too hard: Informa analyst backs Coalition
Informa senior analyst Tony Brown backs the Coalition's Fibre to the Node vision for the National Broadband Network.
Subliminal advertising gets iiNet ad banned
The industry self-regulatory body governing television commercials has withdrawn approval for an iiNet advertisement to be shown on television, following revelations the ad contained subliminal advertising communicating a hidden message to viewers.
Telstra may sue Voda over 4G speed claims
Telstra threatens legal action against Vodafone over the claimed speeds of its 4G network.
ACCC kills NBN/Telstra wireless clause
The Australian newspaper reported yesterday that the national competition regulator has killed a clause in Telstra's $11 billion deal with NBN Co which would have prohibited Telstra from marketing wireless broadband as an alternative to the NBN's fibre.
Foxtel to launch broadband by late 2014
Pay TV giant Foxtel today announced it would launch broadband internet and fixed-line telephony services bundled with its television product, with a target date of "late 2014" and no pricing yet announced.
Policy reversal: Turnbull now ‘thoroughly’ open to FTTP
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears to have drastically modified the Coalition's policy stance on the National Broadband Network just weeks after the Federal Election, declaring the Coalition was not wedded to its fibre to the node model and was "thoroughly open-minded" about the technology to be used in the network.
NBN says customers just as happy with FTTN or FTTP
The NBN company today stated that customers using its Fibre to the Node service were just as satisfied with their broadband service as those using Fibre to the Premises services, on the basis of the industry standard Net Promoter Score rating.
Internode directly matches ADSL broadband plans to iiNet
National broadband player Internode has updated its broadband plans to almost precisely match those of its parent iiNet, as the two companies continue their drive to harmonise their operations almost precisely following their acquisition by TPG.
Liberals admit: Turnbull CBN plan could lose Tasmanian election
Tasmanian Liberal Leader Will Hodgman has made the extraordinary admission that the Federal Coalition's unpopular broadband policy could cost the party the upcoming Tasmanian State Election, in the latest in a series of ongoing signs that the policy is not going down well in the island state.
NBN: Turnbull strengthens FTTN focus
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has intensified the Coalition's focus on fibre to the node as an alternative to the fibre to the home-style rollout used by the NBN, using similar FTTN rollouts by AT&T in the US, BT in the UK and Deutsche Telekom in Germany as examples for how the broadband rollout style could be carried out in Australia.
iiNet starts selling mobile phones
National broadband provider iiNet has launched itself into the cut-throat post-paid mobile phone market, announcing plans today to offer Samsung's Galaxy S II and original Galaxy S smartphones to small business customers on its mobile plan, as well as a little-known handset made by Alcatel-Lucent.
NBN tower “life-threatening”, claim residents
A small community group in the Victorian town of Dereel is attempting to block the installation of a National Broadband Network wireless tower in the region despite most of the community approving, inaccurately claiming that the installation of the tower could cause life-threatening radiation to residents in the area.
Telstra to offshore over 170 more jobs, says union
Telstra is planning to offshore over 170 more jobs, according to the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Multi-dwelling units a major issue for the NBN
The experiencein Hong Kong and Singapore suggests that NBN Co. in Australia will ultimately be able to gain access to most – but maybe not all – multi-dwelling units with recalcitrant owners to complete its network rollout, but doing so will require the patience of Job and might take a lot longer than anyone thought.
NBN? No big deal, says Armidale
According to Business Insider, most residents of the rural NSW city of Armidale couldn't care less that the NBN's fibre has come to their region.
The ABC must now deal with its NBN problem
Over the past month, the evidence has become overwhelming that the ABC is actively censoring coverage of the National Broadband Network issue in a way that runs counter to the public interest. The broadcaster must now face the issue squarely and deal with it head-on, or run the risk of losing credibility with its highly informed and vocal audience.
NBN satellite gateway for Merimbula
Merimbula, on the NSW Far South Coast, is to be the site of the National Broadband Company’s first satellite ground station gateway. This facility will enable NBN’s Long Term Satellite Service (LTSS) to “transmit high-speed internet to homes, farms and businesses in remote parts of Australia,” a media release by NBN Co issued last week said.
FTTH the best solution, says French IT Minister
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's French counterpart has labelled Labor's preferred Fibre to the Premise broadband rollout style as "the best technology" for broadband infrastructure due to its technical merits and long-term potential, during a flying visit to Australia associated with NBN Co's signing of a key contract with French satellite giant Arianespace.
Turnbull launches national broadband survey
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched a new national broadband survey which the Liberal MP said would allow Australians to determine the speed of their existing broadband services and which would provide data to help make better broadband available to “those who need upgrades” the most.
Milne will sell shares, Hackett won’t
NBN Co's three new non-executive directors all have potential conflicts of interest between their financial investments in prior employers or their current responsibilities and their new posts on NBN Co's board. But a significant gulf has emerged between the way the different executives are tackling the issue.
“A whole mess of garbage”: Ludlam blasts Turnbull’s “mongrel” NBN
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has given a fiery speech to Parliament this week damning the Coalition's version of the National Broadband Network as instigated by Malcolm Turnbull, labelling it as a "whole mess of garbage" and as being held together with "gaffer tape and plastic bags".
Labor teams up with Coalition again to support data retention
Australia's two major political parties teamed up again yesterday to block a Greens motion in the Senate which would have called upon the Government to repeal the data retention scheme, in a move which demonstrates enduring bipartisan support for the controversial policy.
Labor “surprised” by ABC’s NBN coverage
Labor MP Ed Husic this morning told the Federal Parliament that he was "surprised" by the ABC's coverage of the National Broadband Network issue, following news that several of the broadcaster’s flagship current affairs shows have largely ignored the issue recently and that it delayed a pro-NBN article by Lateline host Emma Alberici until after the Federal Election.
Bugger off, content industry tells ISPs on piracy plan
Well, that was short-lived. The anti-piracy plan mooted by many of Australia's ISPs last week has already been reportedly knocked back by several major organisations representing the content industries.