ASIO reveals new cyber-security guard
Federal Attorney-General Robert McLelland is tonight slated to unveil a new cyber-security unit created by peak intelligence agency the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).
ACCC chair says NBN should be broken up, compete with itself
The chair of the competition regulator has repeated his view that the NBN company should ultimately be broken up into chunks that would compete with each other, in comments that appear to run directly contrary to the complementary network design model currently being pursued by the company.
Govt kicks off long-term ERP strategy
The Department of Finance and Deregulation has kicked off a major effort to examine the Federal Government's use of enterprise resource planning systems, with a view to optimising how the public service uses such platforms in the long-term.
Regulator pins Vodafone on Do Not Call breaches
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a statement noting that it has accepted an enforceable undertaking from Vodafone to restrain errant dealers telemarketing products from Vodafone and 3 Mobile.
Nokia: Lumia 800 hits Australia in March
Nokia has reportedly revealed that its first smartphones to feature the Windows Phone 7 operating system, the Lumia 800 and 710, will hit Australia in March, with the 800 to launch through all major local carriers.
Froyo imminent for Telstra HTC Desires
Telstra today promised customers the long-awaited Android 2.2 update (Froyo) would be introduced to its flagship HTC Desire handsets within the next four weeks.
Bartlett launches Tasmanian digital economy strategy
Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett (pictured above, second from the left) yesterday released a new innovation strategy for the state, including a segment on how the state government can invest to promote Tasmania’s digital economy.
CommBank won’t store data offshore
Commonwealth Bank of Australia says all of its data is kept in Australia -- not in offshore public cloud facilities.
Telstra ‘not logging’ customers’ web, email history
The nation's largest telco Telstra has flatly rejected allegations that it is routinely logging all of its customers' web browsing data and email history on behalf of national security and intelligence agencies, stating that it does not "routinely" collect or store its customers' telecommunications data unless required to do so.
Salesforce IT research reveals digital shake-up
Salesforce has released its third State of IT research report, an annual look at the industry which this year suggests that the digital revolution is "shaking up" traditional IT departments.
APPLE LAWSUIT:Cupertino blocks Australian Galaxy Tab launch
Following legal proceedings in the Federal Court today, iconic technology giant Apple has reportedly reached an agreement with Samsung which will block the Korean electronics giant's upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet from being sold in Australia until patent concerns are resolved.
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.
Citigroup: Coalition NBN plan “difficult to achieve”
A detailed analysis of the Coalition's rival National Broadband Network policy has found the "quick and dirty" plan would be difficult to achieve, faces significant hurdles and would wind the telecommunications reform process in Australia back by three years, although it would cost less than Labor's vision.
WA audit finds schools “struggling” with ICT management
Western Australia's schools are struggling to keep on top of ICT management and students could be adversely affected if the situation is not remedied, according to the state's Auditor General.
Federal Parliament warms to the iPad
Liberal MP Jamie Briggs has one. Labor MP Ed Husic read his maiden speech from his. And Malcolm Turnbull is famous for using his all the time. But officials in Federal Parliament are only gradually beginning to concede that it might be OK for Apple-obsessed politicians to connect their iDevices to the parliamentary Wi-Fi network.
Vodafone confirms internal restructuring
National mobile telco Vodafone has confirmed a report by News Ltd newspaper The Australian that it's planning to cut members of its executive team, in a wide-ranging restructure that could affect a number of mid-level executives at the company.
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.
AGIMO releases draft datacentre RFT
The Federal Government's peak IT strategy group has released a long-awaited request for tender document in draft form that will guide companies on how to apply to supply datacentre services across the public sector in Canberra.
MyGuestList.com.au gets Carosa capital
One of Australia's most prominent web 2.0 investment groups, Future Capital Development Fund (FC) has invested in MyGuestList.com.au, an online guest and client relationship management tool for the hospitality industry.
Telstra shares millions with Box
The nation's largest telco Telstra has added to a recent splurge of funding on smaller companies, ploughing a reported $10 million into US-based corporate cloud file-sharing company and Dropbox competitor Box.
Telstra LTE trial hits 149Mbps with Huawei
Telstra and Huawei have achieved downlink and uplink speeds significantly exceeding the throughputs seen on current mobile technology, in a trial of the Chinese vendor's Long-Term Evolution hardware.
Video review: the ABC’s iPad app
Australian Apple site MacTalk Australia has posted this video review of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's iPad app.
Screw the NBN, says TPG: We’ll do our own FTTB
National broadband company TPG has flagged plans to deploy so-called fibre to the basement infrastructure to some 500,000 apartments in major Australian capital cities, in a move which will compete directly with the new Coalition Government's plans to conduct similar rollouts under the National Broadband Network scheme.
NBN Co rolling out “kilometres” of brand new copper to ensure FTTN actually works
The NBN company is deploying many “kilometres” of brand new copper in some areas to ensure that the Coalition’s Fibre to the Node model functions correctly, the Opposition said today, with Telstra’s copper network in such bad condition that up to “90 percent” of the copper needed to be repaired or replaced in some areas.
ACT moves shared services staff to Gungahlin
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has announced that it will be moving its shared services staff to the Canberra suburb of Gungahlin in the year 2014-15.
Law firm deploys desktop virtualisation
Virtualisation and remote access vendor Citrix has revealed that a sizable deployment of its desktop and application virtualisation solutions has aided local law firm Duncan Cotterill in setting up a completely mobile working environment for its staff that will assist it with productivity as well as with dealing with natural disasters affecting its operations, such as the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Nuclear attack: Anonymous targets AFACT
The loose-knit confederation of internet activists who organise under the banner "Anonymous" appeared to hit Australia again this morning, with Operation Payback targeting a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack against the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT).
Internet Australia repeats call for NBN inquiry
Internet Australia, a not-for-profit advocacy group representing Internet users, has made another call for an inquiry into the National Broadband Network.
AGIMO in flurry of cloud computing moves
The Federal Government’s peak technology strategy division has made a series of announcements aimed at pushing forward its vision with respect to public sector uptake of the new generation of cloud computing services and making such services available on the right terms to departments and agencies.
No need for 100Mbps NBN, Switkowski tells Senate
New NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski has questioned the need for ordinary households in Australia to have access to 100Mbps broadband speeds, telling a Senate Estimates session this week that a "whole lot of assumptions" needed to be pushed to their limits to demonstrate how such speeds would be used.
Turnbull’s NBN answers “make sense”, says Budde
Veteran telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has praised the Coalition for publishing an extensive 'frequently asked questions’ regarding its rival National Broadband Network policy unveiled last month, noting that the additional explanations of the policy "make sense" and that the Coalition is "moving forward" on the issue.
Microsoft stonewalls IT price hike inquiry
Global technology giant Microsoft has declined to provide the Federal Parliament's IT price hike inquiry with concrete details as to why many of its products cost dramatically more in Australia than in its home country of the US, despite prolonged questioning on the issue from Members of Parliament last week.
Ads not misleading: Google wins High Court case
Search giant Google has won a High Court case against the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in which the regulator had alleged that Google breached the law by displaying misleading or deceptive advertisements on its search results pages.
Consumer group has piracy conflict of interest
A substantial conflict of interest issue has arisen regarding the participation by the sole consumer group invited to attend the Government's secret Internet piracy talks, with the group's chairman attending the meetings also currently leading the peak national organisation devoted to advocating copyright on behalf of creative professionals.
Ansell sees light at the end of ERP tunnel
Australian condom and medical protection giant Ansell this week said it "can see the light at the end of the tunnel" following remediation efforts involving a botched implementation of Oracle’s ERP platform which went live last year and subsequently caused US$13 million to US$15 million worth of lost sales.
NSW Govt directly regulates taxi mobile apps
The NSW Government has formally embraced and started regulating the taxi smartphone apps which have been taking Sydney and other locations by storm, setting regulations to support the apps against the wishes of incumbent players in the taxi industry and capping surcharges at five per cent to stop overcharging.
Undercutting Internode: Exetel reveals NBN prices
National ISP Exetel has published its first commercial prices for services on the National Broadband Network, significantly undercutting previous prices published by rival Internode, with the cheapest option starting at $34.50 a month and the most expensive topping out at $99.50.
Microsoft may can giant TechEd in Australia
Software giant Microsoft is considering a radical overhaul to its giant TechEd event in Australia that would essentially spell the end of the iconic conference in its traditional mega-format, with the company instead believed to be considering a series of smaller conferences around Australia in its place.
Adam buy harms ‘fragile’ competition: Macquarie
Business-focused telco Macquarie Telecom has filed a submission with the competition regulator calling for it to block Telstra's proposed acquisition of Adelaide ISP Adam Internet on the grounds that it would "further weaken" the already "fragile" state of competition in the nation's telecommunications market.
Curtin University deploys Office 365
Perth's Curtin University has flagged plans to deploy Microsoft's Office 365 software as a service productivity suite, in one of the first major known local implications of the technology and ahead of what is expected to be a substantial push by Microsoft of the service in Australia.
ABC ignores damaging NBN leaks in lengthy Fifield interview
The ABC's political flagship Insiders failed to ask Communications Minister Mitch Fifield a single question about the National Broadband Network in an extensive interview yesterday, despite several damaging leaks regarding the project which dominated parliamentary debate over the past week.
Huawei flags high-end Android play Down Under
Nobody could accuse Chinese telecommunications vendor Huawei of not being ambitious. After winning a number of significant deals with Australian telcos over the past half-decade since it entered Australia, the company this week flagged plans to establish itself as a consumer brand Down Under in its own right.
HP reigns supreme in Aussie PC market
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the most popular PC vendor of them all? HP, according to the latest data from analyst firm IDC, which yesterday crowned the US giant king of Australia's PC market, with almost a quarter of machines shipped over the last three months of 2010 in Australia being from HP.
Qld Coalition MP issues loaded NBN survey
A North Queensland LNP Member of Federal Parliament has issued his constituents with a wide-ranging survey canvassing their views on a number of areas, including several questions which appear to take a misleading approach regarding the Government's National Broadband Network project.
Aussie SMBs want tablets for Christmas
The latest research conducted for Telstra by StollzNow Research has shown that one in three Australian small business owners are thinking of buying an iPad or other brand of tablet in the lead up to Christmas.
Telstra partially backtracks on international roaming charge hike
In the face of an upset customer base, Telstra has backtracked on its recently announced decision to more than triple excess data fees incurred when roaming internationally.
Pirate Party appeals data retention censorship
The Pirate Party of Australia today confirmed it would continue fighting to have key documents associated with the Government’s controversial data retention and surveillance package released to the public, flagging plans to appeal a decision by the Federal Attorney-General’s Department to block the release of the documents under Freedom of Information laws.
National incompetence: UK broadband massively improves while Australia dithers
UK telco regulator Ofcom has released a report showing that the country's average fixed-line broadband speed has dramatically improved by 11Mbps over the past five years, a period in which Australians have seen virtually no improvement due to a failure of the nation's politicians and telcos to agree on a unified upgrade path.
NBN Co business case summary: Available now from your local dealer (that’s us)
As per Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s pledge this afternoon, the Office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has sent us a copy of NBN Co’s business case. We’re still digesting what it all means, but in the meantime, you can download it here in all it’s 1.08MB PDF glory.
Get your face onto NBN Co’s second satellite
To raise awareness of the launch of NBN Co’s second satellite, Sky Muster II, the company has announced it will give Australians the chance to "blast their face into space".
HTC One S to hit Telstra, Optus, Virgin
Taiwanese consumer electronics giant HTC yesterday afternoon revealed that the middle smartphone in its flagship One series, the One S, would shortly launch through Australian mobile carriers Telstra, Optus and Optus brand Virgin Mobile.
NSW Parliament turfs “aged” Novell platforms
The New South Wales State Parliament will replace a broad swathe of Novell platforms it described as "end of life", "aged" and "legacy", replacing them primarily with new Microsoft software in areas such as email, identity management and file and print services that will bring its desktop IT infrastructure up to the "industry standard".
Sky TV deploys Citrix to manage network demands during Olympic broadcasts
New Zealand pay television provider Sky TV has deployed a Citrix networking solution to manage "unpredictable" network connectivity and high bandwidth demands during Rio 2016 Olympics broadcasts.
The Australian government must take cyber security more seriously
Most of us can relate to the government’s plan to build 12 new submarines for A$50 billion, at least in principle. But you might be alarmed to hear the government is investing only a fraction of that amount on protecting us from cyberattacks.
Oracle adds Telstra notch to SaaS belt
Oracle today revealed it had rolled out a large software as a service-based customer relationship management implementation for Telstra over the past year, in one of Australia's first major known deployments of the software giant's CRM On Demand platform.
Delimiter highly commended in awards
Hi everyone,
happy Monday morning! *groan* ;)
Just a quick note to let you know that while Delimiter didn't pick up any awards at the IT...
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.
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.
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.
Commentators pan ‘uncompetitive’ NBN plan
A number of Australia's most senior business and economics commentators have opened fire on Labor's flagship National Broadband Network project, claiming NBN Co's corporate plan released on Monday was based on flawed assumptions and demonstrated the project would wind back competition in the telecommunications sector.
Three years later, Optus finally gets HD voice
Almost three years after Telstra and two years after Vodafone, national mobile operator Optus has finally enabled high-definition voice calling on its mobile network.
Google updates Aussie Street View images
Google today updated the imagery on its controversial Street View service in Australia for the first time since the Wi-Fi sniffing scandal emerged late last year.
iBooks textbooks? Sorry, not for Australia
Apple has limited access to the broad range of new educational textbooks announced through its iBookstore overnight to students in the US, locking Australians and those in other countries out of accessing the new content from publishers such as McGraw-Hill and Pearson.
Coalition FTTN would ignore HFC areas: Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has challenged Shadow Minister Malcolm Turnbull to confirm his rival broadband policy would not see fibre to the node technology immediately deployed to areas already covered by the HFC cable networks operated by Telstra and Optus, despite the fact that few use the ageing HFC networks.
ACCC sets ULL price at $16 flat rate
The national competition regulator has broken with its past differentiated pricing strategy for setting the wholesale cost of the underlying building block of ADSL broadband, instead mandating a flat rate of $16 per month for most of Australia.
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.
NBN lowers peak funding prediction to $54bn
In its Corporate Plan 2017, released yesterday, NBN Co confirmed that it is still expecting to complete the broadband network on time, and predicted the peak cost of building the network would be $2bn lower than it expected last August.
Google eBooks finally hits Australia
Almost a year after it launched in the US, Google has brought its eBooks platform to Australia, announcing this morning that its catalogue included "hundreds of thousands" of commercial books available in Australia and "millions" of free eBooks on top.
Anna Bligh appeals to Facebook chief Zuckerberg
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has reportedly written to Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg (pictured), appealing to the social networking supremo for help in blocking...
Netspace founders to leave post-iiNet deal
Netspace co-founders and sole investors Stuart Marburg and Richard Preen plan to leave the internet service provider before its $40 million acquisition by rival iiNet is completed by the end of April, iiNet chief Michael Malone revealed this afternoon.
Coalition to answer all NBN policy questions
The Coalition has published an extensive document with which it appears to be hoping to answer all of the 'frequently asked questions' regarding its rival National Broadband Network policy, including points of contention such as its cost, technical aspects when compared to Labor's existing fibre solution, and future telecommunications industry structure.
Conroy’s NBN stalling may cause Greens pullout
The Greens have reportedly threatened to pull their support for the Federal Government's controversial telecommunications reform legislation due to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's decision not to yet release the National Broadband Implementation study.
iiNet buys AAPT’s consumer division for $60m
National broadband provider today confirmed – after a week filled with speculation that it would do so – that it would buy the retail customers of Telecom New Zealand subsidiary AAPT, in a move that also resolves long-standing questions about AAPT's shareholding in iiNet.
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.
Google grilled in privacy enquiry
Google today faced a public grilling from Australian senators in a privacy enquiry in Canberra today, with questions on topics ranging from its high-profile blunder in collecting Wi-Fi data with its Street View cars, to whether it uses "cookies" and whether it monitors the PCs of its employees to prevent data leakage.
Aussie Oracle/Sun partners talk merger
Several key Australian partners have welcomed the acquisition of Sun Microsystems by software giant Oracle, which recently won the approval of the European Union,...
Foster’s loses CIO Leyden
Less than two years after being appointed to his role, and with an expected demerger of the brewer's beer and wine businesses on the cards, Foster's chief information officer Andrew Leyden has reportedly left his job for pastures unknown.
“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".
Aussie manufacturing ramped thru NBN deals
The National Broadband Network Company has inked a trio of small contracts with local equipment companies, in a move that industry minister Kim Carr today claimed would create four hundred Australian jobs.
Turnbull blames IBM, ABS for Census website failure
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has put some the blame for the failure of the Census website on the shoulders of IBM, saying the measures the firm put in place for the functioning of the site were "inadequate". However, the ABS also came in for some flak.
What does 158kg of R18+ submissions look like?
Video games retailer EB Games today revealed it had received over 46,000 submissions from customers in support of a new R18+ Australian classification category...
KPMG launches fintech startup accelerator for corporates
KPMG Australia has announced the launch of a corporate-focused accelerator called mLabs that is intended to connect mutual banks and credit unions with Australian fintech startups.
Give Armidale numbers a chance, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy today said reports of low customer numbers on the fledgling National Broadband Network rollout in Armidale were "misleading and ironic", given the network only launched on the mainland yesterday.
Pirate Party, EFA hail ‘common sense’ victory
The Pirate Party Australia has welcomed iiNet's internet piracy victory over a coalition of film and TV studios, describing it as "a victory for common sense", while civil liberties group Electronic Frontiers Australia said sanity had prevailed.
Turnbull ignores NBN in campaign launch while Shorten goes hard
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears to have deliberately avoided mentioning the National Broadband Network in the official Liberal election campaign launch, in stark contrast to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who has mentioned Labor's pledge for a "first-rate" NBN frequently over the past several days.
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.
Veteran resigns ‘mouthpiece’ Qld Govt Workgroup
One of the most high-profile figures in Queensland's technology sector has resigned his post on the State Government's ICT industry committee, in protest against a crackdown he claimed had seen the group effectively "gagged" and used as a mouthpiece for the Government.
Fifield leaves door open for greater NBN FTTP rollout
Senator Mitch Fifield appears to have opened the door for the NBN company to change its percentage mix of broadband technologies, in his first interview since being sworn in as Malcolm Turnbull’s replacement Communications Minister on Monday this week.
AFR claims on NBN sale just plain “wrong”, says Fifield
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield today flatly rejected claims by the Financial Review newspaper that the Government was in talks to sell the bulk of the National Broadband Network to Telstra for as little as $20 billion, stating: "There are no plans to sell NBN".
HP takes cloud step with MMG win
Technology giant HP this week took one of its first major steps into Australia's emerging cloud computing market, picking up a four-year IT transformation project with local miner Minerals and Metals Group which will see the company implement a hybrid cloud environment.
Fifield rejects concerns about $641m NBN FTTN blowout
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield this afternoon refused to substantially answer questions in the Senate about leaked internal NBN documents showing that the cost of remediating Telstra's copper network has blown out by a factor of ten times to $641 million, instead attacking Labor for its performance with respect to the project.
Suncorp picks Oracle to replace core
Tier two banking and insurance giant Suncorp has picked Oracle's next-generation banking platform to replace its aging Hogan core banking system, as the momentum around core banking replacement projects accelerates in Australia.
Screw you, Australia: Game of Thrones goes Foxtel-only
Want to watch HBO's Game of Thrones show in Australia without signing up to a pricey Foxtel subscription? Bad luck: As of this week you're out of legal options. Foxtel has reportedly signed a deal with HBO which will block the show from airing through any other medium -- at all -- apart from DVD release, in a move which appears set to drive more Australians to downloading the show via file-sharing protocols such as BitTorrent.
Delays hit NAB’s core banking project
Delays appears to have struck the National Australia Bank's core banking modernisation project, with the bank yesterday revealing it had pushed back the implementation of the foundation of its new Oracle-based platform to 2012, having focused on other aspects of the project this year.
Has Fortescue dumped BlackBerry for Nokia?
Australian iron ore group Fortescue metals has declined to comment on an unverified rumour that the company has recently deployed over 600 new staff smartphones, allegedly swapping out its existing BlackBerry fleet in the latest corporate switch to Microsoft's rival Windows Phone 7 ecosystem.
Labor MP tables anti-TPP petition with over 300,000 signatures
An anti-Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) petition with over 300,000 signatures has been has tabled before Parliament by Labor MP Melissa Parke.
Turnbull rejects MyRepublic’s “confounding” NBN critique
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has rejected what he described as MyRepublic’s “confounding” comments on the Coalition’s Multi-Technology version of the NBN, among other arguments reminding the Singaporean company of cost differences when deploying fibre in Australia.
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.
Two years on, Virgin happy with Exadata
When it was first revealed in 2008, Oracle's Exadata machine was an unproven new factor; its new model tying Oracle's software to a specific hardware platform for the first time. But two years after its implementation, one of the first Australian customers to deploy an Exadata has praised the platform, giving credence to the idea that it has earnt its place.
NBN raids an “attack on press freedom”, says media union
Australia's peak media union has described last night's Australian Federal Police raids as an "attack on press freedom", stating that the action by the NBN company and law enforcement represented a "disturbing new twist in pursuit of whistleblowers and legitimate public interest journalism".
Experts agree: Labor’s NBN ads are false
A trio of Australia's most prominent telecommunications analysts have reportedly backed complaints by the Coalition that much of Labor's election campaign material about the National Broadband Network contains outright lies or otherwise misleading material.
BT FTTN network hits 25 million premises milestone
BT has announced that its UK wholesale fibre network, Openreach, has passed the 25-million premises milestone.
Conroy slams Turnbull’s “half-baked” NBN plan
Communications Minister Stephen COnroy yesterday attacked the Coalition's plans for an alternative to the National Broadband Network, calling the rival policy as “half-baked” and cobbled together.
Australian Govt says hands tied on Assange
The Australian Government's hands are currently tied when it comes to the fate of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said last night, with the maverick Internet publisher's Australian citizenship mattering little in the scheme of Swedish legal process unless a formal extradition request was made to shift him out of the European Union.
Abbott sideswipes $466.7m e-health plan
Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott yesterday backhanded the Government over its $466.7 million commitment to a national electronic health identifier project in the Federal Budget handed down on Tuesday.
Key commentators agree the NBN should be broken up, sold off
Several influential commentators on the National Broadband Network have publicly agreed over the past several days with Infrastructure Australia's recommendation that the NBN company should be broken up into chunks along technological lines and privatised.
iiNet wins High Court Internet piracy trial
iiNet today emerged victorious in a landmark High Court victory against a coalition of film and TV studios on the issue of Internet piracy through peer to peer platforms like BitTorrent, in the conclusion of a long-running case which is viewed as the a test for how Australia's telecommunications industry will deal with the issue in future.
Exetel shuns ‘pointless’ Interpol filter
Exetel has joined ranks with Internode and TPG with respect to the limited filtering scheme being rolled out by Telstra and Optus, with the ISP's chief executive John Linton today stating it would not implement the scheme unless required to do so by law, and describing the industry association backing the project as "a bunch of wankers with nothing better to do with their time than pointlessly pontificate".
VMware cans unpopular vRAM licensing
VMware has abandoned its unpopular memory-based licensing model introduced in 2011, in a move which will likely be welcomed by the virtualisation vendor's Australian customer base, some of whom had been vocal about the increased charges they saw as unreasonable.
Labor slams data retention funding “uncertainties”
The Labor Opposition has hit out at the way the Government handled grant assistance for companies falling under the remit of new data retention regulation.
Universities must adapt education models: Conroy
Australian universities need to adapt their education models or face becoming irrelevant, says Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Defence CTO takes Immigration CIO role
The Department of Defence's widely respected chief technology officer Matt Yannopoulous will replace Tony Kwan as chief information officer at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, it was revealed this week.
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.
Gold Coast police commences roll out of body-worn cameras
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has started a roll out of body-worn video cameras (BWV) for frontline officers on the Gold Coast, thanks to $6 million in local government funding.
Australia gets two Windows Azure datacentres
Microsoft this morning revealed plans to offer its Windows Azure platform as a service from Australian datacentres located in Sydney and Melbourne, in the latest move by a global technology giant to offer cloud computing services from Australian facilities to meet local demand and address concerns around data sovereignty.
Taxi 2.0 service Uber hits Sydney
US-based personal transport startup Uber has started testing its service in Sydney, encouraging Sydneysiders to download its mobile application and start requesting rides instead of using existing taxi services.
Federal Government spends $5bn on ICT annually
Special Minister of State Gary Gray has released a report summarising expenditure by government departments in 2008–09 and 2009–10, which states that the Australian Government is a major consumer and producer of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and solutions, with an annual expenditure of $5 billion.
Virgin yawns at VHA plan changes
Carrier Virgin Mobile today crowed over a series of changes to capped plans made by rival Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA), saying the company was simply copying its existing offering.
Wireless could beat NBN’s fibre, claims AFR
In its main masthead editorial, The Financial Review newspaper this morning published a number of heavily disputed statements regarding the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project, including backing the controversial claim that a new generation of wireless technologies could make the NBN's fibre rollout obsolete.
Melbourne CDN startup wins $2.3 million
Melbourne-based cloud content delivery network startup MetaCDN this week revealed it had completed one of the largest early stage investment rounds in an Australian technology startup over the past several years, winning $2.3 million in funding from investors including Starfish Ventures and the University of Melbourne Endowment fund.
Qld Govt airs plans to boost electric vehicle uptake
The Queensland Government is developing a strategy aimed to "encourage and facilitate" electric vehicle (EV) uptake, according to the state's Energy Minister, Mark Bailey.
HTC loses high-profile local exec Petts
Smartphone giant HTC has lost its highest-profile Australian executive to Motorola, just weeks before the flagship Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona, at which the company is expected to make further announcements about new handsets to arrive in 2011.
Deakin Uni addresses student needs with Citrix cloud
Victoria's Deakin University has deployed a cloud platform based on Citrix technology in order to provide a solution for the evolving needs of its 53,000 students, Citrix has announced.
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.
SMS in due diligence on two acquisitions
Australian IT services company SMS Managament & Technology today said it was in due diligence with two potential acquisition targets as it looked to continue to bolt on other companies to its already growing base.
WA agencies lack ICT strategic plans
An audit of Western Australian departments and agencies have found a number lacked comprehensive or up to date strategic ICT plans, as well as potential conflicts of interest in their purchasing of technology-related goods and services.
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.
Connecting to Australia’s first digital technology curriculum
Australia finally has its first digital technology curriculum which is mandatory for all Australian children from Foundation, the name replacing kindergarten, to Year 8.
Telstra, Optus, TPG, spend $1.9bn on spectrum
The Australian Communications and Media Authority this morning revealed that the majority of its auction of wireless spectrum, as expected, was snapped up by Telstra and Optus to fuel their 4G mobile broadband rollouts, with surprise bidder TPG also picking up a tiny portion of spectrum. The total raised from the sale was $1.9 billion.
Qantas to use NBN, ViaSat to deliver in-flight Wi-Fi from 2017
Qantas is set to introduce inflight Wi-Fi from next year under a partnership with international broadband services provider ViaSat and the NBN network.
Sydney iPhone 4 launch: Photos by Optus
In these photos, Optus takes us on a tour through its iPhone 4 launch in Sydney last night — including a special performance by former Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland.
NextDC confirms second Melbourne data centre will follow equity raising
Australian firm NextDC has announced it plans to raise equity to fund the building of two new data centres, including a second facility in Melbourne.
Rudd misleads the public on mobile blackspots
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today made what appeared to be an extremely inaccurate statement claiming the Federal Government was taking steps to address mobile blackspots around Australia, when in fact Labor has not taken any steps on the issue in the six years it has been in power.
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.
Foxtel launches special Game of Thrones plan
Foxtel is offering a discounted subscription to its Premium plan for the broadcast of HBO's much anticipated Game of Thrones Season 6, which the company will commence airing on Monday, 25 April.
Telstra plans 5G trial with Ericsson tech
Telstra has announced it will soon be testing 5G with Ericsson's radio test bed to examine the potential of the technology.
$100k fine: Software cops bust ad agency
A un-named Melbourne-based advertising agency has agreed to pay $100,000 in damages to an alliance representing software companies, after it admitted it didn't have licences for all of the software it was using.
MySpace co-chief Jones hits Australia this week
The co-president of global social network giant MySpace will this week hit Australian shores to speak at an event in Sydney.
Digital Transformation Office adds Sydney digs as formal hiring campaign kicks off
The Federal Government’s Digital Transformation Office has revealed plans to locate a small office on-campus at the University of Technology Sydney, as well as embarking on a rapid hiring campaign in which it will seek the best Australian technologists to help deliver lasting changing in government IT service delivery.
Telstra, Nokia jack up Aussie Lumia 2520 pricing
Nokia this week revealed that its flagship Lumia 2520 tablet would be sold in Australia principally through the nation's largest telco Telstra, but with a significant markup on the unit's price which will see Australians slugged with around 56 percent more for the exact same product than United States buyers will pay.
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.
Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog targets Ultranet schools IT project
Victoria's Department of Education and Training’s $180 million Ultranet IT project is to be the focus of public hearings held by the state's anti-corruption commission next year.
Call me, Thodey tells Simon Hackett
Telstra chief executive David Thodey today said he had not been contacted by Internode managing director Simon Hackett in relation to the smaller telco's ongoing complaint about Telstra's wholesale prices.
Finally, Optus confirms iPhone 4 launch
The nation’s number two telco Optus has finally -- more than two weeks after its rivals -- confirmed that it will launch Apple’s flagship iPhone 4 handset when the device hits Australia in July.
Hypocrisy: Turnbull approves MTM NBN without cost/benefit analysis
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ordered the National Broadband Network Company to go ahead with the controversial 'Multi-Technology Mix' option for its broadband rollout, despite the fact that the cost/benefit analysis being conducted into the project will not be completed until the middle of 2014.
HTC Desire goes on sale today
Telstra this morning revealed that it had decided to start selling its flagship Android-based handset the HTC Desire a week early, with the mobile to go on sale from today online and at its [T]life retail outlets in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
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.
Four more cities get Telstra 30Mbps cable
Telstra has almost doubled the theoretical speeds on its HFC cable network in a clutch of cities around Australia, pushing the network from 17Mbps to 30Mbps -- despite the fact that it will stop using the network to provide broadband services as the National Broadband Network is constructed.
Turnbull a ‘failure’ as Comms Minister, says Jason Clare
The Opposition has accused Malcolm Turnbull of being a “failure” as a Communications Minister, highlighting yesterday’s launch of Fibre to the Node technology in New South Wales as a prime example of how the “self-appointed Digital Prime Minister” is taking Australia back to “pre-war technology”.
Linux.conf.au requests 2012 bid proposals
The organisation behind Australia's flagship annual Linux conference has requested formal proposals from parties interested in hosting the event in their city in 2012.
Tech.Ed 2010 in pictures
Microsoft's Tech.Ed conference kicked off this week on the Gold Coast with a bang. This photo gallery gives you a hint of what the 2,700 attendees are experiencing -- it's a big week!
Powermat chargers to hit Australia
The company behind the innovative range of Powermat cordless inductive charging devices has flagged plans to launch the products in Australia.
Powermat chargers (pictured) allow...
Greens back public input in NBN review
The Australian Greens have backed calls for the Government to allow public input into the upcoming strategic review of the future of the National Broadband Network, as pressure intensifies upon Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to support the previous Labor administration’s all-fibre NBN policy.
Telstra invests in NGINX web server project
Telstra Ventures – the venture capital arm of the major telecommunications firm – has announced a strategic investment in NGINX, a San Francisco-based company providing open-source web server software that supports many of the world’s busiest websites.
Brandis threatens ISPs with “mandatory” piracy scheme
Attorney-General George Brandis has threatened to introduce legislation to deal with the issue of Internet piracy in Australia unless the ISP and content industries can agree on a voluntary industry code to deal with the issue.
Telstra flags redundancies in Defence contract
The nation's largest telco has flagged a small redundancy and redeployment round as part of its huge $1.1 billion contract with the Department of Defence, in the latest set of job cuts that appear to be sweeping across Australia's technology and telecommunications industries.
Qld Govt Depts have no disaster recovery plan
Two sizable Queensland Government departments have no central disaster recovery plan, the state’s Auditor-General has found, despite the region’s ongoing struggles with extreme weather conditions that have previously knocked out telecommunications and data centre infrastructure.
Huawei’s high-end Android comes to Australia
Chinese hardware giant Huawei last week unveiled the Ascend P1 S this week at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). With a thickness of just 6.68mm, the Ascend P1 S is the world’s slimmest phone; and the company's working to bring it to Australia from April 2012.
Vodafail founder “pleased” by VHA overhaul
The founder of the Vodafail forum has welcomed VHA's moves this morning to completely replace its Australian mobile network infrastructure and beef up its customer service, describing them as "promising" and showing that the troubled telco has plans for the future.
Three-year NBN plan shows no politically motivated pattern
Analysis of the National Broadband Network’s three year plan released last week appears to show that the NBN company is not following a politically motivated pattern with respect to its rollout, with Labor and the Coalition largely receiving equal treatment from the company ahead of the upcoming Federal Election.
Vodafone bundles PlayBook with BlackBerry
National mobile carrier Vodafone has released a limited amount of information about how it will price Research in Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook, noting the device will be available bundled on a single monthly plan with the BlackBerry Bold 9780 handset and will launch next week on June 29.
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.
Q&A panellists agree: Politicians have completely screwed up the NBN
A trio of independent technology experts on the ABC's Q and A program last night heavily criticised Australia's political sector for politicising, lying about, and ultimately destroying the all-fibre National Broadband Network they agreed the country needed to progress its innovative future.
CommBank upgrades to IE7
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has told staff it will shortly be upgrading their desktop browser from version 6 of Microsoft's Internet Explorer software to version 7.
Budget 2016: Shorten promises Australia a “first-rate Fibre NBN”
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten this evening promised Labor would deliver Australians a "first-rate Fibre National Broadband Network" if his party wins the upcoming Federal Election, but stopped short of confirming that that network would consist of a full Fibre to the Premises rollout.
Telstra adds weekend option to home visits
The nation's largest telco Telstra will now allow its customers to book appointments for its technicians to visit their houses on weekend to fix thorny problems, ending a long-running problem where their visits were restricted to the normal working week.
Companies forgoing corporate UC for Skype
Australian enterprises have started using more public telephony and softphone services as part of their voice and video communications mix, analyst firm Telsyte has found -- with commodity platforms like Skype winning out ahead of more premium enterprise IT-focused offerings from the likes of Cisco and Avaya.
VMware appoints new Australia and New Zealand chief
VMware, a provider of cloud and virtualization software and services, has appointed Alister Dias as Vice President and Managing Director for Australia & New Zealand.
Is HP currently cutting Australian jobs?
Global technology giant HP has refused to say whether or not the 25,000 to 30,000 job cuts it is making globally will have an impact on the company’s extensive Australian workforce, although speculation flying around Australia’s IT industry this afternoon and the company’s past history suggests Australia will not be spared.
Parliament wants mandatory anti-virus, firewalls on every PC
The Federal House of Representatives’ Standing Committee and Communications has recommended that Australians be forced to install anti-virus and firewall software on their personal computers before internet providers allow them to be connected to the internet.
NBN rejects claims it puts medical alarm services at risk
The National Broadband Network has rejected as "inaccurate" claims that its next-generation infrastructure rollout is placing medical alarm services at risk.
Govt again refuses to release Attorney-General’s metadata
The Federal Government has again refused to release the telecommunications metadata of Attorney-General George Brandis, stating that to do so would require "substantial consultation with IT experts" and that it would prevent the Liberal Senator from doing his job.
Internet Australia raises concerns over ‘hidden consequences’ of TPP
Internet Australia, an organisation that represents Internet users, has called for "widespread debate" on all the provisions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, especially those that could have “hidden consequences”.
Google wants exemption from banks’ mobile payments ‘cartel’
In a letter to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Google has requested exemption from an effort by four major Australian banks to be able to collectively negotiate terms with, as well as boycott, third-party wallet app providers.
Telstra confirms BPO outsourcing
The nation's biggest telco Telstra this morning confirmed it was talking to suppliers about a potential move to outsource some back office functions, in a move which could reportedly affect some 1200 jobs.
Kaching! CommBank’s mobile payment app pays off
Less than two months since its launch, downloads of the Kaching mobile payment app from Commonwealth Bank of Australia are going through the roof. With over 110,000 downloads and an app store rating of four stars, Kaching is the second most popular free finance app in the Australian App Store, after the company’s NetBank app, CommBank revealed this week.
NBN hard rollout data ‘not yet finalised’
The National Broadband Network Company has again declined to release hard data measures relating to the rollout and uptake of its fibre infrastructure in the last quarter of 2012, stating that the figures were still being "finalised", despite stating the release of more nebulous rollout data last week meant it was meeting its targets.
How to fix NBN Fixed Wireless: Install a roof antenna extension
Having trouble with your NBN Fixed Wireless connection? The solution may be simple: Install a 'mast' on the roof of your premises that will boost your antenna higher than nearby trees. It sounds stupid, but it's done the trick for some -- and it may fix your connection too.
CommBank talks cloud computing: Video
In this interview with iTnews, Commonwealth Bank of Australia executive general manager of service support Nick Holdsworth talks about the company's cloud computing infrastructure and what it means for the bank.
Whirlpool users support NBN opt-out policy
An extensive survey of broadband users by online forum Whirlpool has found that most support the so-called ‘opt-out’ approach to rolling out the National Broadband Network, and that overall sentiment towards the NBN policy as a whole has rapidly improved over the past several years.
Government to retain ownership of Canberra’s ICON network
The Federal Government has announced it will not sell off the Intra Government Communications Network (ICON) – a fibre network connecting public service buildings throughout Canberra.
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.
Telstra hosts midnight iPad launch tonight
The nation's largest telco Telstra has revealed plans to open its flagship downtown retail stores in Sydney and Melbourne at midnight tonight (Thursday night) to start selling Apple's new iPad tablet, eight hours ahead of planned retail launches by Optus, Vodafone and Apple itself.
BT follows NBN with ‘skinny’ fibre trials in UK
British telco BT has reportedly followed the NBN company in Australia and conducted trials of so-called 'skinny' fibre technology that could allow the telco to substantially cut the cost of deploying fibre throughout its network.
Knowledge database Quora lures Australians
International use of the site has exploded over the past few months as the social knowledge sharing site has gone viral, and Australians have not proven immune to its charm, as the nation slowly works out how Quora's innovative knowledge database can be used Down Under.
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.
Audit details: WA Health’s decade of IT failure
Western Australia's Auditor-General has delivered a damning report of decade-long efforts by the state's health department to replace its ailing patient administration system, finding allocated funds had not been spent and a replacement was unlikely to be implemented until at least 2014 in the city and 2018 in the bush.
Mainland NBN test sites: The buildout begins
The National Broadband Network will be rolled out to five “first release” trial sites in mainland Australia starting shortly, NBN Co announced today, with...
NBN Co adds “build preparation” zones into map
The National Broadband Network Company yesterday revealed it had added a new category of construction into its dynamically updated network rollout map, with the company now providing additional transparency around areas where "build preparation" activities are being undertaken ahead of the actual physical construction of its network.
16 weeks later, Optus launches terabyte plans
Almost four months after iiNet and others shook up the market with what were dubbed Australia's first terabyte broadband plans, the nation's second-largest telco has come to the party, updating its offerings to bring it into the terabyte league.
Kindle Paperwhite lands at Dick Smith, Big W
Amazon has announced that it will shortly selling the new version of its popular Kindle Paperwhite unit through Australian retailers Dick Smith and Big W.
Telstra confirms Ericsson deal talks
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning confirmed it was in talks with Swedish networking giant Ericsson, which built its flagship Next G mobile network, for a major network expansion project reportedly worth $473 million.
Labor’s NBN was a “fantasy model”, says Fifield, despite FTTP progress
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has described the previous Labor Government’s near-universal Fibre to the Premises approach to the National Broadband Network as a “fantasy model” and “unachievable”, despite the fact that almost all of the progress on the NBN thus far has been based on that model.
Turnbull insists MTM CBN not “old technology”
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has issued a statement insisting that the Coalition's new "Multi-Technology Mix" approach to its Coalition's Broadband Network (CBN) project is "NOT" "old technology", despite that several of its constituent parts -- the existing copper and HFC cable networks -- 15 years to many decades old.
ASG to provide Windows 10 desktop as a service for Finance Dept
IT services player ASG Group has inked a four-year agreement with government to provide a 'desktop as a service' solution for the Department of Finance.
“Insufficient evidence”: Telcos pan surveillance reforms
A number of major telecommunications companies including iiNet and Macquarie Telecom, as well as telco and ISP representative industry groups, have expressed sharp concern over the Federal Government's proposed package of surveillance and data retention reforms, stating that "insufficient evidence" had been presented to justify them.
Details unclear in CSC’s iSOFT buy
US-headquartered IT services giant CSC was today unable to provide any substantive detail about how its planned acquisition of listed Australian e-health player iSOFT would affect customers or staff, noting the buyout process had only just begun.
Google Wi-Fi gaffe breached Privacy Act: Commissioner
Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis (pictured) today said her investigation into Google's inadvertent collection of Wi-Fi payload data through its Street View vehicles showed any collection of personal data by the search giant "would have" breached the Australian Privacy Act.
ShoreTel deploys unified communications for Brimbank City Council
ShoreTel, a California-based provider of phone systems and unified communications (UC) solutions, has announced it has deployed a unified communications solution for Brimbank City Council in Victoria.
“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.
Pirate Party slams full body scanner plan
Pirate Party Australia has condemned the Labor Government’s plan to install compulsory full body scanners at Australia’s international airports in an attempt to strengthen anti-terrorism measures. The Party claims that these systems have repeatedly proven ineffective and that the privacy and economic costs far outweigh any supposed security benefits.
Optus offers “Unlimited” broadband plans
The nation's second-largest telco Optus has revamped its broadband plans, including new "Unlimited" download quotes and sizable allowances even on lower-end plans -- for...
Video: Melbourne startup Skitch
In this video, Techfluff.tv talks to Melbourne-based startup Skitch for The Next Web’s Melbourne Silicon Beach series on local technology startups. Skitch is a Mac application which allows users to easily capture and edit images. It’s garnered rave reviews and also has a web service associated with it.
Airline CIO legend Stephen Tame quits Jetstar
The long-time chief information officer of Qantas subsidiary Jetstar, Stephen Tame, has resigned from his role, leaving a legacy of innovative IT implementations and practices behind him that will not easily be forgotten in Australia's IT industry.
Telstra migrates email offshore to Windows Live
Australia’s largest telco Telstra has promised its BigPond customers a faster and enhanced email service named BigPond with Windows Live, without the need to change email addresses. The caveat? Their data will now also be stored offshore with Microsoft.
Toshiba Android tablet trio hits Australia
Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer Toshiba has launched three new tablets in Australia, all running the latest version 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) of Google's Android platform and in sizes ranging from 7.7" to a large 13.3".
Accel pumps $35m into 99designs
US venture capital powerhouse Accel Partners has invested $35 million into fast-growing crowdsourced design marketplace 99designs, which is headquartered in Melbourne and was created in early 2008 by the founders of popular online web development forum SitePoint.
Industry ‘confused’ on e-health funding, says Ovum
Analyst house Ovum has questioned the Federal Government's Budget commitment of $466.7 million to create a national health identifier system, saying industry reaction to the scheme is typified by "confusion" about its implementation and claimed results.
Jump On It makes founders overnight millionaires
Think Australia doesn't have what it takes to build a new Google or Facebook? Think again.
Incompetence: NBN Co forced to ‘re-do’ segments
The National Broadband Network Company is reportedly being forced to re-do portions of its fibre rollout in some areas because of the incompetence of its contractors, according to leaked documents the Financial Review newspaper published from within the company this morning.
Deloitte surveys state of tech in Aussie business
A national survey conducted by the the Australian Industry Group and Deloitte of Australian chief executives has revealed that business investment in new technologies is resulting in higher productivity, better innovation, improved energy efficiencies and better work safety. The survey involved 540 CEOs across many sectors including manufacturing, services and construction.
Systems for People done, Correll retires
Long-time Department of Immigration and Citizenship chief information officer Bob Correll has retired from his role, following the completion of most of the work under the department's mammoth Systems for People internal technology revamp.
Rightscorp receives Australian patent for Internet piracy tracker
US-headquartered copyright enforcement company Rightscorp this week revealed it had received an Australian patent for its technique for identifying copyright infringement online, in a move that appears to signal the organisation’s plans to target Internet pirates down under.
Qld school iPad trial a strong success
Queensland’s education department has published several extensive reports detailing recent trials of iPads within the classroom, with the documents overwhelmingly classing the Apple tablets as a success, including in their ability to help students improve their academic performance.
TPG is rapidly expanding … NBN or not
TPG’s results briefing package yesterday was, as per its custom, relatively sparse – just a page and a half of management commentary and a brief PowerPoint pack focused on the numbers. But if you delve beneath the surface at the telco, you’ll find a hive of activity.
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.
Internode warns: New PoI model could consolidate ISP industry
Simon Hackett on Sunday published a strident critique of the large number of Points of Interconnect (PoIs) model being promulgated by Australia’s larger telcos, instead backing NBN Co’s own minimalist vision. But what does the Internode chief think of the new model outlined by the Government yesterday, which mandates a number somewhere in between?
Attorney-General won’t confirm TSSR bill revamp
Attorney-General George Brandis has refused to confirm whether the Government will accede to the Opposition’s demand that it provide a revised draft of its planned telco national security bill, in the wake of loud complaints from Australia’s entire technology sector about the controversial legislation.
VMware appoints new Asia-Pacific chief
Virtualisation giant VMware has announced the hiring of a new regional chief for the Asia Pacific and Japan.
Tasmania mandates opt-out NBN model
The Tasmanian Government this afternoon revealed it would prepare legislation to mandate an "opt-out" model for the National Broadband Network rollout in the state -- essentially meaning all premises will receive the infrastructure unless they explicitly choose not to.
Simon Hackett needs one of these babies
Eagle-eyed Twitterer Eric spotted this little hot rod being towed around Adelaide this afternoon. Our only question is, does Internode MD Simon Hackett drive it himself? Obviously he’s already got his Tesla Roadster … but this baby looks like it’d be fun as well.
Tyreright chooses Rackspace for cloud and hosting services
Automotive e-commerce site Tyreright has moved to Rackspace for its cloud and hosting services.
Sponsored post: Who is Integ?
Integ is an integrator of voice, communications and data network solutions for corporate and government in Australia. We've been in operation now for nine years, and have grown to a base of 165 people, spread across seven locations around the country -- servicing some 600 customers.
Telstra creates 3G Wi-Fi hotspot … in a thong
Yes, you read the headline right. In what appears to be yet another stroke of marketing genius, Telstra has paid some larrikin (or is it one of its own employees?) to cut a square shape in a common thong, and insert a 3G modem to create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.
Canon faces union battle over CSG deal
The Australian Services Union has taken Canon to workplace tribunal Fair Work Australia over the transfer of technicians to the Japanese imaging giant from IT services firm CSG.
14 Dec: Galaxy Nexus to launch in Australia
Korean manufacturer Samsung has confirmed it will officially launch its highly anticipated Galaxy Nexus handset in Australia on 14 December, although details of carrier availability remain absent for now.
Queensland scientists testing ‘space beer’
A critical element of humanity's voyage to the stars.
Elders inks seven-year outsourcing deal with HP
In an announcement yesterday, HP revealed that diversified local company Elders had signed it for a seven-year infrastructure and applications services agreement. Elders is a 172-year-old company incorporating the Elders rural services businesses and the automotive and forestry operations acquired and developed by Futuris Corporation.
Critics “mistaken”, says NBN Co: We’re not going to “scrap” Optus HFC
The NBN company today said those who believed it was going to "scrap" Optus' HFC cable network were "mistaken", and that leaked documents published last week showing the network was not fit for use as part of the National Broadband Network were only a "hypothetical exercise".
Optus to transition Adelaide Festival Centre to Office 365 and Azure
Optus is to transition the existing IT infrastructure platform of the Adelaide Festival Centre to a hybrid cloud platform leveraging Microsoft Azure and Office 365.
Abbott’s cuts are reckless, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has described Opposition Leader Tony Abbott as "reckless" and election promises to save millions by dropping a training fund for Telstra employees and other sections of NBN Co's deal with Telstra as "senseless cuts".
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.
Will Victoria’s Coalition Govt back NBN opt-out?
Victoria's Coalition Government-Elect has given tantalising signs that its support for the National Broadband Network rollout in the state will not be as complete as that of its Labor predecessor.
Digital Education Revolution broadly on track
The Federal Government's auditor yesterday revealed Labor's $2.2 billion dollar Digital Education Revolution was well placed to deliver one computer to every student in Years 9 to 12, by the end of 2011.
Pure massacre: Optus sacks 750
The nation's number two telco Optus this morning revealed plans to sack some 750 staff, in a company-wide restructure which it claimed was aimed at giving customers "a stronger voice".
Google didn’t collect bank data: Privacy Commissioner
Federal Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis appears to have directly contradicted a claim by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy that Google may have collected internet banking information as part of Wi-Fi data scooped up by its Street View cars as they travelled the globe.
Pyne’s comments on fast Internet “just wrong”, says SAGE-AU
IT professionals advocacy group SAGE-AU has criticised recent comments by Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne that suggested Australians do not need fast Internet.
NBN Co offers $108 bounty on new customers
The National Broadband Network Company has kicked off what it described as a “promotional” initiative which will see it pay retail Internet service providers $108 per end user customer who signs up to the network by the end of June, a period shortly before the next Federal Election is to be held.
Coalition attacks “discount” NBN ISPs Exetel, Dodo
Coalition MP and former Optus executive Paul Fletcher has attacked early NBN pricing released by cut-rate ISPs Exetel and Dodo, claiming the pair's commercial plans didn't reflect the reality of what he said would be increased pricing on the NBN compared to today's existing broadband options.
SEEK loses one of the Bassats
Paul Bassat co-founded online employment site SEEK as a self-admitted “cash-strapped startup” back in 1997. Today the executive announced he would resign his post as joint-SEEK CEO at the end of the 2011 financial year, leaving his brother Andrew and fellow multi-millionaire in charge.
NRL, AFL win appeal in Optus TV Now case
The full bench of the Federal Court has ruled that Optus's TV Now online television recording service is in breach of the Copyright Act, in the next stage of a closely watched lawsuit seeing the National Rugby League (and eventually the AFL and Telstra) pitted against the telco for its attempt to make TV broadcasts more readily available to customers online.
Radio shockjocks diss NBN during paid ads
NBN Co has shifted some of its radio advertising away from 2GB after the station's well-known conservative shockjock Ray Hadley and another presenter standing in for his colleague Alan Jones criticised the project on air, directly before reading paid advertising for NBN Co which factually explained details of the rollout.
“An absolute national imperative”: Matt Barrie’s epic rant on Australia’s IT investment
Freelancer.com chief executive Matt Barrie has published an impassioned article on his LinkedIn profile strongly heavily criticising the Government for its underinvestment in the technology sector, which he said had led to a situation where Australia is devoid of good IT talent and "missing out" on the ongoing industry revolution.
15-year-old IT system helped Victoria lose $886m
The Victorian Ombudsman has found that the poor-performing nature of a 15-year-old IT system operated by the State Government has been one of the main contributors to the state losing more than $1.2 billion of revenue from millions of uncollected legal infringement fines. A project to replace the system kicked off in 2007 has not yet delivered on its aims.
HTC One XL on sale: Compatible with Telstra 4G
Independent mobile retailer Mobicity has started selling a version of HTC's flagship HTC One XL smartphone which will fully function on Telstra's 4G mobile network, ahead of an expected launch by the telco of the device in the next month or so.
NBN Co releases new rollout schedule
NBN Co has this morning released a schedule for the beginning of works on second release sites across New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.
NBN FTTN analysis “devastating” for Coalition
A "devastating" leaked internal NBN analysis partially published over the past week "pulls apart" the Coalition's Fibre to the Node plan for the National Broadband, the Opposition said this week, as pressure grows on Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull over the issue.
iiNet’s piracy stance attracts global praise
A decision by Australia's third-largest ISP to pull out of controversial secret talks with the content industry over Internet piracy issues has attracted international attention, with global commentators and readers highlighting the ISP's approach as a sensible one to dealing with litigious film and TV studios.
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.
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.
Unlimited 76Mbps for $38: BT’s awesome FTTN prices
British telco BT has temporarily drastically cut the price of accessing its Fibre to the Node-style network, delivering speeds and data quotes unheard of in Australia, in another demonstration of the national consequences of the failure of the Australian Government's telecommunications policies over the past decade.
Video: WA Premier cans shared services project
In this video published by the Western Australian Government today, WA Premier Colin Barnett outlines the Government's response to a damning report into its eight year-long shared services project, which has run significantly over time and over budget.
Government role in NBN needs “re-evaluation”, says US think tank
The Technology Policy Institute, a US-based think tank, has published a paper on the NBN concluding that, while the network was set up to increase competition in the broadband sector, as well as boost quality and lower prices, it has evolved into a "intrusive policy subject to political pressures".
Late to the party: Vodafone still wants to provide fixed NBN services
Mobile telco Vodafone has confirmed it is still planning to eventually offer fixed broadband services over the National Broadband Network’s infrastructure, despite the fact that its trial over the NBN died a quiet death several years ago.
Vodafone wallops Telstra, Optus in 4G speeds
A new series of independent tests has shown the 4G network of ailing mobile telco Vodafone can easily beat the rival networks of Telstra and Optus, at least in capital cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, with the telco claiming the results show it is the best option for streaming content and general Internet surfing.
Report savages NT Govt’s ICT performance
The Northern Territory's parliament has published a landmark report into the management of ICT projects by its departments and agencies, finding a similar list of disasters as have been suffered by other state jurisdictions in Australia and recommending the immediate appointment of a whole of government chief information officer to help rectify the systemic issues.
Closed Govt: Coalition may walk away from transparency
The Coalition Federal Government has reportedly signalled it is reconsidering the previous Labor administration's commitment to join the multilateral Open Government Partnership aimed at increasing citizen engagement and government transparency, in a move which would place Australia alongside just one other nation to withdraw: Russia.
$20,000 for 1Gbps: Turnbull’s Lateline lie
Malcolm Turnbull appears to have made a deliberate attempt to mislead the public about the cost of connecting to the National Broadband Network's upcoming 1Gbps fibre service, claiming on national television last night that such connections would cost "at least $20,000" a month, despite the fact that the Shadow Communications Minister is aware the cost is likely to be much less.
Renewtek buy brings Vietnam capability to SMS
SMS Management & Technology has delivered on its promises to continue growing through acquisition, picking up local enterprise content and business process management group Renewtek in a purchase that will bring it 140 staff, $17.3 million in annual revenues and an offshore facility in Saigon, Vietnam.
SAP Australia poaches Unisys chief
The Australian division of German software giant SAP today confirmed it had poached Andrew Barkla, the long-serving Asia-Pacific chief of IT services giant Unisys to lead its Australian operations, following the departure of incumbent Tim Ebbeck in January this year.
Will Finance split AGIMO in two?
One of the key questions which Ian Reinecke was commissioned to answer in his review of how successful the Federal Government has been in implementing the recommendations stemming from the Gershon review was what the future of the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO).
Delicious buys Aussie startup Trunk.ly
Global social bookmarking company Delicious has bought Australian startup Trunk.ly, less than a year after the site launched in the wake of Delicious' own temporary sunset at the hands of former owner Yahoo.
Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge to hit Australia in early March
Samsung has announced that the latest additions to its Galaxy range – the S7 and S7 edge mobile phones – will be available in Australia from the middle of March.
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".
Conroy promises “more of the same” ICT policy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy did not outline any new significant election policies in the technology field during a speech to the cream of Australia’s technology sector in Melbourne today – promising instead “more of the same”.
Five months after deleting it, AGL reinstates CIO role
Utility AGL Energy this week revealed it had hired a new permanent chief information officer, pinching a senior Commonwealth Bank IT executive to fill the role it had deleted from its executive roster only five months ago.
Qantas CIO jets off to France
Qantas this afternoon revealed its chief information officer Luc Hennekens would leave the company at the end of September, after three years leading the IT operation of Australia's largest airline.
DTO immigration project passes first test
A new booking service being developed by the Digital Transformation Office (DTO) and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection for people about to take their citizenship test has passed its first assessment.
Impolite Turnbull tweet sparks NBN backlash
A flippant response by Malcolm Turnbull to broadband problems being suffered by a high-flying small business owner and executive has backfired on the Communications Minister, with a plethora of responses being published on the social networking site slamming the new Coalition Government's controversial revision of Labor's popular National Broadband Network policy.
Amazon’s Android Appstore is US-only
Web services and e-commerce giant Amazon has limited its mobile app store launched overnight to use by United States customers only, and has placed tax restrictions on international developers selling their software through the new platform.
Videos: iiNet and AFACT face the media
Minutes after Justice Cowdroy today handed iiNet a sound victory in the Australian ISP's long-running battle against a coalition of film and television studios,...
Electricity outage takes Centrelink services down
Centrelink suffered a power outage to a datacentre in Canberra last Friday morning that crippled phone, web and face to face services nationwide. Staff were said to be sent home early for at least one Canberra branch and were kept in the dark about what had happened.
Carr: CSIRO still worse off than before election
An opposition minister has said that the CSIRO is still worse off than it was before the last election – despite funding announced in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Innovation Statement on 7 December.
Online retailer sidesteps carriers’ Android lockdown
Online mobile phone retailer Mobicity has started taking pre-orders from Australians for the hottest next-generation smartphones unveiled over the past several months, promising the devices will ship months before they're slated to go on sale through the normal channels of mobile telcos Down Under.
“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.
ACCC calls for better broadband speed information
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has called for consumers to be provided with better information about broadband speeds.
Australia’s first driverless bus takes to the road
Australia’s first "fully driverless" and electric shuttle bus took to the streets of South Perth yesterday for the on-road stage of its ongoing trial, according to the RAC.
Capgemini launches Backelite digital service in Australia
Capgemini, the international consulting, IT and outsourcing services firm, has announced the Australian launch of Backelite, its digital service design consultancy.
An unusual entrance at Pollenizer’s Christmas party
Web startup consultancy and seed fund Pollenizer last night held its Christmas party on the balcony above its Surry Hills, Sydney offices, in coalition with the Silicon Beach community of local tech startups. At one stage, co-founder Mick Liubinskas makes an unusual entrance, introduced by the company's other co-founder, Phil Morle.
It’s Toshiba’s turn for an Android tablet
Toshiba has joined the long queue of international manufacturers launching an Android tablet in Australia, revealing late yesterday that its AT100 tablet would reach Australian shores at the end of this month.
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.
Parallels opens Australian office
Virtualisation specialist Parallels -- best known for its software which lets Mac users run Windows applications on their Apple desktop -- has opened an office in Australia, on the back of strong local interest in its products.
Internode slashes FetchTV prices
In an effort to draw more subscribers to Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), national broadband provider Internode late last week announced that prices for its FetchTV service have been cut by one-third.
Conroy reveals mysterious Telstra “subsidies”
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday reportedly revealed a mysterious set of "subsidies" being provided to Telstra to maintain services to certain broadband customers would be maintained under Labor's National Broadband Network project -- but without disclosing much in the way of details under the scheme.
Australia’s NBN is nothing like Korea, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has delivered an impassioned speech arguing much of the reality around the nature broadband has been lost in the national NBN debate, and that Australia’s fibre to the home rollout is unusual even by the standards of international broadband centres like Korea.
Equinix completes expansion of Melbourne datacentre
Equinix, an international provider of datacentres and Internet exchanges, has completed the second phase expansion of its Melbourne datacentre, known as ME1.
ICAC to investigate NSW TAFE ICT manager
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will hold a public inquiry starting on 17 August 2015 as part of an investigation it is conducting into allegations that a TAFE ICT manager dishonestly obtained over $1.7 million from the Department of Education and Communities TAFE South West Sydney Institute (SWSI).
University of Melbourne launches new hybrid supercomputer
The University of Melbourne has launched a new supercomputing service called Spartan it says will boost research at the institution.
US VC firm pumps $30m into Aussie software vendor
US-based venture capital firm Technology Crossover Ventures has invested $30 million into Australia-based company SiteMinder, which develops software that allows hotels to better monetise their inventory themselves and via more easily connecting to online platforms.
Telstra calls for USO to be maintained
Telstra has said that the universal service obligation (USO), which guarantees that every Australian has reasonable access to a phone, should not be abandoned.
Data retention goes back to drawing board: Parliament’s report criticises AGD secrecy
The Parliamentary Committee examining the Government's controversial national security reforms has recommended that the data retention segments of the reforms go through the committee process once again and criticised the Attorney-General's Department for the cloak of secrecy it has hung around the issue.
Is IBM’s Flight Deck union debacle over?
IBM today said it had concluded long-running talks with the Australian Services Union that saw the pair front up earlier this year before workplace...
NBN Co gets new chairman
A new chairman with a history leading the Asian division of finance giant Morgan Stanley has been appointed to the National Broadband Network Company, with incumbent Mike Quigley to relinquish the role but keep his permanent chief executive officer spot.
Success: “Skinny” fibre trial cut FTTP costs by $450, rollout time by 4 weeks
The NBN company this morning revealed that its trial of "skinny fibre" to some 4,500 homes in the Victorian towns of Ballarat and Karingal had been highly successful, cutting the cost per premise of a Fibre to the Premise rollout by $450 and the rollout time by four weeks.
Australian spam goes on holiday
Australia's spam rate has fallen by more than 15 per cent since July 2010, and it's now 1.3 percentage point below the average 78.6 per cent registered globally by Symantec.
Home truths: Baxter points out how ridiculous NBN speed tiers truly are
One of Australia's most successful and experienced technology entrepreneurs has published an extraordinary analysis of the NBN company's technical model, highlighting the sheer stupidity of speed tiers on a fiber network which offers essentially unlimited speeds, as well as a wide range of other obvious problems.
Turnbull defends Geelong MP from FTTN critics
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning travelled to Geelong to spruik the benefits of its looming Fibre to the Node deployment, braving the ire of local residents and Labor politicians, who are increasingly demanding local Liberal MP Sarah Henderson support the technically superior Fibre to the Premises version of the NBN instead.
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.
Get nicked, Conroy: Baillieu rejects opt-out NBN
The new Coalition State Government in Victoria has given its clearest signal yet that it will reject the 'opt-out' model for the National Broadband Network rollout in the state, meaning residents will need to actively choose to receive fibre when it hits their neighbourhood.
HTC Desire S heads to Telstra
Telstra is hoarding new smartphones in Barcelona, with the telco confirming today it would exclusively bring the next-generation HTC Desire S to Australia in 2011, in a move which echoes its lockdown control on the distribution of the original HTC Desire throughout 2010.