Hacker luminary to hit Melbourne for speech
Jacob Appelbaum, independent computer security researcher and hacker, will be visiting Australia soon, with one item on his schedule being a ‘War on the Internet’ event, scheduled for 21 January, 2012 at Trades Hall, Melbourne between 3pm and 5 pm. Supported by the Australian Greens Party and Electronic Frontiers Australia, the event will have speakers “challenging gatekeepers and proposing alternatives to the weaponisation of cyberspace.”
NBN Co and Telstra: History repeating?
We couldn't help but laugh at this photo sent in by a reader this week. Apparently NBN Co has decided to locate one of its facilities (we're not actually sure which one) inside a building owned by Telstra. The whole thing has a whole 'future repeating' feel about it. Is this NBN Co brought to you by Telstra? Or Telstra brought to you by NBN Co? It's like one of those Russian Matryoshka dolls; the further you go inside the wormhole, the more you find smaller iterations of the same thing. Crazy.
Stop delaying the NBN, Conroy tells Turnbull
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has issued a pointed response to Malcolm Turnbull's demand for more transparency on the National Broadband Network project, claiming his shadow was only interested in delaying the flagship Labor initiative.
Service Stream deploys 1,400 Office 365 seats
Telecommunications infrastructure construction and maintenance firm Service Stream has revealed that it has deployed more than 1,400 seats of Microsoft's Office 365, in one of the largest known rollouts of the software as a service platform in Australia outside of the education sector.
Australia Post plans blockchain-based e-voting system
Australia Post has aired plans to take voting into the digital era in a submission to the Victorian Parliament’s Electoral Matters Committee that would see it build a blockchain-based e-voting system for the state.
Telstra/AFL launch Google Glass app
The Australian Football League, its partner Telstra, and local developer Seventh Beam have teamed up to deliver an app running on Google's next-generation Glass augmented reality headset that will allow AFL fans to get live information associated with AFL matches -- all through their headset.
Delimiter is giving away an Amazon Kindle Fire
Yup, you read the headline correctly. We've had a spare Amazon Kindle Fire sitting around the Delimiter HQ since we imported it in November for our Australian review. Now it's time to give this sweet little tablet away to a lucky reader.
“Cheap buy”: Budde and Ludlam believe the NBN will be sold to Telstra
Senior figures Paul Budde and Senator Scott Ludlam this week said they expected that the only company likely to buy a privatised National Broadband Network would be Telstra, as speculation continues to mount about a sale of Australia's largest ever infrastructure project before it is even finished.
Simon Hackett appointed CEO of Redflow
Redflow, an energy storage solutions provider, has announced two new senior management changes, including the appointment of a new acting Chief Executive Officer.
Farce: AG’s Dept deletes FoI PDFs to improve “accessibility”
Representatives of the Federal Attorney-General's Department yesterday claimed the department had removed PDFs previously published on its website as part of its Freedom of Information disclosure log because they did not meet web "accessibility" guidelines and were hurting the website's overall accessibility rating.
Introducing Delimiter 2.0
This morning Delimiter gets a sister site, Delimiter 2.0. It'll feature longer, in-depth articles, but no advertising, and be monetised through a monthly subscription. Let us know what you think!
Research: Netflix now reaches over a million households in Australia
The number of Australian households with a Netflix subscription rose in October to top one million, according to data from Roy Morgan Research.
vividwireless picks RightNow web CRM
US-headquartered cloud software player RightNow Technologies has picked up a contract to provide fledgling wireless player vividwireless with its web-based customer relationship management software.
A decade later, third time lucky, NSW LifeLink IT project finishes
The NSW Government has revealed that it is finally close to completing its extremely troubled LifeLink IT project to replace the key administration platform used by the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, some 11 years after the project was first begun.
Atlassian seeks engineering VP
Fast-growing Australian software development house Atlassian has started looking for a vice president of engineering to lead a 120-strong team of developers in Australia and San Francisco.
Apple Australia’s revenues flat in 2013
The revenues of Apple's Australian division have finally stopped their massive annual growth initiated in 2009, as the company's lack of new product lines over the past year have stalled its onwards financial march.
Internode revamps broadband plans
Following BigPond's lead, national broadband provider Internode has trimmed some fat off its ADSL broadband plans, aligning its plans delivered through Optus' network with those delivered through its own.
Office format war: AGIMO faces horde of critics
The Federal Government's peak IT strategy group has been forced to defend its decision to standardise the public sector on a Microsoft-focused office document standard, as online commentators used the weekend to slam the group for what they saw as a lack of vision regarding rival open standards.
Farce: Adobe CEO flatly refuses Australian price questions (video)
The chief executive of global software vendor Adobe, Shantanu Narayen, has refused to directly address questions regarding price markups that can see Australians pay up to $1,400 more than US residents for the company's software, in a press conference in Sydney this morning which at times threatened to descend into a farce.
NBN: Abbott rejects “video entertainment system”
The Federal Opposition Leader has once again taken an axe to Labor’s National Broadband Network project, claiming it wasn’t worth spending government money on a telecommunications upgrade which would primarily be used to fuel the nation’s passion for high-end video and gaming content.
Telstra playing favourites, Internode claims
Internode late last week speculated that Telstra's wholesale division was giving some retail internet service providers better deals because they hadn't built out their own competitive broadband infrastructure as some like Internode, iiNet and TPG had.
NBN ISPs perform the same, says Linton
The outspoken chief executive of ISP Exetel has rejected claims that higher priced ISPs like Internode will be able to provide a better quality of network performance on the emerging National Broadband Network infrastructure, maintaining that all ISPs on the NBN will be offering an "identical" experience.
Blizzard to launch Aussie Battle.net server?
After many years of waiting and praying, parched Australian fans of video game giant Blizzard Entertainment might finally be about to taste a drop of video game heaven, with speculation intensifying tonight that the maker of the World of WarCraft, Diablo and StarCraft franchises might finally launch a local server for its Battle.net online gaming platform.
Harbour City Ferries goes Microsoft across the board
Sydney Ferries operator Harbour City Ferries has recently undertaken a "significant" technology refresh project which has seen it deploy a slew of next-generation Microsoft products, from Windows 8 on PCs and tablets, to Windows Phone 8, Office 365 and more.
NSW Govt to get another central CIO group
There is tremendous scope to clean up the way the NSW Government does technology. But there is a long and hard road ahead for anybody who wants to embark on that effort.
Cisco unveils DOCSIS design for massive HFC upload speeds
Cisco has unveiled a royalty-free design for a Full Duplex DOCSIS specification that it claims will produce upload speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
LG Optimus Black lands next month
The wave of high-end Android smartphones hitting Australian shores in mid-2011 has just risen a little higher, with Korean manufacturer LG confirming this morning that its Optimus Black handset will launch locally this month through Optus and Vodafone, and in July through Telstra.
Global privacy group files formal ASD complaint
Global privacy organisation Privacy International has filed a formal complaint with Australia's Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security over a report that the Australian Signals Directorate had offered to hand over data on Australian citizens to foreign intelligence agencies.
Vodafone confirms HTC One X launch
Mobile carrier Vodafone has announced the pre-order availability of the HTC One X Android smartphone in Australia, opening up a pre-registration page for the phone on its website.
NBN: Korea kept its HFC cable, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Turnbull appears to have returned from an impromptu study tour of the telecommunications facilities in Asian countries with fresh ammunition for Australia's own broadband debate, pointing out that global broadband giant South Korea has maintained both HFC cable and fibre options for residents.
Suncorp scopes Win Server 2012, Hyper-V
Second-tier banking and insurance giant Suncorp has revealed it has plans to deploy Microsoft’s latest Windows Server 2012 server operating system and Hyper-V virtualisation platform and reduce use of VMware’s rival technology, to assist in gaining efficiencies as part of its virtual desktop infrastructure rollout to staff.
Second high-end Huawei phone hits Australia
Chinese technology giant Huawei this week revealed it would launch a second high-end smartphone in Australia, the 'Honor', following its recent launch of its highly rated Ascend P1 model.
Faster Telstra mobile modem hits the masses
Telstra today started selling its upgraded mobile broadband modem to the wider consumer market, after several months of offering the device -- and its theoretical network speeds of up to 42Mbps -- to big business customers and the government sector.
When depts disagree: AG ‘Blue Book’ censored
The Attorney-General's Department has declined to release under Freedom of Information laws the incoming ministerial briefing (known as the 'Blue Book') provided to new Attorney-General George Brandis, censoring the release of the entire document in a decision which appears to run directly contrary to a similar decision by the Department of Communications.
Open deception: Albanese continually misleading public on Coalition NBN policy
Communications Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is continuing to regularly make misstatements about the Coalition's National Broadband Network policy in speeches and media releases around Australia, in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to deceive the public about the policy.
Defence hasn’t tested IBM contract since 1999
The Federal Department of Defence has revealed that it renewed a major IT hardware and software contract with IBM in late 2008 to the tune of $342 million, despite not having put the work out to public tender since 1999.
WA DUMPS SHARED SERVICES PLAN
Eight years after it was begun and with its credibility in tatters, the Western Australian State Government today announced it would cancel its controversial plan to provide shared corporate services to its departments and agencies through a centralised platform.
Merry Christmas from Delimiter
We wanted to wish all of Delimiter's readers, partners, customers and Australia's technology sector in general a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and to thank you for all your support in our first year of operation. It's been a blast -- and if early indications are any guide, 2011 will be even bigger and better
Three years later, Vodafone finally refers journalist spying to police
National mobile operator Vodafone yesterday revealed it would finally refer to law enforcement authorities an incident which it became aware of three years ago where one of its staff members had accessed the call records of a journalist who was dealing with a whistleblower within its operations.
McLelland leaves AusCERT out in the cold
Attorney-General Robert McLelland has dealt the long-standing AusCERT computer emergency response team (CERT) operated by the University of Queensland a blow with the confirmation his department will run its own CERT completely in-house.
Dodo will win the NBN land-grab, claims Budde
Maverick analyst Paul Budde this week claimed cut-rate broadband provider Dodo was the only ISP positioned to take advantage of the deployment of the predominantly fibre-based National Broadband Network as it is rolled out across the nation over the next decade.
Gillard Govt dips into Gershon honey pot
A re-elected Gillard Labor Government will put its hand into the $1 billion dollar Gershon-funded honey pot -- a fund reserved for government Information and Communications Technology (ICT) projects -- to fund other election promises.
HP firms up multimillion deal with Downer EDI
Technology giant HP has announced a six-year multimillion-dollar infrastructure technology outsourcing services agreement with Downer EDI Limited, an Australian-based engineering and infrastructure management services company.
Victorian Premier buys 500 iPads for schools
Victorian Premier John Brumby today announced the state would buy more than 500 of Apple's iPad devices, to be distributed to eight schools in the state in a trial of the technology.
Privacy czar wants Google Wi-Fi deletion evidence
Australia's Privacy Commissioner has written to search giant Google requesting it provide several forms of evidence -- including confirmation by an independent third party -- that all of the payload data its Street View cars had collected over the past several years as they brushed past Wi-Fi networks on their journeys around Australia had actually been deleted.
Monopoly? Melbourne IT buys rival Netregistry
Hosting and domain name specialist Melbourne IT announced today that it had entered into an agreement to acquire its biggest rival, Netregistry for $50.4 million, in a move that will ensure the fortunes of the company's founder Larry Bloch but also potentially create a giant with close to monopoly powers over the Australian domain name space.
NBN Co updates rollout plan to 2016
The National Broadband Network Company over the weekend updated its rolling three-year deployment timetable, adding more than 1.35 million Australian premises to its plan for deploying fibre, wireless and satellite infrastructure throughout Australia.
Virgin confirms iPhone 4 launch
A spokesperson for Virgin Mobile Australia yesterday confirmed the company would launch Apple's iPhone 4 handset in Australia -- as its parent brand Optus will.
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.
Stop “hiding” your NBN policy, Conroy tells Turnbull
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has told his opposite Malcolm Turnbull to "stop hiding" and release the Coalition's rival broadband policy, as Australians "deserve to know" the basics of how the Coalition would handle the portfolio if it won the next Federal Election.
Customers, ISPs praise NBN Tasmania launch
Some of the first customers and ISPs to use the fledging National Broadband Network fibre rollout in Tasmania have praised the network in promotional videos distributed last week by NBN Co as part of the infrastructure's official launch.
Gen-i Australia sacks most of its staff
The Australian division of IT services company Gen-i Australia this morning revealed it would cut its staff numbers from 180 to 60 and stop competing for most contracts on the market as it focuses only on Trans-Tasman contracts as per the instructions of its parent Telecom New Zealand.
Telstra apologises to Exetel’s Linton, pays costs
The nation's largest telco Telstra has been forced into a public apology towards much smaller ISP Exetel after the smaller ISP filed a lawsuit against Telstra in early March.
NICTA cloud spinoff Yuruware bought by US firm
Troubled research group National ICT Australia last week revealed one of its spinoff companies, cloud disaster recovery group Yuruware, had been purchased by US data protection company Unitrends for an amount reported to be at least $10 million.
Qld Health payroll: The lawsuit may be back on
The new LNP Queensland Government is reportedly attempting to source legal advice created for the previous Bligh Labor Government with respect to whether it would be feasible to sue vendors involved in the disastrous Queensland Health payroll systems implementation.
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.
AFP NBN raids illegal, says Conroy: Ziggy must resign
Labor Senator Stephen Conroy has obtained legal advice that the NBN company's referral of whistleblowers to the Australian Federal Police was illegal, and has demanded that NBN chair Ziggy Switkowski resign from his post as a result and that the AFP cease its investigations into the matter.
Conroy to examine iiTrial
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has issued a brief statement in relation to the iiNet trial verdict handed this morning, saying the Federal Government will look into its details.
“Obstruction, avoidance and evasion”: IT giants stonewall price inquiry
Members of Parliament from both major sides of politics have very publicly blasted global technology giants such as Apple, Adobe and Microsoft and even representative group the Australian Information Industry Association, for what they described as “deep reluctance and resistance” to give evidence before a parliamentary committee investigating local IT price hikes.
Optus releases Galaxy Nexus pricing
National mobile carrier Optus has released the pricing and started taking pre-orders for the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus handset to launch on its network in Australia, offering customers a launch discount of two months worth off their network access fees.
Quigley smears are “Godwin Grech revisited”: Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy this morning laughed off questions about the appointment of Mike Quigley to lead NBN Co, describing issues raised by his shadow Malcolm Turnbull as being a "pathetic" smear campaign and "Godwin Grech re-visited".
Dulux hiring a CIO
Manufacturer DuluxGroup -- which operates the Dulux, Selleys, Yates, Cabot's and OPEL brands -- has started hiring for a chief information officer to steer its Australia-based IT department.
NBN scammers target Tasmania
Tasmanian technology lobby group Digital Tasmania has warned that scammers may be targeting residents in the state and fraudulently offering to sign them up to receive services over the National Broadband Network.
Telstra CFO Stanhope to retire
The nation's biggest telco Telstra today announced its long-time chief financial officer John Stanhope would retire at the end of this year, putting paid to a career with the company of more than 40 years.
GetUp! rejects Roxon’s “partisan spin”
Citizen lobbying organisation GetUp! has published a strongly worded rejection of a YouTube video published by Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon yesterday relating to the Government’s current data retention and surveillance proposal, describing Roxon’s video as “partisan spin” and highlighting what it said were inaccuracies in it.
“IT needs a voice,” Wadeson tells successor (video)
Check out the video above filmed by ZDNet.com.au, in which retiring Department of Human Services deputy secretary of ICT Infrastructure and long-time Centrelink CIO John Wadeson advises his successor — whoever that winds up being — that IT needs a voice in the department, and it’s not just “a tool, as some people like to call it”.
End of an era: Stephen Conroy quits as Comms Minister
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has reportedly resigned his post in the wake of Kevin Rudd’s successful challenge for the leadership of the Federal Labor Party, after declaring earlier this week that he would not serve in a new Rudd Cabinet.
Telstra cutting dead management wood
Telstra this afternoon confirmed it was conducting a review of its management structure that could reportedly see up to 330 senior staff lose their jobs -- many of whom are believed to be on six figure salaries.
NSW Housing loses CIO Leonas
New South Wales Department of Housing this morning confirmed its long-standing chief information officer after Dr Vladas Leonas resigned from his position late August after holding the position for more than four years.
Dept agrees: ‘Public interest’ in Turnbull Blue Book
Malcolm Turnbull's Department of Communications has halved its processing charges for releasing the new Minister's 'Blue Book' incoming briefing under Freedom of Information laws, citing the fact that release of the document would be consistent with the objects of the FoI Act and would resonate strongly with the public, although the final fate of the FoI request is not yet clear.
Seven wants all of Engin
With an existing majority shareholding in the company and a number of executives on its board, the Seven Network already has a pretty firm grip on internet telephony and broadband player Engin. But now the company has signalled it wants more.
EFA rejects “extraordinary” Conroy attack
Online rights group Electronic Frontiers Australia has responded to what it described as an "extraordinary challenge and attack" by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy today, which the group said was conducted under the cover of parliamentary privilege.
Mario piracy nets Queenslander $1.5m fine
Nintendo has successfully sued a Queensland resident for uploading to the internet a copy of its Wii game New Super Mario Bros a week...
Research suggests site blocking effective against piracy
New research based on data from the UK has suggested that site blocking is effective against online piracy of digital content.
Speeding tickets: iiNet proposes copyright authority
National broadband provider iiNet today proposed the creation of an independent body to administer allegations of copyright infringement by internet users, including the power to issue fines and demerits to those who had purloined television shows, films and music online.
Technology ministers strongly back Gillard
The Federal Government's cadre of Labor Ministers most involved with the technology portfolio have emerged as strong backers of Julia Gillard in the Prime Minister's tussle with rival Kevin Rudd which erupted last night following Rudd's resignation as Foreign Minister.
IBM Australia goes through redundancy round
Global technology giant IBM is cutting jobs in its Australian operations, Delimiter can reveal, in a move which appears to be part of a broad global cull by Big Blue.
Principal Turnbull: Teaching Conroy “Economics 101”
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has used the release of new broadband statistics to argue that the real inequity in Australia's broadband market is the fact that lower income households cannot afford currently broadband prices, arguing that Communications Minister Stephen Conroy needs to learn "Economics 101".
White iPhone 4 hits Australia tomorrow (Thursday)
After 10 months of delays and rumours, Apple late tonight (Wednesday) confirmed that the white version of its iPhone 4 would go on sale in Australia and a number of other countries tomorrow (Thursday 28 April).
Fightback: Optus lusts after fixed-line broadband
The nation's number two telco Optus has signalled it is tired of losing ground in the fixed-line broadband market to fast-growing rivals like iiNet, TPG and Internode, and will take advantage of the regulatory certainty offered by the rollout of the National Broadband Market to dive back into the sector head-on.
Vodafone accessed call records of journalist
Mobile telco Vodafone has confirmed it access the call records of an Australian journalist in an effort to determine the source of a negative story about privacy breaches in its operations.
DiData lands Aussie customer for new cloud
Global IT services outfit Dimension Data has announced a new range of global cloud services, simultaneously revealing it has signed up the Australian Centre for Advanced Computing and Communications to use the platform.
Rural Australia wants the NBN as quickly as possible
Rural and regional Australian communities are strongly committed to the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project, with a focus on maximising the potential of the infrastructure when it arrives in their area, a new independent report has found.
One year later: TASSIE SCHOOLS NOT ON THE NBN
Almost a year after the National Broadband Network was officially switched on in Tasmania, the State Government has been forced to concede that no school in the early stage release towns of Scottsdale, Midway Point and Smithton have actually been connected to the next-generation fibre Internet the project will provide.
Perpetual outsources IT planks to Fujitsu
Financial services giant Perpetual has signed off on a major IT transformation project involving the outsourcing of some key functions to Japanese IT services giant Fujitsu and the modernisation of key aspects of Perpetual's applications and IT infrastructure.
Apple Australia insists it pays all its taxes
US technology juggernaut Apple has insisted that it pays all of its local taxes, despite the company having filed financial results this week that saw the company pay extra taxes of just $4.5 million last year off an extra $1.8 billion in local revenue.
NBN supports Coalition MPs as election campaign escalates
The NBN company has taken minor steps to support two Coalition MPs this week in promoting their work bringing broadband to their local areas, in moves that call into question the company's independence in the pre-election period before the national poll expected to be held later this year.
Watch: Conroy’s NBN transparency reform a “legislative stunt”, says Fifield
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has labelled Stephen Conroy's successful amendments to force a radical degree of transparency on the NBN company as being a "legislative stunt" from the Labor Senator he said was still serving as the defacto Shadow Communications Minister.
Gillard: Filter is a “moral question”
Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday took the high ground in defending Labor's mandatory internet filtering project, describing the issue of how to ensure Australians didn't get access to the wrong content as a “moral question”.
St George pioneers Windows Phone 7 app
St George Bank yesterday revealed it had developed what it claimed to be Australia's first banking application for Windows Phone 7 smartphones.
Rapper launches song slamming Turnbull’s FTTN network
A rapper called LLK recently released her first solo track, with lyrics that pull no punches in their criticism of the National Broadband Network's multi-mix technology policy.
Brisbane taps Azure as Microsoft pushes cloud
Microsoft has revealed Brisbane City Council as the first Australian public sector customer of its flagship Windows Azure platform, in a response to the Federal Government's cloud computing discussion paper released earlier this month.
Greens’ Ludlam loses WA Senate seat
Technology-focused Greens politician Scott Ludlam has formally lost his Senate seat in Western Australia, the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed today, in a move which will be interpreted as a substantial blow to the digital rights movement in Australia.
Fifield denies Turnbull asked NBN Co to create “distorted” info to attack FTTP
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has rejected a claim by the Opposition that Malcolm Turnbull asked the NBN company to generate “distorted” information to help the Coalition attack Labor’s previous Fibre to the Premises approach to the NBN.
Pirate Party slams ‘unjust’ surveillance upgrade
The Australian division of digital rights political movement the Pirate Party has slammed Federal Government plans to "unjustly" boost online surveillance powers by law enforcement agencies, describing the initiatives as "steps towards a police state".
Labor decries more NBN “jobs for the boys”
The Opposition has accused Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull of unethical behaviour in the appointment of another former Telstra executive of his personal acquaintance to help guide the National Broadband Network Company, with the news today that former BigPond and OzEmail chief Justin Milne would join NBN Co's board.
VHA’s Dews says thanks, but sayonara to Ericsson
VHA chief executive Nigel Dews today awarded Nokia Siemens Networks a giant network management contract expected to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars,...
SA Police latest to join tablet epidemic
The South Australian Government announced this week that it will kick off a $1.7 million trial which will see police in the state deployed with some 350 tablets over the next year, in a move which will see the state follow similar initiatives in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and at the Australian Federal Police.
Rival ISPs slam ‘discriminatory’ Telstra fibre deal
The Competitive Carriers’ Coalition (CCC) this week objected strongly to the Government’s decision to exempt Telstra, the nation’s largest telco, from its own regulations in more than 100 locations around the country, saying that it will leave thousands of Australians without the full benefits of increasing competition in broadband markets.
Greens call on ABS to rule out census fines
The Australian Greens have called for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to "rule out" fines for people that do not wish to provide their name and address when completing their census forms.
UniSA, RACV deploy NEC IP telephony
Nearly 40 thousand additional people will be serviced by NEC Australia's voice and data solutions next year, with the subsidiary of the Japanese IT giant adding two new local contracts to its portfolio over the past several weeks.
Vodafone kicks off NBN trial
'Better late than never' appears to be Vodafone's catch phrase with respect to the National Broadband Network, with the mobile telco revealing today it had formalised a deal with NBN Co to conduct trials on the company's fledgling fibre network as it is rolled out in the NSW town of Armidale over the next few months.
Federal Govt kicks off cloud purchasing cycle
The Federal Government's centralised IT strategy branch has kicked off a major purchasing initiative which will inform the way it purchases infrastructure-, software- and platform-as-a-service offerings over the next few years.
US tech visionary Harper Reed to keynote Cisco Live
Technology giant Cisco has unveiled the line-up for its Cisco Live confab in Melbourne next week, with US-based technology evangelist Harper Reed to feature as one of the main keynotes, alongside several senior global Cisco executives.
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".
Federal Police charges Victorian ‘hacker’
The Australian Federal Police has arrested a 33-year-old man from Hampton Park in Victoria, claiming he hacked into more than 90 internet accounts.
Internode sets up first ever offshore call centre
Adelaide-based ISP Internode this week revealed to staff that it would set up its first ever offshore call centre, in a move that represents a radical departure of the company's customer service and sales approach since its acquisition by iiNet and then TPG.
Conroy just like Basil Fawlty, claims Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has taken Stephen Conroy to task for what he claimed was a habit by the Labor Minister for censoring the idea of a cost/benefit analysis from anything to do with the National Broadband Network – drawing a comparison with classic Fawlty Towers character Basil Fawlty in the process.
Most remaining Dick Smith stores to close
With the exception of airport locations, all remaining Dick Smith and Move stores across Australia and New Zealand are to close, according to the receiving company Ferrier Hodgson.
“Abomination”: Qld Health payroll needs $837m more
A KMPG audit into Queensland Health's payroll disaster has found the project has already cost $417 million and will need some $837 million to fix over the next five years, in a finding which the state's new LNP Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said in Parliament this week illustrated that the project was an "abomination".
Secret anti-piracy talks pointless, says iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet has fired a full barrage of vitriol at the content industry on the morning on which closed door talks held by the Government on the issue are due to re-commence, arguing in a highly public blog post that discussing a path forward with content industry groups was like "talking to a brick wall".
Victoria to trial IoT tech for better water management
In what it is calling "an Australian first", Victoria's South East Water has started trials of a new low-powered Internet of Things (IoT) technology to improve real-time monitoring and help to boost the reliability, efficiency and safety of its water and sewer assets.
Lockheed Martin to establish R&D facility in Melbourne
Multinational security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin has revealed that it is to set up a multi-disciplinary research and development facility in Melbourne.
AGIMO debates ICT services panel
The Federal Government's peak IT strategy agency has already kicked off whole of government procurement initiatives in areas like desktop PC hardware, software and telecommunications. Now it's turned its eye to ICT services.
Leaders needed: Thodey wants united telco front
Telstra chief executive David Thodey has issued a call to arms for Australia’s telecommunications industry to present a united front on a range of issues, in the face of what he described as “shocking” intervention by regulators on issues such as customer service.
NBN opt-out: Tassie slams Coalition states’ ‘politicking’
Tasmania's Labor Premier has praised NBN Co for adopting a universal 'opt-out' model for the deployment of its fibre to premises around Australia, and sharply criticised what she said was the "politically motivated" opposition of Coalition-dominated State Governments to the plan.
DBCDE planned for NBN RFP failure
The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) had canvassed options to deal with the potential failure of the first, $4.7 billion National Broadband Network plan as early as August 2008, the government auditor has found.
Secret piracy talks: Govt banned consumer groups
The Federal Government has revealed it denied requests by consumer organisations to attend a secret meeting held between the content and telecommunications industries to address the issue of illegal file sharing through avenues such as BitTorrent.
Turnbull dumps ABC spots; 7:30 dumps NBN talk
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has cancelled four scheduled appearances on various ABC television and radio shows over the past month, it emerged yesterday, as last night yet another ABC flagship cut short a discussion of Australia's largest ever infrastructure project, the NBN, with the portfolio minister responsible for it.
Photos: NBN Co network termination units
Regular Delimiter reader and all-round telco commentator Michael Wyres was at a NBN Co briefing this week and took these shots of the company’s internal and external network termination units, which will be installed in homes and businesses. Michael has kindly supplied us with the shots, but we recommend you visit his excellent blog for a fuller explanation of how everything works.
Tony King helps Bartlett grow the Apple isle
Tasmanian premier and former IT industry staffer David Bartlett has hosted a roundtable involving the reclusive chief executive of Apple Australia, Tony King.
Budde says Turnbull may announce FTTdp as NBN election policy
Veteran telco analyst Paul Budde this week said it was his view that the speed and cost advantages of the NBN's new Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTdp) model might lead Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to announce it as the Coalition's new NBN policy ahead of this year's Federal Election.
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.
ACT Govt launches review into civil surveillance
The ACT government has announced a review of the use and conduct of civil surveillance in the territory that could lead to Australia’s first law to allow victims to sue over privacy intrusions.
OneTable is scaling with Microsoft Azure
Ben Jackson has discussed how his organic food startup OneTable is scaling using Microsoft Azure, after a deliberately lean first year spent building support from the customers and developing the concept.
HP opens giant NSW datacentre (photos)
Global technology giant HP yesterday opened its colossal $119 million new datacentre in Western Sydney, revealing that it had dubbed the new facility "Aurora".
ACCC sues firm for alleged fake iPad sales to Aboriginal communities
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has started Federal Court proceedings against a company alleged to have sold counterfeit iPads to Aboriginal communities.
IIA hands baton to Comms Alliance
Australia's Internet Industry Association is to to shut down and transfer its operations to the Communications Alliance, in the second major termination of an Australian telecommunications representative group in under three years.
Poll: Support for Labor’s NBN dives as Turnbull seen as strong Minister
New polling data released over the past several weeks has shown that national support for Labor’s version of the National Broadband Network is weakening, in the context that Australians appear to strongly approve of the job that Malcolm Turnbull is doing as Communications Minister.
Spear-phishers targeted Reserve Bank in 2011
The Reserve Bank of Australia has on several occasions been the target of targeted malicious email traffic that sought to help external attackers breach the organisation's IT security systems, it was revealed this morning, although it is believed the bank was able to fend off the attacks before they got access to any sensitive information.
Coalition policy “lacks vision”, says telco sector
Various prominent sections of Australia's telecommunications industry have declared the Coalition's broadband election policy revealed yesterday underwhelming and without vision.
StartupAUS praises Govt’s tax incentives bill
Advocacy group StartupAUS has welcomed the government’s new tax legislation that will provide incentives for investors, saying the measures are arguably the "most generous startup investor scheme in the world".
Adelaide Uni gives students free iPads
The University of Adelaide is calling it quits with paper-based textbooks and will hand out free iPads to students enrolling in a science degree in 2011, claiming the new Apple tablets will revolutionise the way science is taught at the institution.
By 2015, Australians will have 2.4 mobile devices each
Networking giant Cisco has predicted Australians will have 2.4 mobile devices each and a five-fold increased mobile speed connection by 2015.
Eftel buys Engin from Seven
Diversified media group Seven has offloaded its ill-fated Internet telephony business Engin for just $9.1 million, in the second move by Seven this year to shift its emphasis away from failed investments in Australia’s telecommunications sector.
Nintendo wins DS modchip lawsuit
On the heels of its $1.5 million victory against a Queenslander for uploading a copy of New Super Mario Bros to the internet, Nintendo...
Offshore cloud not an issue, claims NetSuite CEO
The flambuoyant chief executive of software as a service player NetSuite yesterday claimed his company's Australian customer base wasn't phased by the fact that its datacentres are hosted in the United States, in a visit to Sydney in which he also commented on the impact of the National Broadband Network.
Vodafone up for sale, reports The Australian
The Australian newspaper has reported that embattled mobile telco Vodafone Australia has been put up for sale, with a memorandum on the issue having been issued to potential buyers such as telcos and investment houses in Asia and Europe.
Google Nexus 7 (2013 model): Review
The new version of Google's flagship seven inch tablet, the Nexus 7, has landed in Australia. The first edition of the Nexus 7 proved a hit locally and helped Android finally succeed in challenging Apple's dominance in the tablet sector. But does its successor represent a worthy upgrade or only a minor improvement? Read on to find out.
Internode apologises for pricing plan “stuffup”
Internode managing director Simon Hackett has published a lengthy apology to the ISP's customers for a pricing plan migration "stuffup" that had seen the company inadvertently alienate some of its oldest and most loyal customers.
Shorten accuses NBN Co of “cover-up” to protect Turnbull
Bill Shorten this afternoon accused the NBN company of engaging in a conspiracy to "cover up" Malcolm Turnbull's "incompetence" and its own "maladministration" of the NBN project, following news that NBN chair Ziggy Switkowski deliberately took a politically partisan position during the election campaign.
Court throws Cohen’s iSOFT claim out
The New South Wales Supreme Court has thrown out a claim by former iSOFT executive Gary Cohen over a portion of the company which appears to be owned by investment house Oceania Capital Partners.
Ageing Australia doesn’t want 1Gbps: Linton
The fiery chief executive of internet service provider Exetel has opened fire on the National Broadband Network's support for 1Gbps speeds, saying those excited by the higher speeds are "unthinking and just plain stupid", with wireless broadband waiting in the wings.
Liberal MP missteps in NBN Co ad rage
Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has written to the competition and press regulators complaining about what he said were misleading advertorial-style paid articles about the National Broadband Network, despite the fact that NBN Co has denied paying for the articles, which were independently written by News Ltd and Fairfax journalists and, in one case, sponsored by Optus.
Qld Govt launches ICT action plan, IT dashboard
The Queensland State Government this morning launched an ICT Action Plan containing dozens of measures designed to transform its extremely troubled ICT project and service delivery capabilities, as well as switching on its US-style ICT dashboard designed to give onlookers direct information about the state of its ICT projects.
Funding “storm clouds” ahead for NBN, says Budde
Telecoms industry commentator Paul Budde has said that while the NBN rollout is currently "in a good place", "storm clouds" may lie ahead as a lack of investment causes issues further down the road.
Macquarie Telecom bursts into cloud market
Enterprise-focused telco Macquarie Telecom today launched its cloud computing play in the Australian market, joining a throng of competitors to have entered the space over the past year.
Telstra to unveil Windows Phone 7 plans next week
Microsoft and Telstra have scheduled in a ritzy Sydney launch next Tuesday morning to unveil their mutual plans to start selling phones with the software giant's Windows Phone 7 platform.
AIIA announces new CEO
The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) has announced that Rob Fitzpatrick – previously a director at Data61 and a long-term corporate executive and consultant – is to take over as its new CEO.
Union slams Telstra health records deal
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has criticised the Coalition Government for its decision to put a private company in charge of the management of confidential and highly sensitive health records for thousands of Australians.
Core banking IT battle not over, says NAB
The chief information officer of National Australia Bank has delivered a major speech arguing that it's too early for any of Australia's major banks to "claim victory" in the race to upgrade their aging technology platforms, in comments that run directly counter to the Commonwealth Bank's ongoing claims that it is far ahead of its rivals in the area.
Our first Delimiter sponsor
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to publish a quick post to make you aware of a new feature we've switched on at Delimiter over the...
iiNet harmonises TransACT, NBN plans
National broadband provider iiNet appears to have broadly begun harmonising the broadband plan prices of its new subsidiary TransACT with its plans available on the Network Broadband Network infrastructure, in a move which is slated to deliver significantly enhanced value to TransACT customers.
NBN kicks off FTTN roll out in new areas of Tasmania
The NBN has commenced construction work in Tasmania that will use fibre to the node (FTTN) technology to connect several new communities.
Wong passes AGIMO baton to Gray
Incoming Minister for Finance and Deregulation Penny Wong appears to have passed responsibility for the Federal Government's peak IT strategy group to Special Minister of State Gary Gray.
Law firm Macpherson Kelley deploys Commvault data platform, flash storage
Australia-based law firm Macpherson Kelley has deployed Commvault's data platform and Pure Storage FlashArray in order to improve information management and boost efficiency.
Diablo III latency: Blizzard faces angry Aussie horde
Video game giant Blizzard is currently facing a tsunami of complaints from Australian gamers frustrated that the company's lack of Australian servers is making its new Diablo III unplayable for locals.
iiNet wins video piracy trial
Australian ISP iiNet was today announced as the victor in its long-running defence against a lawsuit by major film and TV studios represented by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT).
ANZ Bank inks $450m deal with IBM
ANZ Bank this morning revealed it had signed a $450 million deal with global technology firm IBM that would allow the bank to access all of IBM’s technology and feature an ‘Innovation Lab’ to more rapidly bring new products and services to market.
Smart Grid program largely successful
The Federal Government's Auditor-General has published an extensive report on a trial of smart grid and other innovative technologies which was funded in the 2009 Federal Budget at a cost of $100 million, finding that quite a few components of the overall trial were delivered successfully, although some aspects did not quite deliver up to spec.
Turnbull’s NBN blowout caused by MTM, says Quigley
Former NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley has stated that the up to $15 billion blowout in the cost of the National Broadband Network was due to the Multi-Technology Mix imposed by Malcolm Turnbull, using previous comprehensive audits of the company as evidence.
Wireless NBN clause could harm competition: ACCC
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today warned a clause in Telstra's $13 billion contract with NBN Co prohibiting Telstra from marketing wireless technologies as an alternative to fibre broadband could be "detrimental to competition" and should be investigated further.
Talent forgotten: Lundy, Husic left off front bench
The Federal Labor Party has left two of its most qualified and experienced candidates for the post of Shadow Communications Minister off the front bench representing its Shadow Cabinet team, as speculation firms that former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy may return to the portfolio in Opposition.
Fiery Senate delays Telstra break-up bill
What appeared to be an attempt by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to debate the Government's controversial legislation to reform the telecommunications sector was shot...
Budde says he warned Turnbull about Optus HFC cable issue
Veteran telecommunications analyst Paul Budde late last week said he publicly warned Malcolm Turnbull that the HFC cable network which the NBN company bought from Optus for $800 million was not suitable for use as part of the National Broadband Network, but that the Prime Minister had ignored the analysis, surrounding himself instead with "yes men".
Delimiter is giving away an Apple iPad mini 4!
Just a quick post to let you know that Delimiter is kicking off its first reader giveaway since our relaunch! These have always been popular with readers in the past, so we thought we'd start them again as we start promoting our weekly newsletter again. This time the prize will be one of Apple's brand-spanking new iPad mini 4 models.
The election is over, and Fibre to the Node is here to stay
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared victory in the hard-fought Federal Election, in a move that ensures that the controversial Fibre to the Node technology which Turnbull personally favours is here to stay as a core part of the National Broadband Network.
WA likely to vote again for Senate
Western Australians are likely to be forced to vote again for their Senate representatives in Federal Parliament, in a move which will once again place the seat of Greens Communications Spokesperson Scott Ludlam in doubt, as the Australian Electoral Commission last week confirmed it would seek a by election in the state.
CommSec hit with $55k spam fine
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia's CommSec broking arm has been hit with a $55,000 fine by the nation's communications regulator, following complaints under the Spam Act (2003).
Labor, Greens slam Turnbull hypocrisy: PM pumps innovation but ‘trashes’ NBN
Labor and Greens politicians have this week labelled Malcolm Turnbull a hypocrite for pushing Australia's innovation credentials in the United States while simultaneously having "trashed" the National Broadband Network, as debate grows about the infrastructure's significant to the Prime Minister's innovation vision.
Gartner urges immediate corporate iPad action
As corporate adoption of Apple's iPad tablet continues to ratchet up to lightspeed, analyst firm Gartner has issued a sharp warning to chief executives to grab the iPad opportunity now and discuss the device's "disruptive" capabilities with their chief information officers and other divisions of their organisations.
CeBIT: Optus wants ACCC controls on Austar buy
Optus chief executive Paul O’Sullivan has requested the nation’s competition regular intervene in the proposed $1.9 billion merger of pay TV giants Austar and Foxtel, repeating earlier warnings that the next battlefield for Australia’s telecommunications sector in a National Broadband Network world would be “open access” to content and applications.
When will VHA cut the ‘3’ brand?
Merged mobile carrier Vodafone Hutchison Australia cut 390 staff in the year to 31 December last year, the company revealed today, and its decision to eventually cut the '3' brand in favour of its stalwart Vodafone moniker is still on the cards, although it hasn't said exactly when the move will take effect.
“Abandon” TSSR bill, telco industry tells Brandis
Australia’s technology sector is almost universally opposed to the Government’s planned national security telco legislation in its current form, submissions published this morning to the exposure draft of the bill have revealed, in a further sign that the Government has alienated industry on the issue of national security.
ACMA wants all your mobile phone spam
The Australian Communications and Media Authority launched what it dubbed "Spam SMS" -- a spam reporting service where users can forward SMS spam to a certain phone number to report it to the regulator.
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.
NBN: How core is self-interest to the debate?
One of the signatories to a national broadband proposal unveiled at the eleventh hour to rival Labor’s own long-running NBN project has accused vendors and telcos of stirring up hype for a fibre-optic cable future in line with a view to serving their own interests in generating massive contracts and gaining operating certainty.
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.
Optus promised Tassie upgrades in 2008
The nation's number two telco Optus has defended its investment in Tasmania after the revelation that a number of the sites it announced yesterday would shortly receive 3G mobile coverage in the state were first earmarked for network rollouts back in 2008.
Retailer Dick Smith enters administration
Dick Smith Holdings Ltd, the Australian electrical retail group, has entered receivership, according to a statement.
Hockey pays “tribute” to Labor’s NBN project in final speech
One of the Coalition’s most vocal critics of the National Broadband Network, former Treasurer Joe Hockey, has used his final speech to Federal Parliament to praise the previous Labor Government for initiating the project, which he described as “a very significant commitment”.
CeBIT: Conroy releases Digital Economy strategy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy this morning released the Federal Government’s Digital Economy Strategy, a document which aims to lay out a vision for how the nation will best take advantage of the Government’s flagship National Broadband Network project.
Conroy’s office pledges Telstra debate this week
The office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has reaffirmed the Government's will to debate its telecommunications reform legislation this week amid concerns voting on the bill may be pushed back to May.
Nexus 7 continually selling out in Australia
Google's popular Nexus 7 tablet has been selling out repeatedly since it launched in Australia in late July, according to the tablet's manufacturer ASUS, in what may mark the first commercially successful launch of a tablet computer in Australia apart from Apple's market-dominating iPad.
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.
Qld dumps cabinet ministers’ bags for iPads
The Queensland Government has revealed plans to become the first government in Australia to dump the traditional cabinet briefing bags full of paper documents and issue all of its ministers with iPads instead, for electronic access to the same information.
Productivity Commission to conduct USO inquiry
The Federal Government has asked the Productivity Commission to conduct an inquiry into the telecoms industry's Universal Service Obligation (USO) that will examine the "role and relevance" of the arrangements in today's "evolving market".
Fujitsu, Service Stream to build NBN in new estates
The National Broadband Network Company this morning confirmed it had appointed Japanese technology giant Fujitsu to roll out the portion of its nation-wide fibre network in new development estates, in a deal initially worth $100 million over its first year.
Five more telcos get access to Vodafone 4G
Vodafone has announced it will give five more mobile virtual network operators access to its 4G network.
NBN corporate plan lands 2PM today
The National Broadband Network Company will release its latest corporate plan at 2PM today, with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley to host a press conference in Sydney this afternoon.
Labor, Coalition block data retention transparency
Australia’s two major sides of politics have combined to block a Senate order moved by the Greens which would have forced the Attorney-General’s Department to produce key documents it is holding regarding advice it had received pertaining to the controversial data retention and surveillance scheme it is pushing.
NBN wireless latency ‘the same as 3G’
The National Broadband Network Company today provided further details of how its Ericsson-backed national wireless network was expected to perform technically, with chief technology officer Gary McLaren stating the network was expected to perform at least on par with existing 3G mobile networks when it came to network latency.
FOXTEL comes to Telstra’s T-Box
The pay TV service operated by joint venture FOXTEL will be available through Telstra's T-box media centre, as a result of an agreement announced today by the two companies.
Fifield ignores evidence in angry NBN response
news Mitch Fifield has released a sharply worded response to detailed evidence showing Malcolm Turnbull's version of the NBN has fallen behind on its...
Wikileaks Party deregistered due to lack of members
The short-lived political party formed around Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been deregistered by the Australian Electoral Commission after it fell short of the requirement to have 500 registered members.
In-flight Internet: Qantas’ failure to launch
Qantas, Australia’s biggest airline, has announced a new trial run of in-flight Internet connectivity on its superjumbo A380 for passengers on intercontinental flights between Australia and the United States. But it's not the airline's first attempt to bring in-flight connectivity to its passengers; in fact, Qantas has repeatedly struggled with the issue over the past decade.
Health departments shun official iPad trials
Consumers love it. Business professionals in a wide range of fields love it. Politicians (hello, Mr Turnbull) love it. Even babies love it. And increasingly, doctors and other medical professionals love it. But six months after the iPad launched in Australia and with the hyped Apple tablet selling like hotcakes, Australia’s health departments don’t yet appear to be that interested in the device.
Come clean, Conroy: Turnbull slams Brissie NBN “gerrymandering”
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused the Government of targeting its own electoral seats in the National Broadband Network’s (NBN) rollout in Brisbane, where Labor suffered major losses in the recent Queensland election. NBN Co’s latest rollout plan for the next three years was announced several weeks ago.
Fast-growing NBN Co inks Accenture HR deal
IT services group Accenture will host the National Broadband Network Company's human resources systems, it was revealed today, with the fibre startup slated to hit 300 staff by the middle of 2010.
Cross-platform tools luring mobile app developers back from HTML5
Many performance and functionality-minded application developers, who are shifting back to proprietary mobile apps after growing disillusioned with the limitations of HTML5, will find solace in today’s launch of a cross-platform development tool that allows Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android and Windows RT apps to be written using the popular C++ and Delphi development languages.
Unlimited data plans unveiled by Westnet
Broadband provider Westnet has launched a number of new unlimited data bundles, covering ADSL and, for those in the footprint, NBN too.
Secret BitTorrent agreement on the cards
The Department of the Attorney-General has confirmed talks it is hosting behind closed doors between Internet service providers and the entertainment industry could result in an "agreement" between the two warring sides that would govern how Australians pirating content through platforms such as BitTorrent would be dealt with in future.
ANZ Bank shifts 260 testing staff to Capgemini
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group late yesterday revealed it would shift 110 Melbourne IT testing staff and a further 250 located in India to employment with outsourcing and consulting company Capgemini, in a bid to deliver what it described as a "step change" in its development operations.
NBN Review designed for “pre-ordained political outcome”
Senior figures in the Federal Labor Party have teamed up to deliver a broad swathe of evidence that they believe shows NBN Co's Strategic Review is based on "flawed and unreliable" premises and was in fact designed by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to constitute a "pre-ordained political outcome".
Turnbull opens “cutting-edge” UNSW quantum computing lab
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has officially opened a new "cutting-edge" quantum computing lab at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), airing the hope that it could ultimately lead to a commercial, "super-powerful" quantum computer.
Turnbull’s broadband brochureware falls short of election promise
The new Coalition Government has failed to successfully deliver what it had promised before the election would be a key report on the overall status of broadband infrastructure in Australia, instead releasing just before Christmas an extremely brief report of only several pages which does little to illuminate the situation.
Health ID bills pass Parliament
In what amounted to one of the most chaotic days ever experienced in Canberra yesterday, Federal Parliament still found time to approve the passage of legislation to create a national electronic health record scheme.
Fifield attacks Labor NBN “deceit” in record short press conference
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield this afternoon attacked what he said was the "deceit" inherent in Labor's new National Broadband Network policy, in a brief press conference in Melbourne which appeared to last less than ten minutes.
Vodafone, 3 Mobile, Telstra, Optus to offer iPad plans
Mobile carrier VHA today revealed it would offer dedicated iPad pricing plans for all of the models of Apple's new tablet from the end of May in Australia on both its 3 and Vodafone brands.
“Fat” Internode’s plan changes a “joke”, claims Linton
The outspoken chief executive of broadband provider Exetel has blasted a series of plan changes by rival Internode yesterday as a "joke of an announcement", claiming the move represented "desperation" in the face of Telstra's recent attempt to win back market share in broadband.
High risk that Defence ICT will go off the rails
The Federal Government's chief auditor has warned that the Department of Defence's ICT operation is teetering on the brink of a dangerous precipice, in a landmark report published this afternoon into its current ICT governance structures and projects.
Offshore cloud an adoption barrier, finds KPMG
A research study partially funded by major offshore cloud computing vendors Salesforce.com, Microsoft, and Google has found that one of the major barriers stopping Australian organisations from migrating to cloud computing platforms is the lack of cloud infrastructure based in Australia, with legislation such as the US Patriot Act cited as key concerns with offshore hosting.
IBM to revamp HCF’s core IT systems
Australian health insurer HCF today revealed it had inked a major multi-million dollar contract with IBM which will see Big Blue "continue" to transform HCF's IT systems, using IBM's iLog and Lombardi software to do so.
Qld Govt invests in open data, startups, STEM
The Queensland Government made a number of announcements yesterday revealing how the state is investing in a number of areas, including open data, innovative startups and STEM training for teachers.
Govt pushes ahead with cloud-sharing approach
The Federal Government today revealed a standardised approach to sharing computing workloads between agencies, in a so-called 'community cloud' strategy that will attempt to leverage existing infrastructure operated by major departments such as the Department of Human Services to provide services to smaller agencies.
Galaxy Tab 10.1 will cost $729 outright
Korean technology manufacturer Samsung this morning revealed it would launch the new, 10.1" version of its Galaxy Tab tablet device through Vodafone, undercutting the price of its smaller 7" model significantly by introducing the tablet at the price of $729 outright.
Turnbull “evasive” on Coalition NBN policy, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has accused his Opposition shadow Malcolm Turnbull of being "evasive" with respect to the Coalition's telecommunications policy, stating the Liberal MP had "no excuses" for failing to come clean on the policy after five straight months of questions on it.
Games industry upbeat despite downturn
Australia’s interactive games industry is upbeat and prospects remain bright as consumption of games continues to thrive, according to a media release from Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (iGEA). The sentiments come despite latest data showing that there was a significant dip in ‘traditional retail’ computer and video games sales in 2011.
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.
Filter blocks Senators’ access to over 35m sites
Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens communications spokesperson revealed in a media release yesterday that Australia’s parliamentarians have had their Web access heavily filtered. This follows the defeat of the Government’s proposed mandatory Internet filtering scheme more than a year ago.
Who is this “Max Pesh”?
Perhaps, Mr Conroy, you mean Mark Pesce?
Microsoft to offer Win10 as a service for businesses
Microsoft has announced that it will soon be offering Windows 10 as a service for enterprises through its Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) channel.
“Incredible” interest in NBN election issue, says Plibersek
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek this week said she had seen "incredible" interest in the National Broadband Network issue as she travelled around Australia on the election campaign trail, delivering Labor's message that Malcolm Turnbull had "dropped the ball" on the project.
Switkowski in 2009: Fibre to make copper “obsolescent”
NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski appears to have radically changed his views on the different merits of fibre and copper broadband technologies over the past few years, it has emerged, with a video interview having surfaced over the past few days showing the executive praising Labor's all-fibre NBN strategy and adding that it would make copper infrastructure "obsolescent".
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank deploys next-gen IBM storage
IBM XIV Storage System Gen3 will be a key infrastructure component for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s ongoing development and delivery of customer-focussed business applications, according to an announcement by IBM yesterday.
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.
Voluntary filtering on track for mid-2011
Stephen Conroy's Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy tonight said voluntary filtering of the internet for child abuse material by three of Australia's largest internet service providers was on track to kick off in the middle of this year.
Telstra integrates Netflix, Stan, Presto into re-badged Roku box
The nation’s largest telco Telstra today revealed it will launch a Telstra-branded version of the popular Roku TV streaming device to Australians, as the telco struggles to ensure its over-the-top services remain relevant in a next-generation viewing world which increasingly appears to be dominated by the likes of US giant Netflix.
Exetel reveals 300GB, 100Mbps NBN plan for $70
Second-tier Australian ISP Exetel has launched a 300GB National Broadband Network pricing plan at 100Mbps for just $70 a month just a week after being criticised for having low top-end plans and undercutting rivals such as iiNet and Internode in the process.
Govt delays multiple tech FOI requests
Three major Federal Government departments and agencies have delayed the release of sensitive information relating to controversial technology sector issues under Freedom of Information legislation, citing the need to closely examine the documents and consult with third parties before the information is released.
Buildcorp deploys 150 Nokia Lumias
Construction firm Buildcorp has deployed some 150 new staff mobile phones in Nokia's Lumia line, the Finnish smartphone vendor announced this afternoon.
Avoiding future ICT disasters: Qld outlines next steps
The Queensland Government today stated that it would accept all four major recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Queensland Health payroll disaster, with the state's LNP administration already taking action to stop other projects going off the rails in a similarly catastrophic manner.
AGIMO unveils ICT strategy draft
The federal Department of Finance and Deregulation has published a draft of an ICT Strategic Vision which it hopes will fuel development of a next-generation era of better interactions between the government, its agencies and Australian citizens, as well as enhanced service delivery in general.
Telstra seeks 120 voluntary redundancies
Telstra is seeking up to 120 volunteers for redundancy from its Networks Delivery operations, according to the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Microsoft Surface gets modest Aussie markup
Global technology giant Microsoft has revealed that its Surface tablet will go on sale on 26 October next week, as its Windows 8 operating system also launches, in three different models and with only a small markup for Australian buyers compared with US prices.
Buy a HTC 7 Trophy, get a free XBOX 360 [mkt]
Been working up the courage to ask your spouse if you can buy an XBOX 360? Now you don't have to. Vodafone has a special until the end of March where if you buy one a HTC 7 Trophy handset on a $49 or higher monthly plan, you'll get a free XBOX plus either one of Microsoft's new Kinect motion-tracking controllers or a copy of Fable III or Halo Reach.
Redacted: AFP cuts ISP details from filter docs
The Australian Federal Police has sought to prevent the public from ascertaining the identities of ISPs participating in the Federal Government's voluntary filter scheme for child abuse materials, through redacting the ISPs' details from relevant documents released under Freedom of Information laws.
ASX plans blockchain solution for Australian equity market
The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has selected US firm Digital Asset Holdings to develop a blockchain post-trade solution for the Australian equity market.
800 pound gorilla: Telstra throws its 4G weight around
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning revealed it had more than 3.2 million devices operating on its 4G mobile network and that its 4G coverage was slated to reach 85 percent of the population by Christmas, in a move which will further solidify the company's 4G lead over its rivals.
Vodafone to spend $9 million on new rural expansion
Vodafone has announced it is to spend $9 million expanding its regional mobile network over the next 18 months.
Optus to operate CBN satellites
NBN Co announced over the weekend that it had signed a deal with Optus which will see the SingTel subsidiary provide tracking, telemetry and control services regarding NBN Co's two satellites planned to be launched in 2015.
“No public interest”: NBN obstructs release of board minutes
The NBN company has refused to reduce hefty Freedom of Information charges for the release of minutes of its board meetings, claiming there is “no general public interest” in the documents being released.
ACCC knocks back banks’ anti-Apple ‘cartel’ request … for now
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has said it has decided not to grant four of Australia's biggest banks interim authorisation to "collectively bargain" with Apple over the terms of any partnership involving the tech giant's Apple Pay product.
HP to build Victorian supercomputer
Global technology giant HP this morning revealed that a consortium of educational institutions in Victoria had selected its Converged Infrastructure stack to build a high-performance computer (HPC) system to be named 'Trifid' that would aid with the processing of massive research problems.
Nonsensical farce: NBN massively overbuilding Canberra’s FTTN with … more FTTN
The NBN company’s new three-year rollout plan has revealed the company plans to overbuild TransACT’s long-established Fibre to the Node and HFC cable networks in Canberra, Mildura and Geelong with more Fibre to the Node cables, in a decision which appears to make no technical or commercial sense.
VCE Coalition adds NBN Co notch to its belt
The cloud infrastructure consortium which counts VMware, Cisco and EMC as its members has added yet another major Australian company to its growing list of conquests, revealing yesterday that NBN Co had inked a contract with lead supplier Cisco to kit out its datacentre to the tune of $9.5 million over the next three years.
NBN Co hires music anti-piracy chief
The National Broadband Network Company today confirmed it had hired one of the most high-profile executives working for the music industry's Australian anti-piracy taskforce, Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI).
Consumer group invited to secret piracy talks
The Federal Government has invited the nation's leading telecommunications consumer groups to participate in the latest round of the closed door talks it is holding on the issue of Internet piracy, reversing a previous ban on consumer representatives attending such talks.
SA Police deploy Android fingerprint scanners
South Australia's police force has committed to deploying a fleet of fingerprint scanners coupled with Android-based smartphones that will allow officers in the field to conduct identity checks in the field instead of taking suspects back to police stations.
NAB to roll out new personal banking platform this month
National Australia Bank (NAB) is to roll out a new personal banking platform in a move it calls "the biggest technology overhaul in the bank’s history".
RIM to demonstrate PlayBook in Australia
Research In Motion (RIM) has given a strong indication that its PlayBook tablet will shortly be introduced to the Australian market, inviting local journalists to preview the device next week.
Amazon planning Australian datacentre: Report
Amazon's Web Services cloud computing division is planning to open a new datacentre hosted in Australia next year, according to an article published in the Australian newspaper this morning.
Conroy sees “positive outcome” ahead on filter
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has indicated the Government is having discussions with the telecommunications industry about the future of its controversial mandatory Internet filtering project, the future of which is currently hanging in the balance, following the delivery of a review of Australia's classification system.
LG’s new Android mobiles hit Australia
Korean electronics giant LG has launched a new range of Android-based smartphones in Australia, dubbed the Optimus L-Style series.
Optus launches $135, 100Mbps unlimited NBN
Australia's number two telco Optus has launched a range of new broadband and telephone packages across its ADSL, HFC and NBN networks that offer customers unlimited data download and mostly unlimited telephone calls, including a top of the line package that offers NBN customers unlimited quota at 100Mbps speeds for $135 a month.
Gillard spends big on cyber-security; including new centre
Prime Minister Julia Gillard this morning announced that the Federal Government would spend $1.46 billion through to 2020 on strengthening what she described as its “cyber security” capabilities, including establishing a dedicated Australian Cyber Security Centre.
River City Labs boosts Brisbane’s startup infrastructure
River City Labs, a Brisbane based start-up company, was officially opened on 22 March 2012 by Brisbane Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner. According to a press release, Labs is a not-for-profit co-working space founded and funded by Stephen Baxter, PIPE Networks co-founder (pictured, above left) and a well-known figure within the telecommunications and Internet industry.
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.
US ambassador says filter not necessary
The United States' Ambassador to Australia last night said there were "other means" available to achieve the goals of the Federal Government's internet filtering project, adding to the impression that the US disapproves of the project.
Govt splits AGIMO, appointing CIO, CTO
The Federal Government has announced it will split its troubled IT strategy division the Australian Government Information Management Office in two, promoting internal staffers into two new chief information and technology officer roles in line with the recommendations of the Reinecke review regarding the agency’s future.
Forgotten again: No new Kindles for Australia
For the second year in a row, Amazon has decided not to launch the majority of its new Kindle tablet and e-reader devices in Australia, in a move which appears set to diminish the local popularity of the devices.
Google Australia appoints new MD from the inside
Google Australia and New Zealand has announced the appointment of a new Managing Director following the imminent departure of Maile Carnegie to a new role as Head of Digital at ANZ Bank.
Aussie gaming industry went south in 2010
Independent market research has recorded a 16 per cent drop in sales for Australia's games and entertainment industry in 2010, compared with the previous year.
APRA warning shows cloud maturity: Salesforce.com
A long-time proponent of cloud computing has hailed a warning by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority about the technology as evidence of its maturity and growing adoption — rather than as a potential problem for the nation’s financial sector.
ThoughtWorks slams ABS for census data retention “risk”
Global software consultancy ThoughtWorks has strongly criticised the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for "risk" it took in the running of the Australian Census 2016, which saw the body retain the details of millions of people.
Nextgen launches NBN aggregation service
National wholesale telco Nextgen Networks today revealed a new product for retail telcos which it has billed as the first service to aggregate its own capacity together with access to the fledgling National Broadband Network rollout, in order to facilitate smaller ISPs providing NBN services with a footprint across Australia.
Netflix speeds show Turnbull’s NBN is “flatlining”, says Labor
The latest Netflix ISP Speed Index shows that Australia's Internet speeds are "flatlining" and demonstrates the need for a "proper" National Broadband Network, Labor has said.
Optus restructuring could see up to 480 jobs lost
Optus has announced plans to restructure its Consumer and Enterprise divisions that will lead to hundreds of jobs being lost.
Profiteers snap up Boston Marathon, Waco domain names
Australia’s tight domain name policies may have prevented opportunistic cybersquatters from cashing in on local disasters, but this week’s Boston Marathon bombing and Waco fertiliser explosion have had less luck avoiding cybesquatters, analysis by a local domain-name specialist has revealed.
Delimiter Christmas publishing schedule
I've gotten a few enquiries as to Delimiter's Christmas and New Year publishing schedule so I thought I'd publish a brief story explaining what we'll be up to.
CIO McKinnon steps back from Westpac top role
A new organisation structure at Westpac means Bob McKinnon, who directed the rebuilding of technology capability as its IT chief, is stepping back from a major role in the bank.
Ballarat’s BitTorrent study “horribly wrong” says TorrentFreak
Global BitTorrent news source TorrentFreak has ridiculed the veracity of a study on the legality of BitTorrent usage published by the University of Ballarat last week, labelling some of its claims “horribly wrong” and that “mistake after mistake” was made during its preparation.
Labor MP claims Aussie tech tax harming international competitiveness
In a speech on a report about the potential of the National Broadband Network (NBN), Labor MP Ed Husic has hit out at overseas...
Telstra declines “public battle” with customer Internode
The wholesale arm of Australia's biggest telco Telstra has declined to engage in what it described as a "public battle" with its customer Internode, in the midst of delicate negotiations that are slated to affect Internode's ADSL broadband pricing around the nation.
Allianz deploys Oracle Database Appliance
Technology giant Oracle has revealed that the specialist insurance arm of local financial services giant Allianz has deployed the vendor's Oracle Database Appliance X3-2 to replace legacy hardware that was reaching the end of its useful life.
Greens finalise NBN joint committee
The Australian Greens today revealed it had reached an agreement with the Government to create a new parliamentary Joint Committee to oversee the rollout of the National Broadband Network.
ANZ’s startup accelerator reveals next class
The Innovyz START startup accelerator program recently launched by ANZ Bank has revealed the second 10 startups to which it will attract funding and mentorship, with the major of successful startups originating in South Australian capital city Adelaide.
Microsoft Surface to hit Australia next week
Microsoft will start selling its Surface tabletop multi-touch system in Australia next week after a formal launch.
Former US Govt CIO in Aussie speaking tour
Former US whole of government chief information officer Vivek Kundra will hit Australia over the next several weeks for a speaking tour that will include events for his new employer Salesforce.com, as well as the Australian Information Industry Association.
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.
Kogan launches Android tablet, Ubuntu netbook
Kogan Technologies today launched a tablet based on Google’s Android operating system, more than a year after its maverick founder Ruslan Kogan started demonstrating a similar device.
New Delimiter office: Renovation photos
Delimiter's new office has been outfitted, and we're almost ready to move in -- we're just waiting for iiNet to connect the ADSL, which should happen by Thursday. While the place is still a bit of a dump, we've cleaned it up and installed some cool stuff, so we thought we'd publish an "after" gallery to contrast with the "before" one we put up previously.
Vodafone NZ may buy TelstraClear
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning revealed it was in talks to sell its New Zealand unit TelstraClear to Vodafone New Zealand, in a move which would finally put an end to speculation about the future of the struggling division, which has always found it hard to bring in profits from the Kiwi nation.
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.
Foxtel on T-Box lands 27 June
Telstra's T-Box IPTV set-top box will receive a fresh injection of content next week, with the telco revealing today that significant amounts of content from its Foxtel pay TV joint venture would be available on the T-Box from 27 June.
iiNet launches unlimited NBN plans
iiNet has announced a trio of new plans offering limitless data on the NBN, starting at $69.99 a month.
NEC undergoes redundancy round
Diversified technology solutions group NEC has notified its Australian staff that it will shortly undertake a round of redundancies, just months after the company warned it was facing “immediate profitability challenges” despite having a “very healthy” pipeline of contracts.
Labor accuses Coalition of copying policy on startup accelerators
The Labor Opposition has hit out at the Coalition Government, accusing it of "mimicking" its own policies on startup assistance.
Virgin Mobile releases iPhone 4 plans
Scant hours before Apple's latest hyped handset is slated to go on sale at midnight tonight in Australia, Optus subsidiary Virgin Mobile has released its pricing for the device.
Optus launches Android tablet duo for Xmas
Optus has widened the range of tablets available to Australians, in time for the Christmas gifting season, with its launch of the Acer Iconia Tab A501 and the Dell Streak 7 on its 3G network. This adds to the current array of tablets offered by Optus, which includes the Motorola Xoom.
Qld Govt to legalise ride-booking services like Uber
The Queensland Government has announced it will overhaul the state's personalised transport industry regulations to create a more "level playing field" for ride-booking services like Uber.
SP AusNet insources IT services
Listed Victorian energy utility SP AusNet has signalled plans to insource its IT services needs, following a decision to terminate a wider management deal under which a variety of corporate services were being provided by a subsidiary of its part-owner Singapore Power.
Quickflix signs streaming deal with HBO
Leading Australian online movie rental and streaming company Quickflix has announced a content licensing agreement with top US television company, Home Box Office, Inc (HBO). However, new shows won't hit Quickflix's archive until 12 to 18 months after they first show in the US.
Spat continues: Gartner rejects AIIA’s “squatter’s logic”
The high-profile falling out between a Gartner analyst and the Australian Information Industry Association continued late last week, with further shots being fired in the battle between the pair in public on a blog hosted by the analyst firm.
Colin Jacobs, you bastion of common sense
Call us crazy, but here at Delimiter we’re not normally enamoured of the coverage that Australia’s TV networks give the technology sector. Frankly, they normally don’t understand what they’re talking about — and who can blame them? It’s not their area of expertise. That’s why we’ve come to love the appearances by Electronic Frontiers Australia chair Colin Jacobs on shows like the 7PM Project.
Optus details own network expansion effort
Its rivals Telstra and Vodafone Hutchison Australia have over the past several weeks detailed mobile network expansion plans in the hundreds of millions of dollars or even more. But SingTel subsidiary Optus doesn't appear fazed by the revelations -- laying out progress on its own efforts in a detailed statement this week.
Internode plans for 4G mobile launch
National broadband provider Internode has revealed it expects to launch 4G mobile broadband services through Optus’ fledgling LTE mobile network, following other Optus mobile resellers in getting access to the next-generation wireless infrastructure.
Trainwreck interview: Finance Minister can’t answer basic NBN questions
Mathias Cormann has proven unable to answer basic questions about the NBN project or the Coalition's NBN policy, in a trainwreck interview yesterday morning which highlighted the Finance Minister's fundamental lack of NBN knowledge about the project, despite being one of the two ministers in charge of it.
Christmas 2010 for Windows 7 phones?
It may be Christmas before Australians will be able to get their hands on a mobile phone with Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Series platform...
Adobe’s biennial tradition: 50% Aussie price hikes
Global software giant Adobe has continued a long-running tradition of extensively marking up its prices for the Australian market, revealing yesterday that locals would pay up to $1,400 more for the exact same software when they buy the new version 6 of its Creative Suite platform compared to residents of the United States.