Second fatality mars NBN rollout
The National Broadband Network project has suffered what is believed to be its second fatality, with a contractor in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba reported to have lost his life while working on NBN infrastructure on Friday.
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.
Vodafone 4G network reaches 23 million Australians
Vodafone has announced that its 4G network now reaches almost 23 million Australians, or more than 95% of the country's population.
Labor will dump FTTP NBN policy, says Fifield
Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield has hit out at Labor's stance on the NBN's underlying technology, saying the opposition party could to be preparing to abandon its position on fibre to the premises (FTTP).
Australia’s broadband ranking dive shows MTM right for NBN, says Fifield
A recent Akamai report showing that Australia has taken a deep slide downwards in global broadband rankings represents evidence that the Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix approach is right for the National Broadband Network, Comms Minister Mitch Fifield said today.
Vodafone reveals 70 new base stations to fix mobile blackspots
Vodafone has announced the full rollout schedule for new base stations to be built under the first round of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.
Labor slams Turnbull’s record on tackling multinational tax avoidance
Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh has slammed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's record on tackling multinational tax avoidance, following a massive leak of documents from a Panamanian legal firm.
Fifield keeps pressure on Labor for ‘lack of NBN policy’
Mitch Fifeld, Minister for Communications, has once again hit out at Labor over what he called its lack of policy on the NBN and the technology that best supports it.
Wishful thinking? NBN CEO says HFC will do 30Gbps, FTTN 5Gbps
The chief executive of the NBN company this morning claimed the top-end speeds for the company's HFC cable network could be as high as 30Gbps and that its Fibre to the Node network could do 5Gbps, but without providing any evidence as to why this would be the case.
DTO broadens consultation as GOV.AU problems bite
The Federal Government's Digital Transformation Office has broadened its consultation process around the prototype of its centralised GOV.AU platform, as concerns continue to circulate within the public sector that the model has substantial problems.
NBN finally overhauls damaged CVC pricing model
The NBN company has finally overhauled its controversial 'Connectivity Virtual Circuit' (CVC) pricing model in an attempt to unlock further uptake of its infrastructure and reward retail Internet service providers who provide adequate broadband capacity to their customers.
Call to arms: Budde says FTTdp NBN needs our support
Independent telecommunications consultant Paul Budde has called for Australians to do more to ensure the rollout a "future-proof" NBN that includes a full-fibre network (including FTTdp) rather than the fibre and copper mix that is currently being promoted by government.
Prysmian developing new cable tech for NBN
Prysmian, a manufacturer of telecommunications cables and systems, is developing new fibre optic cable that will become part of the "multi-technology mix" of the National Broadband Network, the government has announced.
NEC Australia announces new leadership team
Technology services company NEC Australia has announced a new leadership team that will be led by Mike Barber, a member of the firm's board and former Executive Director of IT Solutions and Services.
“Mongrel network”: Waleed Aly consigns Turnbull’s MTM NBN to the trash
The outspoken host of Ten TV show The Project has taken a pickaxe to the Coalition's Multi-Technology Mix approach to the NBN, consigning the model to the rubbish box in a lengthy segment which also included appearances by founding NBN chief executive Mike Quigley.
“Extraordinary innovation” happening in copper broadband, says Nokia chief
A senior Nokia executive this week said that "extraordinary innovation" is happening in copper broadband technology, in comments that will likely boost the case for the Government's mixed technology policy on the NBN.
New Datacom office in Victoria to create 100 jobs
IT services and solutions company Datacom has announced it will open a new office in South Melbourne with the creation of 100 new jobs over the next 12 months.
Early customers say Sky Muster NBN satellite delivers “outstanding” broadband
The new Sky Muster NBN satellite service has received positive reviews from early customers, who said performance is "outstanding", according to Activ8me, an official NBN provider.
Fujitsu to deploy emergency dispatch system for Tasmania
Fujitsu has signed a contract with the Tasmanian Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management for the implementation of a new computer-aided dispatch system for emergency services.
Atmail loses Raine & Horne as Office 365 slides in
Just two years after it announced a switch to the independent Atmail email platform, real estate giant Raine & Horne has revealed a migration to a new platform, with Microsoft's Office 365 and Exchange platforms getting the nod over for more than 3,000 staff.
Nobody has connected to NBN at 100Mbps, claims Christopher Pyne
Federal Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne has inaccurately claimed on national radio that the National Broadband Network has not connected any customers at speeds of 100Mbps, despite the fact that in fact, 44 percent of NBN customers connected so far to the project's fibre infrastructure have taken up such speeds.
Telstra top hat fixing NBN failures, says Vic IT minister
Victoria's Liberal IT minister has praised Telstra for deploying so-called 'top hat' upgrades to its ADSL2+ infrastructure in the Victorian region of Narre Warren in his electorate, stating that the rollout would provide high-speed broadband in areas where the National Broadband Network had so far failed to deliver on its promises.
Shorten confirms Labor will shift to a “hybrid” NBN policy
news Bill Shorten appears to have confirmed Labor will retain elements of the Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix policy if it won power in the...
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.
Audinate raises another $4m
Australian audiovisual technology startup Audinate has raised another $4 million in funding from existing local investors Starfish Ventures and Innovation Capital.
Coalition will complete NBN objective, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has given what he described as a "solemn undertaking" to the Australian people that a Coalition Government would "complete the job of NBN Co", instead of ripping up the network or abandoning Labor's NBN policy altogether.
‘Dumb’ people can’t see wireless is NBN future: Alan Jones
Radio shockjock Alan Jones has repeated his comments that wireless broadband represents the future of Internet access, describing those who can't face this situation as "dumb" and claiming that the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project will consequently be obsolete before it's finished.
Abbott confirms Coalition FTTN policy; Hints Turnbull will be Comms Minister
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott this afternoon confirmed the Coalition would take Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull's fibre to the node-based broadband plan to the Federal Election as its broadband policy and appeared to hint that Turnbull would become Communications Minister in an Abbott administration.
Fibre to the node would do 60Mbps: Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday claimed about half the cost of the Government’s flagship National Broadband Network project could be chopped and...
No, Minister: Telco expert fact-checks Conroy claims
A British telecommunications expert has issued a detailed statement highlighting a number of what he alleged were factual errors contained in a speech given by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday, including a rebuttal of the Labor Senator's claim that Australia's current copper network can't support high-speed broadband based on fibre to the node.
Coalition releases long-awaited rival NBN policy
The Coalition this morning released its long-awaited policy alternative to Labor's flagship National Broadband Network project, promising Australians download speeds of between 25Mbps and 100Mbps by the end of 2016 and 50Mbps to 100Mbps by the end of 2019, at a projected reduced total cost of $29.5 billion.
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.
Despite quick, cheap, legal option, Australia still top Games of Thrones pirating nation
Analysis by file-sharing news site TorrentFreak has shown that Australia continues to be the world's most enthusiastic nation globally in terms of illegally downloading HBO's hit TV series Game of Thrones, despite the fact that the series was made available legally, cheaply and in high quality in Australia shortly after it was broadcast in the US.
Is Abbott consciously lying on NBN costs?
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appears to have again misrepresented the cost of connecting to National Broadband Network fibre infrastructure, in comments which the Government has said represent a deliberate attempt to mislead the Australian public on the issue.
Fibre broadband speeds pointless, claims Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday claimed there was no evidence that there was any benefit to end users from getting access to broadband speeds higher than currently available under existing ADSL2+ technology.
FTTN a huge “mistake”, says ex-BT CTO
One of the UK's foremost telecommunications experts, a former chief technology officer of British telco BT, has publicly stated that fibre to the node-style broadband is "one of the biggest mistakes humanity has made", imposing huge bandwidth and unreliability problems on those who implement it, as the Coalition may do in Australia.
Turnbull confirms: ‘HFC areas’ last to get FTTN, if at all
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that metropolitan areas of Australia in the HFC cable footprint of Telstra and Optus would not immediately receive the Coalition's planned fibre to the node upgrade if it wins Government; despite the fact that very few in those areas actually use the HFC cable and it is regarded as deprecated.
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.
“Lay off the Kool-Aid,” Turnbull tells NBN believers
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull last night declared National Broadband Network enthusiasts needed to demonstrate what applications would actually need the fibre network’s massively enhanced speeds, telling futurist Mark Pesce he needed to “lay off the kool-aid” with respect to the technology.
NBN Co cancels FTTN rollout for HFC areas
NBN Co's Strategic Review has found that it will not be possible to deliver the Coalition's stated policy goal of delivering broadband speeds of 25Mbps to all Australians by the end of 2016 or at the projected cost, and has recommended that up to a third of Australian premises theoretically already covered by HFC cable networks effectively receive no upgrade at all under a drastically revised deployment scheme.
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.
Australia doesn’t need the NBN, says Abbott
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has proclaimed that Australia doesn't "need" the National Broadband Network project and the billions being invested in the initiative would be better spent on "our roads, our rail and our ports" under a Coalition Government.
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.
Conroy has “stuffed up” NBN pricing, says Hackett
In the latest salvo in an ongoing war of words with Stephen Conroy and NBN Co, Internode managing director Simon Hackett has accused the Communications Minister of having "stuffed up" the National Broadband Network pricing model in a way that will slow the growth of broadband in Australia.
NBN backers question Turnbull’s support
A number of commentators and politicians have questioned a claim by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the Coalition would not "cancel or roll back" the Government's National Broadband Network project, with one commentator labelling the claim as "disingenuous".
Internode sale shows NBN killing competition: Turnbull
news iiNet's buyout of fellow ISP Internode demonstrated the dramatic reduction in competition Labor's flagship National Broadband Network policy was wreaking on Australia's telecommunications...
Worst of the worst: Photos of Australia’s copper network
You don't always have a perfect day. Some days, you just get out of bed on the wrong side of the bed, and things go wrong for you all day. Australia's copper telecommunications network is like that. Most days it works OK, but on some days it's just a shocker. And there's a very good reason why -- it's old and in many areas it hasn't been maintained very well.
Abbott contradicts Turnbull on NBN costs
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott today said a Coalition Government would "pause" the Federal Government's NBN, claiming such a move could save money in the Federal Budget, in comments which appear to place the Liberal leader at odds with the view of his Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the issue.
‘We’re making history’: Govt on NBN launch
The Federal Government today claimed it had "made history" this morning after it officially launched live services on its flagship National Broadband Network project on the mainland, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and a host of other parties associated with the telecommunications sector.
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.
NBN could cost $100 billion, claims Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly claimed that Labor's National Broadband Network project could could cost as much as $100 billion to build, despite the company’s own estimates showing that it will require around $37 billion of capital injection from the Government and eventually make a return.
NBN: Turnbull strengthens FTTN focus
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has intensified the Coalition's focus on fibre to the node as an alternative to the fibre to the home-style rollout used by the NBN, using similar FTTN rollouts by AT&T in the US, BT in the UK and Deutsche Telekom in Germany as examples for how the broadband rollout style could be carried out in Australia.
NBN may not be completed, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull late last week warned the National Broadband Network may end up not being fully constructed, due to what he described as "the crippling costs of the project" and the likelihood that the Australian Labor Party might lose government in a future election.
Fibre to the node: Turnbull to meet with Quigley
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accepted an invitation issued by NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley to a half-day briefing on the merits of fibre to the home versus fibre to the node technology.
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.
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.
NBN: 85% of Australians want 50Mbps or higher
85 percent of Australian consumers want to be able to connect to the Internet at speeds of 50Mbps and higher, a new survey released this week showed, in figures which support the release of statistics by NBN Co showing that most new NBN connections are opting for the network's higher speed tiers.
US telco Verizon launches 300Mbps unlimited fibre
Giant US telco Verizon has launched a 300Mbps broadband service with unlimited data quota included that uses the same fibre to the home technology as the National Broadband Network, stating that homes with multiple devices using high-bandwidth applications simultaneously need the extra speeds.
“Mostly false”: Politifact disputes Labor’s $5k NBN fibre claim
The Australian version of pioneering US fact-checking website Politifact has given a "mostly false" rating to Labor's claim that the Coalition's National Broadband Network policy will see Australians charged $5,000 for access to fibre broadband infrastructure, in one of the site's first fact-checks on the Australian political arena after its launch this week.
NBN G.Fast “more hype than reality”, says Budde
Veteran telecommunications analyst has described the G.Fast technology which the NBN company plans to deploy into its network from 2017 as "more hype than reality", questioning whether it will actually be able to deliver on its close to a gigabit speed promises.
Wireless clause? Not an issue, says Thodey
Telstra chief executive David Thodey has maintained a clause in his company’s $11 billion contract with Telstra and the Federal Government unveiled yesterday that will block wireless technologies being marketed as fibre alternatives would have negligible impact on Telstra’s business, despite other company leaders having slammed the clause as being anti-competitive.
Scrap the NBN, says Abbott, and build some roads
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has described Labor's plan to invest billions of dollars of equity funding in its flagship National Broadband Network project as "reckless", noting in his Federal Budget reply speech tonight that the capital could be re-allocated to fund a number of major transport infrastructure and hospital projects.
Turnbull appoints Simon Hackett, others to NBN board
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull today announced that he had appointed three senior executives, including Simon Hackett, Internode founder and doyen of Australia's broadband industry, to be non-executive directors sitting on the board of the National Broadband Network Company.
“Get fucked”: Turnbull staffer turns on blogger
One of Malcolm Turnbull's senior staffers has sent a popular Australian technology blogger a caustic email telling him to "get fucked" and informing him that "nobody takes your psychotic rantings seriously", as the relationship between Turnbull and sections of Australia's technology community continues to sour.
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.
Attorney-General briefed on PRISM months before Snowden leaks
Documents obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information laws have shown that then-Labor Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus received a secret briefing on the US National Security Agency's controversial PRISM surveillance program several months before the program was outed by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
WikiLeaks Party demands investigation into Telstra’s secret FBI deal
The WikiLeaks Party has written to Australia’s Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim formally complaining about the recently revealed news that the telco signed a secret agreement a decade ago with US Government agencies such as the FBI and the Department of Justice that provided American law enforcement with access to all of the telco’s traffic passing in and out of the US.
Gillard’s PC hack surfaces in Stratfor leaks
A document published by Wikileaks on the public Internet appearing to be an internal briefing document from global intelligence firm Stratfor has mentioned the alleged security breach on Prime Minister Julia Gillard's parliamentary computer and has alleged that similar hack attacks have occurred before.
WikiLeak: Aussie intelligence “hard pressed” on cybersecurity in 2008
According to WikiLeaks cables published by The Age newspaper this week, in 2008 one of Australia's peak intelligence organisations was concerned that the national intelligence community was "hard pressed" to understand the full extent of the cybersecurity threat.
Australian web hosts wouldn’t host WikiLeaks
It’s been dumped by Amazon and mirrored across the globe as it attempts to spread its whistleblowing message to the masses. But would any web hosting company in Australia consent to play host to Wikileaks? The answer, so far, appears to be “probably not”.
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.
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.
Fetch TV will easily survive iiNet loss
Fetch TV has revealed it is financially profitable and rapidly expanding its operations and customer numbers, in news that signals it will not be substantially adversely affected by the decision by iiNet’s new owner TPG to terminate its long-standing relationship with the Internet television company.
NSW has handed out 66,000 student laptops
NSW Education Minister Verity Firth today gave an update on the state's implementation of the Federal Government's Digital Education Revolution initiative, saying some 66,000 laptops were handed out to students in year 9 last year.
Customs appoints new CIO, CTO
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service has appointed executives to its newly created chief information officer and chief technology officer roles, as the agency continues its drive to extensively restructure its technology operations.
Conroy nemesis Minchin to retire
Former Shadow Communications Minister Nick Minchin, who is still one of Stephen Conroy's most virulent opponents in the Senate, has reported confirmed plans to retire from the Opposition front bench, saying he won't contest the next Federal election.
Vic dental agency seeks CIO
Government agency Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) has advertised for a chief information officer-level IT executive to lead delivery of ICT services to over 60 community health agencies throughout the state.
Luna Park madness: Visual Studio 2010 launch
Earlier this week Microsoft took over Sydney's Luna Park to launch its Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 platforms. The result looked like a whole lot of fun!
TransACT launches new set-top box
Converged telco TransACT last week soft-launched its new video set-top box into the Australian Capital Territory market, where it has operated its internet video offering for some time alongside fibre and VDSL2 broadband and telephony solutions.
Optus’ new Android top dog: Samsung Galaxy S
Optus has taken a stab at Telstra's early dominance in market for high-end Android smartphones, with a one-month exclusive on Samsung's Galaxy S device launched in Sydney today.
Qantas tech chief becomes Jetstar CEO
The executive who has described himself as Qantas' "quasi-chief information officer" has been promoted out of his role to head up the Australia and New Zealand operations of the airline's JetStar subsidiary.
Hyde quit NEC to run HP’s Enterprise division
Seasoned Australian technology executive Alan Hyde left his managing director role at NEC to lead the South Pacific division of HP's Enterprise Group, it has been revealed.
Computershare’s infrastructure turns Azure
Australian investor services giant Computershare this week revealed that it had rebuilt its most highly trafficked sites on Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform, sending...
Adam Internet joins terabyte party
Adelaide-based Adam Internet has become the latest internet service provider to offer its customers a broadband plan with a terabyte or more of download quota included.
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).
Telstra left out as Xperia arc lands in April
Mobile phone manufacturer Sony Ericsson today announced its new Xperia arc smartphone would hit Australian shores by early April and would be available through Optus and Vodafone -- but Telstra won't get a look-in.
AGIMO finalises telco management panel
Federal Government agencies now have a centralised way in which to purchase telecommunications management services, with the establishment this week of a new panel featuring seven suppliers.
Amcom wins Uni of WA cloud work
Perth-headquartered telco Amcom has won a $9 million deal to provide hosted services to the University of Western Australia, in a deal which will see the telco deliver hundreds of servers and over 400 terabytes of storage to the institution.
Carosa’s baby funds another three startups
Local web 2.0 investment house Future Capital Development Fund (FCDF) today revealed it had invested in three more online Australian web properties, adding to the company's already extensive list of targets over the past year.
Aussie focus as NBN Co awards $635m in deals
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) yesterday announced that it had awarded contracts worth up to $635 million over the next five years to six companies with a robust local presence.
Web Directions hosts May mini-confs
Local conference outfit Web Directions, best known for its popular October conference of the same name, will host two smaller conferences for web professionals in May, this year: Web Directions Code, set for May 23rd and 24th in Melbourne, and State of Play on May 28th in Sydney.
EMC, Avaya get new Aussie chiefs
Enterprise IT vendors EMC and Avaya have revealed they have new leaders of their Australian divisions, following the promotion and departure of their local incumbent managing directors.
$1.5bn splurge: ANZ banks on customer tech
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group has revealed plans to spend up to $1.5 billion on a wide range of customer-facing technology systems and branch refurbishments, in the latest salvo of an intensifying battle between Australia’s major banks to position themselves as technology leaders.
Westpac revamps broking platform
Top-tier bank Westpac has launched a new online trading platform for its 250,000 broking customers, describing the new tool as providing "fast and efficient" access.
Conroy: NBN RFP was worth doing
Communciations Minister Stephen Conroy has responded to the release of a somewhat critical audit report into the first, terminated National Broadband Network request for proposals process, saying the process was valuable.
Appeal won’t stop illegal downloads: iiNet
iiNet chief executive Michael Malone this afternoon rejected a renewed legal challenge by a coalition of film and TV studios as "disappointing and frustrating", adding it would not stop illegal downloads of copyrighted material.
Harvey Norman bulks up for SAP overhaul
Retail giant Harvey Norman has advertised for two senior executives to drive the SAP-based transformation of its merchandising system. But neither will report to the company's chief information officer.
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.
iPad Sydney queue video: Second in line
2DayFM street reporter Michael Batty (Ticketman) is second in line outside the Apple store in Sydney's central business district to buy the iPad. And he's actually doing it as part of his job as a street reporter for Kyle and Jackie O!
Video: APC Magazine’s Master Builder final
This video documents the final of APC Magazine's Master Builder competition for systems builders. We think it's safe to say we're jealous both of the hardware used and of the speed at which these guys can put together an amazing PC rig!
VHA renews ASG IT services deal
Mobile telco VHA has renewed and expanded its significant IT services arrangement with Perth-headquartered company ASG, which is led by chief executive Geoff Lewis (pictured).
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.
Defence reviews system integration strategy
The Department of Defence's peak technology strategy arm has started running the ruler over its cohort of technology suppliers as it considers establishing a new procurement panel for applications and systems integration services.
Archer Capital makes Keycorp offer
Australian private equity firm Archer capital has swooped on payments technology group Keycorp, making a cash offer for the struggling company that its board has recommended shareholders accept.
Federal Govt issues datacentre migration tender
The Federal Government has finally kicked off one aspect of a long-awaited purchasing initiative that will see it establish new panels of datacentre services providers, with the aim of saving $1 billion in future datacentre costs.
Web blocking technically impossible: iiNet reminds Govt of undisputed fact
National broadband provider iiNet has published a blog post reminding politicians of the fact undisputed by the global technology sector that the nature of the Internet makes it technically impossible to 'block' websites as currently being proposed by the Federal Government.
Bevan’s bouncing baby boy: NEXTDC lists today
Bevan Slattery’s new datacentre venture NEXTDC today listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, with investors ploughing bids into the market at prices as high at $1.60, representing a substantial premium on the price paid by those who bought into its prospectus over the past several months — a single gold $1 coin.
Technology giants evac Brisvegas as floods rise
A number of major Australian technology companies were yesterday forced to evacuate Brisbane staff from their premises as rising flood waters threatened the city's central business district.
Around 2,000 Telstra staff left the company's Brisbane facilities, with the location of its headquarters in the city particuarly being an issue.
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.
Groupon finally enters Australia
Stardeals.com.au -- a new coupon website -- landed in Australia on Valentine's Day yesterday.
Federal Police to refresh Cisco network
The Australian Federal Police has commenced its second major telecommunications hardware purchasing initiative in six months, going to market this week for suppliers to maintain and gradually replace its Cisco-dominated core networking environment.
Foster takes over as Fujitsu’s Vawdrey promoted
Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand chief executive Rod Vawdrey (pictured, second from right) has been promoted to be the vice president of Fujitsu's Global Business Group, a move which will see him leave his long-held role leading the company's local operations.
SHINING A LIGHT IN: Victoria’s major IT projects under review
Several of Victoria’s major government watchdogs and the new Coalition government itself have taken the first steps in bringing the state’s trouble-plagued technology projects to heel, putting one flagship project on ice and scheduling others for a series of reviews that will govern their future.
Pirate Party opposes anti-piracy warning scheme
The Pirate Party Australia has objected strongly to the recent proposal issued by major Australian ISPs entitled “A Scheme to Address Online Copyright Infringement”.
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.
Optus releases Galaxy Tab 10.1 pricing
National telco Optus has announced the addition of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to its tablet range, just in time for Christmas. Starting from this week, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be on offer at the Optus online store bundled with a variety of plans for householders and small and medium businesses (SMBs).
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.
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.
Federal Govt tenders $400m desktop deal
The Federal Government has issued a long-awaited $300 million to $400 million whole of government request for tender for desktop and laptop computers.
Three years on, RailCorp may get CIO
More than three years after it lost its last chief information officer, NSW State Government agency Railcorp has finally flagged plans to overhaul its IT executive management structure, in moves associated with the split into two separate divisions, Sydney Trains and NSW Trains.
iiNet confirms Netspace talks
iiNet this afternoon confirmed reports this morning that it was in talks to acquire fellow ISP Netspace, but said the discussions were "at an early stage and remain incomplete".
Conroy likes golf, the football and racing
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy likes horse racing, the footy and attending the occasional Telstra corporate golf day, according to parliamentary disclosure documents recently released.
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 Co promises business case by May 31
The company in charge of building and operating the National Broadband Network this afternoon promised to deliver "a full business case" to the Government for the project by May 31, in the wake of the release of the NBN Implementation Study earlier today.
NBN Co’s business case slips due date
NBN Co has not yet delivered its business case to the Federal Government, despite having previously said it would be handed over by May 31, the group's chief executive Mike Quigley confirmed this week.
Qld Auditor continues CITEC, CorpTech assault
Queensland's Auditor-General Glenn Poole has filed another damaging report about the operations of troubled State Government shared services providers CITEC and CorpTech, stating the pair suffer "serious security and change management issues".
Ericsson wins VHA backhaul deal
Ericsson has won a contract worth an undisclosed amount to build a nationwide transmission network for mobile telco VHA, involving the construction of thousands of upgraded microwave radio and optic fibre links around the country.
DHS CIO Coles takes central Vic Govt role
Well-regarded IT executive Grahame Coles has resigned from his role as chief information officer at Victoria's massive Department of Human Services to take up a key position in the state's newly created central Office of the Chief Technology Advocate, with the department to conduct a national search for his replacement.
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.
Android app market opens to Australian sales
Search giant Google has bowed to developer demand and started allowing Australians to sell software through its mobile applications market.
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.
HP unveils private cloud model in Australia
As expected, global technology giant HP this morning unveiled its private cloud model for the Australian market, revealing it had been working on the platform locally for some six months and that it was planning to release the names of its first customers early in the new year.
Flight Control maker buys Puzzle Quest studio
Two of Australia's most well-known niche video gaming studios are set to merge their operations, with the acquisition of Infinite Interactive by fellow Melbourne development house Firemint.
Immigration inks $107 million CSC renewal
CSC has picked up a $107 million contract renewal deal with the Federal Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), in a move that will see the technology services giant continue to provide the department with mainframe and mid-range services for another two years.
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.
AGIMO strategy disappoints Gartner analyst
blog There was a lot to take in in yesterday's wide-ranging ICT strategy announcement by the Australian Government Information Management Office, and we still...
Foster confirmed as Fujitsu CEO
Senior Fujitsu executive Mike Foster has been confirmed as the permanent chief executive of the technology giant’s Australia and New Zealand operations, following his acting appointment in the role after the promotion of his predecessor Rod Vawdrey.
Scoopon won’t talk Packer pow-wow
A spokesperson for sister websites Scoopon and Catch of the Day has declined to comment on a report that media and gambling tycoon James Packer is negotiating to take a stake in the two companies.
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.
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.
MYOB bought out by private equity again
Multinational private equity giant Bain Capital over the weekend revealed it had bought MYOB, in a move which will see the Australian financial software house change hands into its second private equity owner in the past three years.
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.
AXA Group CEO appointed Telstra CFO
Australia’s largest telco Telstra has announced that Andrew Penn would take over the position of Chief Financial Officer and Group Managing Director, Finance, starting March 1st, 2012. This follows a June announcement that Telstra’s long-time CFO John Stanhope would retire at the end of 2011.
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.
NBN audit: Smith slams “chaotic Conroy”
Shadow Communications Minister Tony Smith has branded his "chaotic" opposite Stephen Conroy as "the master of disaster" on the heels of an investigation by the Auditor-General into the first terminated $4.7 billion National Broadband Network tender process.
Google takes Telstra call on US broadband
Telstra today said it had spoken with Google's Australian management about the search giant's plans announced overnight to provide half a million US...
GadgetGear lawyers claim no Nintendo piracy precedent
The law firm which recently unsuccessfully defended a local distributor of the R4 cartridge which allows piracy on Nintendo’s handheld DS console has warned the case does not set a legal precedent in Australia.
Samsung e-readers to hit Australia in 2010
The Australian market for ebook readers continues to heat up, with giant Korean manufacturer Samsung confirming late yesterday that it was planning to bring its own range of the devices to Australia "in the second half of 2010".
Qld poaches Tassie broadband chief
The Queensland Government has poached one of the lead architects of Tasmania's early stage participation in the National Broadband Network rollout to lead its own broadband strategy.
ATO to face Change Program audit
The Australian Taxation Office is to face a "thorough" audit of its troubled Change Program strategic IT reform initiative, which has suffered problems in the past few months leading to a backlog in tax refunds being process.
CSC’s new Docklands facility: Photos
Today IT services giant CSC opened its new facility in Docklands, Victoria, promising a $78 million investment in Victoria over the next 10 years. The facility was opened by Minister for Finance and Deregulation Lindsay Tanner.
Tribunal rejects IBM move to delay union talks
The Australian Services Union appears to have won another round in its ongoing battle with IBM, claiming today that Fair Work Australia had rejected...
Xero sum game for ANZ’s SME customers
New Zealand online accounting software provider Xero and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group have announced an exclusive joint marketing and referral partnership where Xero's online accounting services will be provided as an option to ANZ's 450,000 small business customers and their financial advisers.
Sysadmin victory: Bulletproof to list on ASX
Sydney-based hosting and cloud computing company Bulletproof Networks has unexpectedly revealed its intention to list on the Australian Stock Exchange through a reverse takeover of a mining firm, in the second example in as many months of a major Australian technology firm going public.
Telstra CIO McInerney reportedly quits
Telstra has continued its horror run of short-lived chief information officers, with incumbent CIO John McInerney having resigned after less than two years in the role, according to multiple reports.
Qld payroll lawsuit ‘rewriting history’, says IBM
Technology giant IBM has accused the Queensland State Government of trying to "rewrite history" through filing a new lawsuit against IBM over the botched Queensland Health payroll systems upgrade, despite the fact that the two parties had already come to a legal agreement on the issue.
SA Govt appoints Premier’s insider as CIO
The South Australian State Government has appointed the long-term executive director of the Department of Premier and Cabinet as its new whole of government chief information officer, to replace outgoing CIO Andrew Mills, who this month commenced the same role in Queensland.
iiNet halts share trading as AAPT rumours swirl
Speculation about a deal that could see national broadband provider iiNet pick up a chunk of embattled Telecom New Zealand subsidiary AAPT is likely to rapidly intensify this morning with the news iiNet has halted trading of its shares.
Sony and Yahoo!7 add soap to PS3
The IPTV market in Australia has increased yet again with Sony Computer Entertainment Australia and Yahoo!7 partnership to provide PS3 console users with further television content via Yahoo!7s PLUS7 catch up TV service starting at the end of this month.
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.
Treasury should cost Coalition NBN policy: Labor
Communications Minister and Deputy PM Anthony Albanese and Finance Minister Penny Wong have called for the Coalition to submit its alternative NBN policy to the Treasury and the Department of Finance and Deregulation for costing, in the wake of news that the Parliamentary Budget Office found the policy too complex to cost.
Turnbull faces questions on NBN journalist bullying
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has faced a number of questions from the media over the past 24 hours as to whether his actions towards ABC journalist Nick Ross and others has constituted 'bullying' journalists with respect to the contentious National Broadband Network issue in his portfolio.
Turnbull openly “lying” about NBN, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has accused his opposite Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of openly "lying" to exaggerate the key differences between the two sides of politics' National Broadband Network policies, using a number of concrete recent examples to demonstrate his point.
Evidence: Rural Australia is demanding the NBN
An analysis of rural coverage following the announcement of the three-year rollout plan for the National Broadband Network has shown overwhelming demand for the infrastructure from a large number of rural and regional Australian communities, with many expressing disappointment that they had been left off the list for the NBN's first few years.
Telstra 12Mbps wireless to surpass NBN: Liberal MP
A Liberal Member of Parliament inaccurately claimed this week on national television that Telstra would launch a 12Mbps wireless broadband service which would "surpass" the National Broadband Network's 100Mbps fibre to the home service, meaning there was no need to proceed with a project he said was a "white elephant".
iiNet NBN prices too high, says Coalition
iiNet's National Broadband Network pricing released today were higher than existing ADSL prices and demonstrated Labor's flagship NBN project would not bring Australians cheaper broadband, Liberal MP Paul Fletcher said this afternoon.
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.
NBN support weakens in the electorate
A new poll has shown that 29 percent of Australians believe that new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should either "dump" or "change" Labor's National Broadband Network policy, in news which could show that the Coalition's message that the project is too expensive and slow to deliver may be having an effect on the NBN's popular support.
Politifact backs Turnbull: Labor’s NBN not “free”
The Australian version of pioneering US fact-checking website Politifact has given a “mostly true” rating to statement by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull that connecting to Labor’s NBN infrastructure will not be “free”, as various Labor politicians have claimed.
Foxtel locks up Game of Thrones: No more fast-tracked iTunes downloads
Pay TV giant Foxtel has confirmed reports that it will block the remaining seasons of HBO's popular Game of Thrones series from being offered in Australia hours after the show is released in the US, due to an exclusive deal with the show's producer HBO signed in October last year.
NBN Co conceals updated rollout stats
The National Broadband Network Company has declined to provide updated statistics relating to how many premises its predominantly fibre network has covered over the past two and half months, stating that it will only release updated details on its rollout every calendar quarter.
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.
Huge 100Mbps demand: 44% of NBN users take top speed
44 percent of NBN customers signed up so far have opted for the company’s fasted 100Mbps speed tier, the National Broadband Network Company revealed this week, as evidence continues to accumulate that Australians will overwhelmingly pay for the fastest broadband speeds available if given the chance.
Coalition NBN completed ‘six years faster’: False claims from Liberal MP
A Queensland Liberal MP who has been described as a "Malcolm Turnbull lieutenant" and a long-time critic of Labor's popular National Broadband Network policy has written to a controversial letter to his constituents making a number of false claims about the project, including the claim that the Coalition's version could be completed "six years earlier".
NBN pays Telstra $1.6bn to extend HFC cable network
The NBN company this morning announced it would pay Telstra about $1.6 billion over the next four years to upgrade and extend its HFC cable network as part of the National Broadband Network.
US Govt proposes US$3.1bn fund to upgrade “legacy” IT systems
The US Government has proposed the creation of a US$3.1 billion (A$4.8 billion) modernisation fund to improve cybersecurity and save money by replacing or modernising "antiquated" IT systems with more secure, efficient and up-to-date technology.
NSW Govt hires Data61 to ease traffic congestion with big data
Data61 (formerly National ICT Australia) has partnered with the New South Wales Government on a big data project that is aimed to ease congestion in the state, according to a statement from Transport for NSW.
ACCC raises competition concerns over NBN’s Telstra HFC deal
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has expressed concerns around Telstra’s involvement in the rollout of the NBN network, saying it poses a threat to competition.
CSIRO starts converting fleet to electric cars
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has announced it is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint with the rollout of 100% electric cars to its national fleet.
Labor needs “a good explanation” to change NBN, says Morrow
The chief executive of the NBN company has made an extraordinary intervention into the pre-election national political debate over the National Broadband Network, warning Labor that it would need "a good explanation" to change the NBN model imposed by the Coalition.
Telcos still waiting on Data Retention funding, one year after bill passes
Communications Alliance, Australia's primary telecommunications industry body, has criticised delays over funding for telcos following the Federal Government’s mandatory data retention legislation a year ago.
DTO signs MOU with UK’s Government Digital Service
The Federal Government's Digital Transformation Office (DTO) has announced that it has signed an agreement with the UK's Government Digital Service (GDS) that is aimed to help both organisations progress their digital efforts.
Microsoft reveals roadmap for new Windows 10 business features
Microsoft has published details of its roadmap for new Windows 10 business features that are likely to make their way to users' machines in the near future, with security seeming a high priority.
Salesforce Australia partners with UN on gender equality program
Customer relationship management firm Salesforce has announced a new partnership with the United Nations Women’s National Committee for Australia that will see the company join its global 'HeforShe' gender equality program as its first Australian corporate partner.
“Fibre witch-hunt”: Budde says MTM defenders getting “desperate”
Independent telecommunications consultant Paul Budde has said that defenders of multi-technology mix (MTM) are getting "more and more desperate" in their defence of the fibre to the node (FTTN) model used for the NBN.
Australian Privacy Foundation slams “Orwellian” census data retention
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has strongly criticised what it calls the "Orwellian" storage of census data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Telstra backs away from same-sex marriage campaign
Telstra has retreated from any involvement in a same-sex marriage campaign, reportedly following suggestions from the Catholic Church that it would boycott companies supporting the issue.
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.
Amazon launches new flagship Kindle e-reader for $449
Amazon has launched a new flagship Kindle called the Oasis – the eighth generation of its dedicated e-reader device -- which will sell in Australia for the high price of AU$449.
TPG wins deal with I-MED for national network
TPG Telecom has inked a "multimillion dollar" deal with medical imaging company I-MED Network that will see the telco deliver a dedicated high-speed network connecting all I-MED locations across Australia.
NSW Govt launches inquiry into driverless cars
The NSW Government's Staysafe Committee has launched an inquiry into driverless vehicles and their potential impact on road safety in the state.
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.
Australia Post trials drone deliveries
Australia Post has announced the it will be the "first major parcels and logistics company" in Australia to trial package delivery by remotely piloted aircraft, also called drones.
NSW announces Opal app top ups, credit card “tap in” trial
The NSW Government has announced that customers using its Opal smartcard ticketing system for public transport services can now top up via its "new and improved" Opal Travel app. Also announced were 2017 trials of a scheme that would allow commuters to tap "contactless" credit and debit cards as an alternative to the Opal card.
Further details emerge about NBN Katoomba fatality
A raft of further details have emerged about the second National Broadband Network-related fatality to take place in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba earlier this month, including photos of the location where the tragic accident took place, as well as some of the circumstances involved.
WA FTTN launch marred as NBN leaves ‘node’ open to the elements
The official launch of the Coalition’s preferred Fibre to the Node technology in Western Australia last week appears to have suffered a minor setback, with one of the NBN company’s neighbourhood ‘nodes’ appearing to have been left with its door open, endangering the provision of broadband in its area.
Transport for NSW signs huge IT deal with CSC
Transport for NSW has announced the signing of a "major contract" with multinational IT corporation CSC to transform its back-of-house IT systems.
Fujitsu wins $140m IT services deal with Gold Coast
Global IT services provider Fujitsu has won the contract to manage Gold Coast’s ICT infrastructure and applications services.
Music industry moves to block KickassTorrents over piracy concerns
Members of Australia's music industry have teamed up to block peer-to-peer file-sharing site KickassTorrents over piracy concerns.
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.
NBN Co urges Tasmanians to subscribe to “surging” fixed wireless service
The NBN company this week said that its fixed wireless technology was "surging" in Tasmania, bringing fast Internet to many remote rural and regional communities, yet people may not know of its availability.
SAP opens HANA enterprise cloud in Canberra
SAP Australia has announced the opening of an SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud service in Canberra, and revealed that the Australian Government's Shared Services Centre is the service's first customer.
Vodafone announces new national HQ in Sydney
Vodafone has revealed plans tp establish a new national corporate headquarters in North Sydney, following the signing of an agreement to lease new premises at 177 Pacific Highway.
Govt pays $280k to bring startup accelerator to Australia
The Federal Government has splashed out $280,000 to bring one of the world’s top startup accelerators to Australia in a bid to help local entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Turnbull warns of growing cyber aggression
Australian public and private sector organisations and individuals are facing malicious cyber activity that is unprecedented in scale and reach, Malcolm Turnbull warns in the government’s new cyber security strategy, launched on Thursday.
Labor slams Govt over personal data breach notifications
The Labor opposition has strongly criticised the federal government over its failure to pass legislation on personal data breach notifications, saying Australians currently have no recourse if their data is hacked.
Bugcrowd raises $15m in Series B funding round
Australia-founded Bugcrowd, a provider of crowdsourced security for enterprises, has announced the completion of a $15 million Series B funding round led by Blackbird Ventures.
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.
iiNet founder Malone joins NBN board as Hackett leaves
The Federal Government has appointed iiNet founder to the board of the NBN company as a non-executive director, replacing Internode founder Simon Hackett, with the change to commence immediately.
Govt’s MyHealth Record scheme a “privacy disaster”, warns Privacy Foundation
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has warned that the Federal Government’s
MyHealth Record system is a "privacy disaster waiting to happen".
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.
First NBN FTTN services switched on in South Australia
Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield has jointly announced that the first NBN fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services have been switched-on in South Australia.
Turnbull NBN advisor leaves key facts out of MTM defence
An influential advisor to Malcolm Turnbull has published a spirited defence of the Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix approach to the NBN, but without including key facts which show a stark difference between the MTM model and similar policies in comparable countries.
“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.
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.
TPG’s iiNet bloodbath continues as long-time CTO Bader leaves
iiNet’s highest profile technology executive Greg Bader has added his name to the growing number of staff departing the national broadband provider in the wake of its acquisition by rival company TPG.
TPG pledges to retain iiNet, Internode brands, call centre
news TPG has told iiNet staff that it will maintain the iiNet and Internode brands as well as the pair’s call centre operations, as...
iiNet shareholders vote ‘yes’ for TPG buyout
iiNet shareholders have overwhelmingly voted for the company to be acquired by rival TPG, with approval by the competition regulator and the Federal Court the two remaining conditions before the acquisition can take place.
iiNet chairman “proud” as TPG sell-out looms
iiNet chairman Michael Smith has labelled the company’s planned sell-out to TPG as a “very significant day” in iiNet’s “proud history”, as shareholders vote today on what is still one of the most controversial mergers ever to have been proposed in Australia’s telecommunications industry.
End of an era: Godfather Malone quits iiNet
The long-time chief executive of top-tier national broadband provider iiNet, Michael Malone, this morning revealed plans to completely resign from the company he founded twenty years ago in his garage, in a move that will signal the end of an era for Australia's broadband industry.
iiNet made CTO Lindsay redundant
iiNet made its outgoing Adelaide-based chief technology officer John Lindsay redundant, it has emerged, as the company appears to be increasingly centralising the technical management of its infrastructure to its head office in Perth.
iiNet “in safe hands” without Malone, says Hackett
Departing board director Simon Hackett and other iiNet senior figures have rubbished the idea that the temporary loss of long-time chief executive officer and other senior figures such as Hackett himself from the ISP could lead to innovation dying at the ISP.
iiNet’s Malone takes 3-6 month sabbatical
iiNet chief executive Michael Malone has signalled plans to take a break of between three to six months from the business he founded in his garage some 20 years ago, with iiNet's chief financial officer David Buckingham to step in as acting chief executive in his absense.
iiNet stops selling NBN satellite plans
National broadband provider iiNet has withdrawn its National Broadband Network satellite plans from sale, as the rapid up-take of customers on the service has resulted in a lack of available network capacity for new sign-ups.
Defying the Federal Police: iiNet refuses to implement Interpol filter
National broadband player iiNet today revealed it had not implemented the Federal Government’s limited mandatory ISP filtering scheme based on a list of offensive sites supplied by Interpol and had no immediate plans to do so, in a move which appears to represent a total reversal of the ISP's position on the matter and defiance of the Australian Federal Police's wishes.
“Jiva”: iiNet’s new $79 unlimited quota plan
National broadband player iiNet has revealed it will challenge cut-rate ISPs TPG and Dodo with a new $79 broadband and telephone package offering "unlimited" broadband quota and to be marketed under a new brand dubbed "Jiva".
iiBorg assimilates Adam Internet
Highly acquisitive Internet service provider iiNet has revealed plans to buy Adelaide-based ISP Adam Internet, swooping in quickly on the company following the collapse of a controversial deal that would have seen it bought by Australia's incumbent telco Telstra.
iiNet sells TransACT’s FTTP to NBN Co
National broadband provider iiNet this afternoon revealed it had reached an agreement which would see the National Broadband Network Company buy the fibre to the premises network which iiNet bought 18 months ago with its acquisition of Canberra-based TransACT.
iiNet taking lion’s share of NBN customers
National broadband provider iiNet has revealed it is taking the lion's share of customers who have connected to the National Broadband Network so far, with other large ISPs such as TPG lagging behind due to their unwillingness to engage with the new national network.
Low-cost Telstra ‘Adam’ brand worries iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet has warned the competition regulator that Telstra must not be allowed to introduce a new, low-cost ‘Jetstar’-like brand into the broadband marketplace without strict controls being placed around such an initative, due to the potential for Telstra to further increase its already dominant market share.
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.
Telstra’s Adam buy will boost competition, say Hackett & Malone
Telstra’s controversial move to acquire South Australian ISP Adam Internet would actually increase competition in the state, iiNet chief executive Michael Malone and Internode founder Simon Hackett said yesterday, despite concerns from Adam Internet customers about the deal.
iiNet hid game forum hack from customers
Following several months of rumors, national broadband provider iiNet has admitted a now-defunct forum associated with its 3FL gaming network was recently hacked and that it concealed the break-in from affected customers whose login details may have been compromised.
iiNet to launch 4G through Optus
National broadband provider iiNet this morning announced it had signed a deal with Optus to start reselling access to the SingTel subsidiary's 4G mobile broadband network, with services to start "in the coming months".
FetchTV fail: iiNet has just 10,000 customers
National broadband provider iiNet today revealed that it had so far only signed up 10,000 customers to the FetchTV platform it launched in mid-2010, representing only a tiny success rate in converting its 824,000 ADSL broadband customers to the system.
Job losses hit iiNet after TransACT, Internode buys
National broadband provider iiNet has reportedly kicked off a round of redundancies, as rumours swirl about a staff rationalisation in the wake of its Internode and TransACT acquisitions.
Simon Hackett quits Internode for iiNet board
Long-time Internode managing director Simon Hackett has broken his pledge to customers that he would continue to lead the company he founded after its acquisition, signalling today his intention to leave his formal executive role at Internode and instead take up a role on the board of Internode's new parent iiNet.
Australia top Game of Thrones pirating nation
Australia is the nation which most pirates the popular HBO television series Game of Thrones, new analysis released this week has shown, with time delays and cable TV lock-in being the primary culprits believed to be behind the nation's copyright infringing habits.
iiNet ramps up Internode digestion
iiNet has taken several key milestone actions over the past week as it continues its ongoing efforts to integrate the operations of fellow national broadband provider Internode into its own, following its acquisition of the company in late December last year.
Turnbull on iiTrial: We need ‘global copyright’
In the wake of iiNet's victory in its Internet piracy High Court case, Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called for the content industry to start releasing all of its content globally through on- and offline platforms simultaneously upon launch, in an effort to meet the demands of consumers and make piracy irrelevant.
Piracy meetings still censored: “No public interest”
An internal Government review has backed a decision by the Federal Attorney-General's Department to censor almost all information about the secret Internet piracy meetings the department has held with the content and ISP industries over the past six months.
Govt to continue secret anti-piracy talks
The Federal Government would "closely examine" the High Court's judgement in the long-running copyright infringement case won by ISP iiNet over film and TV studios this morning, Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said this afternoon, as she noted that closed door talks held by her department on the matter would continue.
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.
High Court iiTrial verdict set for 20 April
iiNet has revealed that Australia's High Court will lay down its verdict in the national broadband provider's high-profile legal battle with a coalition of film and TV studios next Friday 20 April at 10AM, in a move which will finally provide closure to the long-running online copyright infringement case.
Internode launches NBN wireless, reveals pricing
National broadband provider Internode today started selling fixed wireless services over the National Broadband Network's fledgling wireless broadband footprint, with the ISP's pricing in the area to be the same as its pricing on the lowest speed tier (12Mbps) of its NBN fibre plans.
NBN: Australia can’t trust Labor, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has issued a scorching statement on Labor's track record in building the National Broadband Network, declaring that the three-year NBN rollout plan delivered last week was "a duplicitous and ham-fisted attempt" to conceal its failure to deliver.
iiNet launches faster ADSL transfer process
National broadband provider iiNet has introduced changes in its broadband transfer process, making it possible to switch to an iiNet service easily, in a few hours -- allowing them to avoid the lengthy downtime associated with churning to a new ISP, which can sometimes extend to several weeks.
iiNet dumps off-peak quotas … but not on NBN plans
National broadband provider iiNet has dumped the idea of separating quota on its ADSL broadband plans into on- and off-peak chunks, but has not extended the same system to its National Broadband Network plans.
Conroy misleads public on Internet filter
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy today appeared to consciously tell a factual inaccuracy with respect to the current implementation status of Labor's controversial Internet filtering project, stating that Telstra and Optus had implemented the filtering system, when they have only implemented a drastically reduced version.
iiNet completes Internode buyout a month early
National broadband provider iiNet this afternoon announced it had completed its $105 million buyout of rival Internode, a month ahead of schedule.
Farr, Boreham, Wood, Skellern win Australia Day honours
Former IBM Australia leader Glen Boreham, Defence chief information officer Greg Farr, Wotif.com founder Graeme Wood and former NICTA chief David Skellern have all picked up Australia Day honours this week for outstanding service to the nation.
TPG may buy iiNet, Telstra tells staff
Telstra has issued a newsletter to its staff informing them that iiNet's buyout of Internode will likely see TPG vaulted into clear third place in Australia's broadband market, following a likely buyout of iiNet by TPG.
Hackett hammers iiNode critics
Internode managing director Simon Hackett has strongly defended the pre-Christmas deal in which rival iiNet bought out his company Internode, stressing the strength and duration of his long-term relationship with iiNet's management team in two outspoken forum posts published last week.
NBN policy spurred Internode buyout, says Hackett
Internode's inability to gain sufficient scale to compete in a National Broadband Network world was a core reason why he decided to sell the company to rival Internet service provider iiNet, Internode supremo Simon Hackett said this afternoon.
iiNet to buy Internode
iiNet has revealed it will buy fellow Australian Internet service provider Internode, in a surprise pre-Christmas announcement this afternoon which will dramatically consolidate Australia's broadband sector ahead of the rollout of the National Broadband Network.
iiNet, Internode, Primus discuss filter with AFP
Australian ISPs iiNet, Internode and Primus are preparing to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme promulgated in Australia by the Australian Federal Police in cooperation with international policing agency Interpol, the AFP stated in documents revealed this week.
TPG buys another stack of iiNet shares
Serial acquirer TPG has significantly upped its stake in fellow national broadband provider iiNet, with the company now owning a total of 7.24 percent of Michael Malone's baby.
TPG buyout to require public inquiry, says iiNet
The chief executive of iiNet today said a public inquiry would need to be held if rival broadband company TPG decided to extend its stake in his company to the point where an acquisition was on the cards -- and the issue could become a policy question to be decided by the Federal Government.
iiNet blames wholesaler for high estate fibre prices
A spat between fibre-optic wholesaler Opticomm and retail ISPs iiNet and Internode has broken out online after the company was forced to defend claims that the prices it charges for access to its infrastructure in new estates are significantly higher than that ISPs pay for access to fibre under the National Broadband Network.
iiNet, Internode double-team Telstra on South Brisbane
National broadband providers iiNet and Internode have joined forces to escalate their ongoing complaints about Telstra's fibre rollout project in South Brisbane, filing a joint submission with the competition regulator demanding that Telstra's wholesale fibre services in the area be subject to regulation as the previous copper services were.
iiNet massively undercuts Internode’s NBN plans
National broadband provider iiNet this morning released its highly anticipated National Broadband Network pricing, undercutting plans released by arch-rival Internode by as much as half in some areas.
iiNet claims Telstra treachery in South Brisbane
National broadband provider iiNet this week claimed Telstra was being heavy-handed with its treatment of wholesale customers in its new South Brisbane fibre area, virtually forcing them into signing up to agreements with its terms or facing the prospect of having their customers in the region cut off from broadband.
Telstra still a major headache for iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet this week opened fire on Telstra on a range of fronts, accusing the telco of causing trouble with its new fibre rollout in South Brisbane, jacking up the price of accessing its wholesale ADSL broadband service and biting off more than it deserved in the first draft of its NBN structural separation undertaking filed with the competition regulator.
iiNet’s NBN costs “similar” to ADSL
National broadband provider iiNet today described the costs of connecting customers to the National Broadband Network as being similar to that of existing ADSL broadband services, breaking ranks with industry rivals who have complained about what they see as NBN Co's extortionate pricing model.
High Court agrees to hear iiTrial
The High Court of Australia has this morning granted film and television studios the right to appeal against the decision made earlier in the year in the case against Australian ISP iiNet.
iiNet CEO defends Interpol filter
The chief executive of one of Australia's largest Internet service providers has broken his company's relative silence on the voluntary limited filtering initiative being implemented by Telstra and Optus, defending the project and insisting it not be linked with the Federal Government's much broader mandatory filtering policy.
iiNet’s Malone calls for end to NBN politics
iiNet chief executive Michael Malone has called for those commenting on the National Broadband Network to return to judging ideas on their "technical merit", instead of letting politics cloud the national debate.
Are NBN Co execs paid too much?
Debate is swirling in the telecommunications industry this week about whether NBN Co executives are paid too much, with one newspaper and the Opposition criticising the company's remuneration structure, but the company itself highlighting its achievements so far and the need to pay commercial salaries to attract the right talent.
Feisty iiNet debuts wireless bridge
The flow of consumer electronics products emerging from the fledgling laboratory operation of national broadband provider iiNet shows no signs of stopping, with the company this week announcing it plans to shortly bring a 'wireless bridge' product to market.
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.
Perth to Geraldton NBN backbone lights up
Telecommunications and construction firm Nextgen Networks has finished building one of the most anticipated long-haul fibre links in the Federal Government's flagship National Broadband Network project, with fibre between the Western Australian cities of Perth and Geraldton having been laid and the first telco customers -- iiNet and NEC Nextep -- signed up to use the connection.
iiTrial spurs ISP industry piracy code
The organisation representing Australia's internet industry today revealed it would "immediately" start working on a new industry code of practice to detail ISPs and hosting providers' rights and obligations when dealing with alleged copyright infringements by their users, in the wake of an interim result in copyright holders' high-profile legal action against iiNet.
Attorney-General reveals copyright reviews
Federal Attorney-General Robert McLelland late last week declared the concept of copyright was "very much alive" in Australia, as he announced three major inquiries into its future.
Video: Trial verdict “a relief”, says Malone
iiNet chief executive Michael Malone (video, above) this afternoon said the Federal Court court verdict in favour of his company was a relief after two years of a court case which cost the company about $6.5 million in legal costs.
iiNet fights off AFACT’s piracy appeal
The full bench of the Federal Court today dismissed an appeal by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft following its loss against iiNet in a high-profile copyright infringement and internet content piracy case decided early in 2010, handing a second victory to the ISP in its battle against the organisation and its movie studio backers.
iiNet booms on back of acquisitions
National broadband provider iiNet's latest set of financial results released today showed the company was still expanding rapidly, with the acquisitions of Netspace and the consumer division of AAPT over the past twelve months fuelling revenue growth and gross profit growth, although net profit remained even for the company.
Hackett exits iiNet’s Top Geek poll; appointed judge
Internode managing director Simon Hackett has made a graceful exit from a competition being held by rival broadband provider iiNet to find Australia's 'Top Geek', accepting an invitation to help judge the winner instead of potentially taking out the top prize himself.
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?
iiNet enters mobile market … but you’ll need your own phone
iiNet yesterday launched a range of mobile phone plans, allowing existing customers of its broadband offerings to bundle mobile services into their bill. But there's just one catch; customers will need to bring their own phone.
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.
Our growth is blitzing iiNet, claims TPG
National broadband provider TPG today claimed it was signing up customers faster than any of its rivals, including fast-growing iiNet, as well as the nation's two major telcos Telstra and Optus, with the upstart telco on track to crack the half a million customer level by the end of September.
WHAT THEY SAID: The NBN reaction
The major players in Australia's telecommunications and IT industries were out in force yesterday to comment on the news that Labor would win Government and its flagship National Broadband Network project would go ahead. Most welcomed the news, although several had already started to look forward to the next step of the debate and rollout.
iiNet launches terabyte NBN plans
Just 70 customers might have signed up to the National Broadband Network in Tasmania so far in total, but iiNet today revealed it would provide them with a terabyte data quota and full 100Mbps speeds on all plans to truly get the benefit out of the fledgling fibre service.
Primus one-ups iiNet with 1.1 terabyte plans
Just hours after iiNet claimed to make history with Australia’s first terabyte broadband plans, rival Primus has launched a new 1.1 terabyte offering – upping iiNet’s new deal by 111GB per month.
iiNet launches terabyte broadband plans
National broadband provider iiNet today unveiled an extensive revamp of its broadband plans, including what it claimed was Australia's first plan with a terabyte of included download quota.
Four ISPs left — and Internode’s the point five, says Malone
There are only "four and a half" meaningful players left in Australia's internet service provider market, iiNet supremo Michael Malone said today -- with companies like Primus, Eftel and others just not relevant any more in terms of providing competition.
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.
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.
Internode, iiNet, VHA won’t filter for now
National broadband provider Internode this afternoon stated that -- unlike Telstra, Optus and Primus -- it would not voluntarily filter its customers' internet for websites that are known to contain child pornography and child abuse material, while iiNet said it would wait to see the detail in the proposal and VHA is awaiting a code for the mobile industry.
iiNet mulls IPTV without BoB requirement
National broadband provider iiNet yesterday held out the possibility that customers would be able to sign up to its internet television (IPTV) offering without needing one of its BoB ADSL routers, in a wide-ranging briefing about the fetchtv-based service.
Unions, iiNet welcome Telstra deal
Two major unions and Telstra rival iiNet have welcomed the telco's $11 billion deal with the company behind the National Broadband Network.
iiNet unveils IPTV pricing
At 11:23pm on Friday night through an email to customers and the launch of a page on its website, national broadband provider iiNet announced...
iiNet IPTV available this month
Earlier this week iiNet chief executive Michael Malone teased iiNet's (Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) launch date as "before the end of this month" and pricing to be revealed at the end of this week.
iiNet confirms NBN plans, signs up customers
National broadband provider iiNet this morning confirmed its final pricing plans for its National Broadband fibre offerings in the early stage rollout sites in Tasmania, noting also that it had signed up its first customers of the service.
iiNet: We’re not part of Conroy’s filter club
National broadband provider iiNet today rejected Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's claim over the weekend that it welcomed the Government's filtering project.
iiNet, Pirate Party slam AFACT political moves
Broadband provider iiNet and the Australian division of the Pirate Party have come out swinging in response to apparent moves by content providers to nudge the Federal Government about potential legislation to stop copyright infringement.
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.
iiNet’s Malone praises BigPond’s Milne
iiNet chief executive Michael Malone has paid tribute to long-time rival Justin Milne's time steering BigPond, describing the Telstra executive's ability to grow the telco's share of the broadband market as "extraordinary".
iiNet buys Netspace for $40m
iiNet today confirmed it would acquire fellow tier two internet service provider Netspace, in a transaction valued at $40 million.
Acquisition sends iiNet into trading halt
Internet service provider iiNet has halted trading of its shares as it prepares to release information about an acquisition that would be material to its business.