Telstra has resolved South Brisbane issue, says ACCC
The national competition regulator has declared it is satisfied with a new deal which the nation's largest telco Telstra has offered rivals with respect to its controversial fibre replacement program in the South Brisbane exchange area, in a move immediately welcomed by the big T.
Exetel launches off-peak unlimited NBN plans
National broadband provider Exetel has launched a dozen new pricing plans on the National Broadband Network's infrastructure which feature unlimited off-peak downloads between 1AM and 9AM in the morning.
Govt delays multiple tech FOI requests
Three major Federal Government departments and agencies have delayed the release of sensitive information relating to controversial technology sector issues under Freedom of Information legislation, citing the need to closely examine the documents and consult with third parties before the information is released.
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.
Fact check: 500k houses were not cut from NBN
Fact-checking website PolitiFact Australia has flatly rejected a claim by the Australian Labor Party that the Coalition has "cut" some 500,000 houses from the National Broadband Network project, finding that the Coalition had only changed the metrics by which the rollout was measured, not the rollout itself.
Turnbull “copper” NBN plan “bizarre”, says Albo
Communications Minister and Deputy PM Anthony Albanese has taken a pick axe to the Coalition's rival NBN policy, describing its reuse of portions of Telstra's copper network as "bizarre" and "neanderthal", despite the fact that its so-called 'fibre to the node' rollout scheme has been used successfully by British telco BT and other telcos across Europe and the US to upgrade broadband speeds to millions of premises.
Exetel may offer $54.95 ‘unlimited’ ADSL2+ plan
Cut-rate broadband player Exetel is also considering offering the 'unlimited' plans which have become common for most of its competitors, for low prices starting from $54.95 a month -- slightly cheaper than both TPG and Dodo. As a first step, the customer last week introduced a range of new plans with a higher 500GB quota.
NBN Co inks remaining construction deals
The National Broadband Network company has signed a contract with one of its existing construction partners to roll out its fibre infrastructure in South Australia and the Northern Territory, which were not covered by its existing construction contractors.
Vodafone ‘guarantees’ network quality — or your money back
‘Vodafone Network Guarantee’ is mobile telco Vodafone’s latest move to assuage irate customers in the face of continuing network concerns and coverage woes. The Guarantee, introduced on a trial basis in South Australia and the ACT from the first week of September 2011, and nationally on December 4th, 2011, is applicable to all new and upgrading customers who had signed up for the post-paid plan.
Support Wikipedia blackout, Greens tell Labor
The Australian Greens Party has demanded that Australia's Labor Federal Government support efforts such as Wikipedia's site blackout initiative to protest the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and associated legislation currently being considered by the US Government.
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.
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.
Telstra offshores 34 Tasmanian jobs
Your writer can't imagine that it's easy working at Telstra. Although Australia's biggest telco has an extensive workforce with many career opportunities, it also conducts regularly redundancy rounds as part of its ongoing drive to become more efficient and cut costs.
Turnbull appoints Liberal supporter Ergas to NBN panel
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has appointed Henry Ergas, an open Liberal supporter and one of the most strident critics of Labor's National Broadband Network policy, to a panel of experts which will conduct a cost/benefit analysis of broadband review regulation associated with the NBN.
auDA dumps CEO Chris Disspain after 16 years … but why?
What I can't understand at this point is why the auDA board itself would turf Disspain from the position he has done an admirable job in. Was it a personality conflict? A professional disagreement of opinion? The statement says auDA is looking for "new leadership", but isn't the essence of auDA that it needs to remain stable -- something which Disspain has certainly been able to deliver to the organisation?
How the NBN will change education: Australia’s “Last Spike” moment
The NBN is all about people; not about technology. It is about being able to train, inspire and educate students of whatever age to work together as never before. And it is about devising solutions to real challenges in an interdisciplinary way.
USO scope should be broadened, says ACCAN
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has said the Universal Service Obligation (USO) needs an "expanded scope", as well as measures to increase affordability and inclusion for people with disabilities to ensure all consumers have access to essential communications services.
Telstra’s Sensis sacks 648 staff
It seems like we’re always hearing about redundancies at Telstra’s directories and digital division Sensis. Last week it was half the division’s staff, this week the number has firmed at 648, according to an official Telstra media release issued this morning. Apparently the restructure is aimed at “digital growth”. Right.
Turnbull’s MTM CBN should not be a monopoly
The only way for Labor's all-fibre National Broadband Network to sensibly function was for it to be a legislated infrastructure monopoly. But the Coalition's watered-down, multi-technology alternative is a very different kettle of fish, and consumers will clearly benefit if rival telcos such as Telstra, Optus and TPG are allowed to overbuild portions of the network.
Foxtel and Stan agree: Peak hour broadband congestion real, significant
Senior executives from two of Australia's largest online content providers have provided testimony to the Senate that peak hour and weekend broadband congestion is a real phenomenon that is significantly affecting broadband users around Australia.
No matter who wins the election, here’s why Telstra should build the NBN
The issue of how the National Broadband Network should be rolled out is an extremely fraught and highly debated one. But one thing has become very clear over the past several years: The rollout has not progressed as fast as Labor said it would; in fact, far from it. One reason for this may be that the organisation with the most expertise in rolling out telco networks hasn’t participated in the construction effort, unlike in virtually every other country in the world. If we want this rollout to happen, it is definitely time to turn back to Telstra to get this thing done.
ACCC knocks back NBN Co contract
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a draft decision rejecting the 'Special Access Undertaking' (SAU) which will guide NBN Co's long-term relationship with the regulator and retail ISPs, noting that the contract had a great deal of merit but still needed work.
“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".
Scott misleads Senate about Q&A’s NBN coverage
Mark Scott appears to have unintentionally misled the Federal Senate about the degree to which the broadcaster's Q&A program covers the National Broadband Network issue, with the ABC managing director yesterday erroneously claiming that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull had faced "many questions" about the issue on the show.
Help us fact-check Conroy’s NBN comments
Delimiter invites readers to help us fact-check an important NBN media release by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Finance Minister Penny Wong. Let's get to the truth of the matter, together.
Telstra apologises for further network disruption
Telstra has apologised to customers for disruptions to broadband services in recent days, and offered advice to those still suffering issues.
Vodafone replaces Morrow with Romanian exec
Ailing national mobile telco Vodafone today revealed it would bring in Inaki Berroeta, chief executive of Vodafone Romania to replace its outgoing local leader Bill Morrow, who is set to take the reins of the National Broadband Network Company from March.
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.
Turnbull, NBN Co won’t discuss Strategic Review
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NBN Co have declined to formally respond to specific and ongoing allegations raised by the Opposition and other commentators that evidence shows NBN Co’s Strategic Review published last year is based on “flawed and unreliable” premises that undercut the Coalition's case for radically overhauling Labor's NBN project.
Conflict of interest: Milne’s $1.5m in Telstra shares
If you had spent a decade in a high-profile role at Telstra that netted you $1.5 million worth of shares in the telco, would you consider it a good idea to sell those shares before taking a similarly high-profile role at NBN Co, which is engaged in billion-dollar negotiations with Telstra that could significantly affect Telstra's share price?
Why NBN prices will be higher (by Malcolm Turnbull)
In this post, Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull responds to the claim that broadband pricing will not increase under Labor's National Broadband Network plan.
Disappointing: Turnbull hasn’t fleshed out his NBN plan
In one of the greatest disappointments of Australia's telecommunications debate this year, Malcolm Turnbull has done virtually nothing to flesh out the details or address criticisms of his rival draft National Broadband Network policy since it was unveiled in August.
Mass piracy lawsuits: ISPs go completely silent
Australia’s top five largest ISPs have refused to comment on news that a new company is planning to target thousands of their customers with threatened legal action pertaining to alleged online copyright infringements through file sharing platforms like BitTorrent over the past twelve months.
Turnbull’s NBN blowout caused by MTM, says Quigley
Former NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley has stated that the up to $15 billion blowout in the cost of the National Broadband Network was due to the Multi-Technology Mix imposed by Malcolm Turnbull, using previous comprehensive audits of the company as evidence.
Turnbull stacks NBN Review with Telstra cronies
You can find my thoughts on Justin Milne and other recent NBN appointments under the new Coalition Federal Government in a piece published on Delimiter 2.0 this morning that I titled 'Stacking the deck: NBN Review filled with Turnbull cronies'.
Foxtel to launch broadband by late 2014
Pay TV giant Foxtel today announced it would launch broadband internet and fixed-line telephony services bundled with its television product, with a target date of "late 2014" and no pricing yet announced.
Huawei’s NBN ban: A 24 hour round-up
With this in mind, if you are interested in the Huawei NBN story, we can only recommend that you head to the the AFR and check out the following stories on the issue, where the paper has gathered the views of many, many different government and industry stakeholders on the issue. The best thing? None of it's paywalled.
FTTP NBN no big loss, claims Gizmodo
According to Gizmodo, the loss of Labor's fibre to the premises National Broadband Network policy is no cause for Australian technologists to "mourn".
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.
Full text: Quigley’s farewell email to NBN staff
Retiring NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley sent the following email to all NBN Co staff this afternoon, following the appointment of Ziggy Switkowski as NBN Co's executive chairman.
NBN Co chair quits, says AFR
Last night the Financial Review reported that NBN Co chairman Harrison Young (pictured) was planning to quit as the company's chairman, with current board member Siobhan McKenna to step into his place.
“Extraordinary”: Telcos slam Turnbull’s Dept for backing Telstra over consumers
A group of major Australian telcos have issued a fiery statement damning Malcolm Turnbull’s Department of Communications for its “extraordinary” attempt to support Telstra’s profitability and keep telecommunications prices from dropping.
Telstra set for massive internal restructure
Telstra tends to go through at least one to two major or minor restructuring rounds per year, and the cuts that the telco has announced internally appear to help align Telstra's costs to the more profitable and growing areas of its business, while taking resources away from areas where its losses are accelerating.
FTTH the best solution, says French IT Minister
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's French counterpart has labelled Labor's preferred Fibre to the Premise broadband rollout style as "the best technology" for broadband infrastructure due to its technical merits and long-term potential, during a flying visit to Australia associated with NBN Co's signing of a key contract with French satellite giant Arianespace.
NBN pricing revisited: The ARPU argument
Grahame Lynch is a respected telecommunications commentator and a professional colleague of mine with whom I have shared many an ale. But, like other commentators on the issue of NBN pricing, he hasn't provided enough evidence to make his case that broadband prices will rise under the NBN.
Finally: Vodafone switches on 4G network
Almost two years after Telstra first launched 4G mobile broadband services and a year after Optus did the same, the nation's third mobile telco, Vodafone, has finally limped across the starting line, revealing today that it had switched on 4G mobile broadband access in selected areas of major Australian cities.
Jason Clare appointed Shadow Comms Minister; Michelle Rowland to assist
Former Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jason Clare, a politician with no previous known history in the Communications portfolio, has been appointed Shadow Communications Minister, with experienced former telco lawyer Michelle Rowland to assist him in opposing sitting Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Coalition to spend $100m on mobile blackspots
Did you know there were other telecommunications-related issues being discussed in the Federal Election campaign than the National Broadband Network? No? Neither did I. But there apparently are.
NBN/Telstra deal could be six months late
It’s extremely hard to see this as a surprise, given the fact that NBN Co’s previous delay with Telstra was extensively delayed, and given that as late as mid-January the pair had not even begun talking, but the Financial Review reported today that NBN Co’s negotiations with the nation’s largest telco Telstra over access to its copper and HFC cable networks could run up to six months late. Yup.
Snowden, Manning ‘not whistleblowers’, claims Australia’s Attorney-General
Australia's Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has made an extraordinary public statement that former CIA and NSA operative Edward Snowden and accused WikiLeaks collaborator Bradley Manning are not technically "whistleblowers", claiming that the information they had released publicly related to no wrongdoing by government agencies.
#firstworldproblems
Life is tough when you're a gazillionaire Australian ISP mega-mogul ;)
Coalition NBN will suffer in the long term: Experts
The federal Coalition’s new A$30 billion plan for “fast, affordable” broadband is a quick-fix strategy, which is likely to cost more and be less reliable long-term, according to experts.
Fifield says Shorten’s FTTP NBN promise is “flaky”, uncosted
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has labelled a pledge by Bill Shorten to bring a "greater role" for Fibre to the Premises technology in the NBN as "flaky", saying the Opposition Leader did not specify exactly what the promise would cost and what it meant.
Huawei’s NBN blockout raises fundamental questions
As I have argued for several years now – and Alexander Downer himself has stated in recent weeks – the argument that Huawei is some sort of quasi-intelligence gathering arm of the Beijing government is so ludicrous that it should scarcely be tolerated in serious company.
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.
Australia’s biggest ‘China threat’ is not Huawei, but itself
What we should really learn from the Huawei ban is that the biggest threat to Australia’s future development is not Chinese firms such as Huawei, but Australia’s own poverty in high-tech capability, and in understanding China.
NBN HFC trial achieves 84Mbps/33Mbps average speeds
The NBN company today revealed it had completed its HFC cable in the Queensland region of Redcliffe and was on track for a June commercial launch of the technology, with users on the trial achieving average downlaod speeds of 84Mbps and average upload speeds of 33Mbps.
Blackout: Govt piracy meeting completely censored
The Federal Government has declined to reveal almost any information about a second secret industry meeting held in February this year to address the issue of Internet piracy, using a variety of complex justifications to avoid releasing virtually any detail of the meeting under Freedom of Information laws.
NBN Co cranking up rollout to eleven – but can it rock ‘n’ roll?
A week after the Coalition debuted its anxiously-awaited alternative NBN policy, Labor seems to be cranking the project up to eleven as it works to reverse months of problems and improve the appeal of its NBN policy to voters. Telecommunications industry figures, however, aren’t convinced NBN Co can deliver on its promises, according to a report on technology site iTnews.com.au.
Amaysim buys AusBBS to capitalise on NBN market
Mobile SIM card company Amaysim Australia has announced its entry into the broadband market via the acquisition of Internet service provider Australian Broadband Services (AusBBS).
ACCC opens up superfast broadband to competition
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has announced it is opening up the wholesale superfast broadband services to competition with the declaration of a five-year "superfast broadband access service".
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".
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.
Abbott, Turnbull: No NBN talks with Murdoch
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull both deny they've held discussions with News Corp chief executive Rupert Murdoch over the National Broadband Network.
Fifield gets serious about VDSL cross-talk issue
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has registered a new regulation which will force Australia's broadband industry to develop its own industry code dealing with the thorny issue of cross-talk interference in the new generation of Fibre to the Node and Basement technologies.
Reality check: Faster NBN shaping won’t bankrupt ISPs
Over the weekend, I received a flood of outraged comments accusing me of not taking the costs of ISPs into account in my article exploring alternatives to the current speed shaping models being proposed by ISPs for the National Broadband Network.
The politics of unshackling the NBN from politics
A long-term industry has been shackled to three-year political terms for far too long. The only way to unshackle NBN from politics is to get government out of the marketplace where it exists. Of course, the legacy of sunk costs will make this difficult. But by the time we stop bickering about the latest lot of reports, it will be time to deal with the next communications technology problem.
HFC the “steam train” of broadband, says Budde
Australian telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has published a strongly worded blog post arguing that the HFC cable networks focused on by the Coalition in its rival NBN policy are akin to steam trains in the 1930's through the 1960's -- they'll still around for decades, but don't represent the future of their industry.
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.
You’re wrong, critics tell Turnbull: Australia voted for NBN
An analysis of Senate voting patterns put together by supporters of Labor's all-fibre NBN policy has shown parties supporting the fibre to the premises model received more support in the Federal Election than the Coalition's alternative, calling into question Malcolm Turnbull's claim to have a mandate to change the NBN rollout to fibre to the node.
The ACCC is falling too far in love with the NBN
In rubber-stamping the uncompetitive $800 million deal which Optus has signed with NBN Co, the national competition regulator has signalled a disturbing loss of independence and an obsequious willingness to make the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project succeed at all costs.
The great NBN sell-off has already begun
NBN Co, we hardly knew ye. Make no mistake: Tony Abbott's new Coalition Government does not want to own a national broadband monopoly. The process of selling NBN Co to the private sector has already begun, and will be accelerated over the next several years.
Tassie Govt criticises TPG over Basslink Internet issues
The Tasmanian Government has expressed its disappointment over service interruptions for customers of TPG's Internet service provider brands following the cutting of the Basslink cable.
Telstra profits should go to job creation, not destruction, says union
Following Telstra's announcement of a record profit for the 2015-16 financial year, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) has called on the telco to use some of those funds to invest in its Australian workforce, rather than continue with its outsourcing and offshoring initiatives.
Multi-dwelling units a major issue for the NBN
The experiencein Hong Kong and Singapore suggests that NBN Co. in Australia will ultimately be able to gain access to most – but maybe not all – multi-dwelling units with recalcitrant owners to complete its network rollout, but doing so will require the patience of Job and might take a lot longer than anyone thought.
Telstra preparing mobile network for 1Gbps speeds ‘later in 2016’
Telstra has made a raft of announcements this week, including the launch of 1Gbps speeds on its mobile networks in certain areas.
“Malcolm in a muddle”: Husic accuses Turnbull of FTTP “porkies”
One of Labor's newest recruits to the broadband portfolio has accused Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull of "telling porkies" and "complete fabrications" with respect to the Liberal MP's statement that businesses in key areas such as CBDs would not need to pay extra to have fibre connected to their premises under the Coalition's rival NBN policy.
Liberal MP misleads Parliament with NBN motion
Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis has moved a motion in the House of Representatives which appears to contain demonstrably false information about Labor's National Broadband Network policy, in a controversial move which caused instant uproar on the part of Labor figures focused on the NBN policy.
Budde praises Coalition NBN plan
Fans of the Coalition’s rival broadband policy can be hard to find in Australia’s technology sector, with most preferring the Labor Federal Government’s more expansive National Broadband Network policy. However, according to telecommunications analyst Paul Budde, the Coalition’s plan may be better than many people think.
Cashed-up Telstra abandoning Aussie workforce, says union
One of Telstra's main unions has heavily criticised the company for a reported plan to send as many as 1,000 jobs offshore in yet another round of offshoring at the telco, stating that Telstra isn't treating its Australian workforce fairly in the context of its ongoing profit growth.
‘Parochial’: Turnbull slams ‘NBN cheerleader’ media
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has again heavily criticised Australia’s technology media for what he described as its “cheerleader” approach to the Government’s National Broadband Network, saying the nation was “let down by the so-called technology media” as it did not examine local events closely enough with reference to the global telecommunications sector.
NBN should abolish speed tiers, says economist
According to one economist, the NBN might actually see higher uptake if just one flat speed (presumably 100Mbps, initially) was provided.
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.
When NBN installs go wrong: A nightmare tale
Turn the lights down low and prepare to be frightened by just how bad the National Broadband Network install process can be. Self-described "IT guy, husband and father", Andrew Devenish-Mear, has penned an extensive blog post on the horrors of trying to get your NBN connection running even when you're in one of the early fibre roll-out zones.
Telstra to invest $3bn in network, customer service
Telstra has announced it will spend up to an extra $3 billion over three years on a range of investments aimed to improve its networks and "digitise and simplify" customer service.
Help us fact-check iTNews’ NBN figures
Help us fact-check iTNews' claims that NBN Co is fudging its rollout figures in an attempt to make its progress look better on paper.
Telstra seeks 120 voluntary redundancies
Telstra is seeking up to 120 volunteers for redundancy from its Networks Delivery operations, according to the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Five ways the NBN is better than Google Fiber
This week Google finally launched its Google Fiber service in the US. But don't be lured by the company's sweet, sweet promises of cheap, unlimited fibre broadband to your home. Australia's National Broadband Network will be five times as good as Google Fiber. And here's why.
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.
Reversal: Switkowski admits Tassie NBN contracts specified FTTP
NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski has been forced to retract a statement he made earlier this month regarding the company's network rollout contracts in Tasmania, admitting yesterday that the contracts did specify Labor's preferred Fibre to the Premises network model was to be used in the state.
Senate blocks release of secret piracy docs
The Federal Government and Opposition have teamed up to block a motion put by the Greens in the Senate which would have forced the Attorney-General's Department to produce a series of documents regarding its closed-door meetings on Internet piracy in February this year.
NBN gridlock resolved: FTTN congestion fixed for some
Some of the early adopters of the Government's preferred Fibre to the Node NBN rollout model have now resolved their problems and are achieving the speeds they were promised on the service, following pressure on the issue from Delimiter and the Opposition.
BT’s FTTN has passed 16m since 2009
British incumbent telco BT revealed overnight that its fibre to the node network has passed more than 16 million premises since the network rollout was commenced in 2009, with more than 1.7 million customers having signed up for active connections to the infrastructure.
Vodafone UK dumps telephone line rental on broadband plans
Vodafone UK has said it is "removing" home broadband line rental charges, and is touting the claim in its latest ad campaign.
ISP data retention still an issue, Ludlam warns
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has warned that a secretive proposal -- known as 'data retention -- by the Attorney-General's Department to force internet service providers to store a wealth of information pertaining to Australians' emails and telephone calls is still an issue, with the public needing to remain vigilant on how the Government handles Internet surveillance.
Vodafone CEO backs Quigley NBN study
Vodafone chief executive Bill Morrow backs NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley's proposal to have the Communications Alliance carry out a study into Australia's broadband future.
NBN not transparent enough, says Oakeshott
Not content with repeatedly dragging NBN Co executives on a regular basis before parliamentary committees and poring over the many reports and documents the company has released, independent MP Rob Oakeshott has reportedly demanded NBN Co provide yet more information about its operations in an effort to be more transparent.
Jim Hassell quits NBN Co
One of the most visible NBN Co executives over the past several years has been the company's Head of Product Development and Industry Relations, Jim Hassell. And now, just two and a half years after he joined the company, he's leaving.
Telstra employs drones to inspect mobile towers
Telstra has announced that it is using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to inspect its mobile towers, and said that the technology has "enormous potential" to change the way Australians work.
NBN Co rejects FOI request for basic FTTN modem details
The NBN company has flatly rejected a seemingly innocuous Freedom of Information request which sought to establish the specifications which Australians would need to meet in order to connect their end user hardware to its Fibre to the Node and Basement networks.
NBN policy: Show us some detail, Conroy tells Turnbull
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has demanded that the Coalition disclose some basic details of its rival broadband policy, noting that Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not substantially outlined the policy further in public since a landmark speech on the issue in the middle of 2011.
‘National security’: NBN Co blocks Huawei FoI
The National Broadband Network Company, in consultation with associated Federal Government Departments have used a complex series of legal arguments, including national security grounds, to block the public Freedom of Information release of a series of documents relating to the decision to block Chinese vendor Huawei from tendering for NBN contracts.
Fifield refuses to accept NBN Co’s own evidence of FTTN delays
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has repeatedly refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of evidence contained in leaked internal documentation, in which the NBN company's chief network engineering explicitly states that its Fibre to the Node rollout is categorically behind target.
Budde says Turnbull may announce FTTdp as NBN election policy
Veteran telco analyst Paul Budde this week said it was his view that the speed and cost advantages of the NBN's new Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTdp) model might lead Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to announce it as the Coalition's new NBN policy ahead of this year's Federal Election.
Fixed Wireless NBN turns out worse than ADSL for some
It was supposed to be next-generation infrastructure which would make their old broadband connection obsolete. But for some connected to the NBN company's Fixed Wireless infrastructure, the performance of the platform is leading them to question whether their old ADSL broadband was actually a better option.
Greens’ Ludlam loses WA Senate seat
Technology-focused Greens politician Scott Ludlam has formally lost his Senate seat in Western Australia, the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed today, in a move which will be interpreted as a substantial blow to the digital rights movement in Australia.
Spectacularly shortsighted: Debating 2012 NBN take-up rates
Reality check: The National Broadband Network is a project which will continue to serve Australia's telecommunications needs for at least the next fifty years. Debating take-up rates in the first year of its existence is nothing short of incredibly short-sighted and trivial.
Bell Canada plans 10Gbps speeds for ‘easier to maintain’ FTTP
Canadian telco Bell Canada has revealed it is planning to extend its Fibre to the Premises network to some 2.2 million premises by the end of 2015, hyping the technology as being far easier to maintain than Fibre to the Node and also being capable of delivering 10Gbps speeds to customers by 2017.
When academics perpetuate NBN ignorance
Professor Zumbo, we humbly submit that it might be wise for you take another look at the fundamental premises contained in your NBN article in the Sydney Morning Herald this morning. We humbly suggest that the degree of academic rigour contained within is sadly ... inferior.
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".
Optus launches TD-LTE 4G trial in Canberra
The nation's number two telco Optus has made a series of major announcements this morning regarding its 4G network, which now extends through five capital cities as well major regional centres such as the Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.
Turnbull has “saved” the NBN, says Kohler
It's hard to recall, given Tony Abbott's enthusiastic support for the Coalition's 'NBN lite' policy released this week, but there was a time when the Opposition Leader and others in the Coalition had pledged to "demolish", "dismantle" and any other 'd' word you can think of, Labor's National Broadband Network policy. Until Malcolm Turnbull took control.
“Heroic”: Turnbull savages ACCC Optus sign-off
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made a lengthy parliamentary speech damning the ACCC's decision to sign off on Optus' $800 million deal with the National Broadband Network Company, describing the regulator's assumptions when approving the arrangement as "heroic".
Telstra’s NBN plans: Just universally awful
Telstra's National Broadband Network plans released today are the broadband equivalent of Kryptonite. With less choice, less download quotas and less value than any other provider on the market, but for a higher price, Telstra's NBN options do more than stink -- they glow with a sickly radioactive foulness and should be avoided at all costs.
Telstra’s 4G much faster than Optus’ 4G
A real-world comparison test conducted by Lifehacker has found that Optus' fledgling 4G mobile network does not deliver anywhere near the speeds possible on Telstra's rival 4G infrastructure, despite claims by Optus that the telco was planning to build "the best-performing network in Australia".
NBN Co director Milne has Netcomm conflict of interest
New NBN Co board director Justin Milne has a second significant conflict of interest which he does not appear to have resolved, it has emerged, as questions continue to swirl around the appointment process for NBN Co's new board and executive team under the Coalition.
Aussie focus as NBN Co awards $635m in deals
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) yesterday announced that it had awarded contracts worth up to $635 million over the next five years to six companies with a robust local presence.
NBN chair seeks Quigley replacement?
Indications continue to firm up that NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley is not long for the position, despite the pivotal role he has played in getting the NBN -- Australia's largest-ever infrastructure project -- off the ground.
Turnbull’s first 100 days have been a disaster
I think it's safe to say at this point that Turnbull has not gotten his first 100 days in power right; in fact, he's gotten them disastrously wrong, making little or even backwards progress on a range of fronts. It will be interesting to see if he can rectify his political and functioning mistakes in the next 100 days.
amaysim buys fellow mobile telco Vaya
Mobile telco amaysim this morning announced it had bought privately owned Vaya for $70 million, in a move that will add some 140,000 subscribers to amaysim's customer database and further consolidate the already tight mobile market.
Blowouts? No. The NBN is very much on track
Last week the majority of Australia's media reported that the National Broadband Network Company's corporate plan showed it had blown its budget and was running late. But the truth is that the document actually paints a picture of a sensible and mature operation which is hitting almost all of its targets.
TPG considering unlimited NBN plan
National broadband provider TPG is reportedly considering launching a National Broadband Network pricing plan offering unlimited download quota, similar to its popular existing ADSL2+ unlimited plans.
TPG reveals $69.99 unlimited NBN plan
National provider broadband provider TPG has revealed it is planning to offer at least one plan on the National Broadband Network's fibre infrastructure featuring the same unlimited downloads it offers on ADSL networks, with speeds of 12Mbps and a monthly charge of $69.99 including a home telephone line.
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.
Coalition policy claims NBN to cost $90bn
This morning the Daily Telegraph reported that an analysis contained in the Coalition's rival policy purported to show that the real cost of Labor's NBN project would be up to $90 billion.
Tassie NBN “shambolic”, “farcical”, says TacICT
Tasmania's peak industry body of the information, communications and technology sector, TasICT, has published a strongly worded submission to the Federal Government slamming both sides of politics for the "shambolic" and "farcical" progress of NBN Co's network rollout in the state, stating that the project has become a "political tool".
UK Lords back universal fibre NBN
A landmark report produced by the United Kingdom's House of Lords branch of its parliament has recommend that fibre broadband be driven out "as close as possible" to end users in the country and that an open access national broadband network similar to Australia's own NBN be regarded as a "fundamental strategic asset".
“The NBN is dead,” says Jason Clare
Shadow Communications Minister Jason Clare yesterday said he believed Labor's National Broadband Network project was "dead" and that all that was left was "a bunch of different technologies rolling out in different parts of the country", despite the fact that most Australians still want the project to go ahead.
Optus launches 4G in Newcastle
National broadband provider Optus has upgraded its mobile network in the Newcastle and surrounding region to support fourth-generation (4G) mobile broadband speeds, in a test deployment ahead of a wider national rollout planned for later this year.
NBN Co made FTTP architect Ferris redundant
NBN Co misled the Australian public about its treatment of Peter Ferris, it has emerged, with the company having made the highly experienced and respected network engineer who was responsible for the design of the company’s previous Fibre to the Premises network redundant rather than merely having demoted him, as it stated in April.
Turnbull “gets” the NBN, claims Oakeshott
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has stated that he would be more willing to deal with a Coalition Government led by Malcolm Turnbull than Tony Abbott, due, among other reasons, to the fact that Turnbull "gets" the need for the National Broadband Network project to go ahead.
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".
‘I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours’: Turnbull to open Blue Book...
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has stated that he will seek to publicly release his 'Blue Book' incoming ministerial briefing if the Opposition will consent to release a number of NBN-related documents which were considered as part of the previous Labor administration's cabinet.
Telstra kicks off P2P throttling trial
Six months after it notified customers of its plans, the nation's largest telco Telstra has finally kicked off a limited and completely voluntary trial of advanced traffic management techniques on its network that will see peer to peer traffic through platforms such as BitTorrent throttled.
Pro-NBN National Day of Action is tomorrow
Supporters of Labor's all-fibre vision for the National Broadband Network project have organised a national day of action for Tuesday 26 November, which will see thousands of Australians physically present Members of Parliament with copies of a 270,000-strong petition on the issue.
Telstra abandons Adam Internet buyout
The nation's largest telco Telstra has abandoned its plans to buy South Australian Internet service provider Adam Internet, with delays caused by the competition regulator's concerns about the deal having caused its timeframe to have blown out.
ABC actively censors NBN issue on Q&A
The ABC's flagship panel discussion program Q&A last night appeared to actively censor the National Broadband Network issue from being discussed on an episode featuring Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull; ignoring a flood of questions from viewers prior to its filming, leaving the issue out of pre-show briefing documents and shutting down discussion on air.
Not today, Conroy: House of Reps rejects NBN transparency reform
The Government has used its dominance of the House of Representatives to reject amendments successfully moved by Labor Senator Stephen Conroy in the Senate which would enforce a degree of radical transparency on the NBN company.
FTTP “superceded” by FTTN, claims Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week made the controversial claim that the fibre to the premises technology used in Labor's National Broadband Network had been "largely superceded" by the Coalition's preferred fibre to the node model, and that there wasn't significant evidence to show that the higher capacity of FTTP was "necessary" or "valuable".
Govt censors NBN Co’s FTTP projection data
The Federal Government has taken steps to stop the public getting access to a key data set which details why the NBN company believes a full-Fibre to the Premises rollout would cost up to $38 billion more and take eight years longer to finalise than its currrent controversial Multi-Technology Mix plan.
Turnbull has “no-one else to blame”, Labor says on NBN cost blow-outs
The Opposition has blamed the up to $15 billion National Broadband Network funding blow-out revealed this morning on “poor decisions” and “wrong assumptions” made by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull during his stewardship of the project, as the war of words between the major parties on the issue ramps up.
Calamity: Vodafone lost 443k customers last year
Ailing mobile telco Vodafone Australia late yesterday revealed it had lost 443,000 customers and about $817 million in the 2012 calendar year, as indications continue to mount that the company's network rejuvenation, staff restructuring and executive leadership changes have had little to no impact on its fortunes.
Coalition “conned” Tasmania on the CBN, says Premier
Labor Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings has accused the Coalition Federal Government of having "conned the Tasmanian public" with respect to its plans for the Coalition's Broadband Network project in the state, having failed to commit to a full Fibre to the Premises rollout despite the State Government's willingness to work with Canberra on the issue.
Visionstream secures $250M Telstra ‘wideband’ contract
Visionstream, a services provider to the telecoms industry, has inked a new deal with Telstra to extend its delivery of 'wideband' services across Australia.
NBN should be top Abbott priority: Poll
An online poll taken by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation this week has shown Australians overwhelmingly believe focusing on the National Broadband Network should be Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott's highest priority in his first 100 days in office, eclipsing issues such as education, the carbon tax, border protection and the environment.
Labor should just leave the MTM NBN alone, says M2
It hardly comes as a surprise that the head of M2 Group, Geoff Horth, is calling for a bit of bipartisanship on the NBN from here on in.
Australia Post wants to be a major telco …
Industry newsletter Communications Day this morning revealed that Australia Post was planning a major push into telecommunications services, with Optus regulatory chief Maha Krishnapillai (who recently quit the company) joining to spearhead the effort.
Global eyes are watching: EFF condemns Australia’s new Internet filter
The global Electronic Frontiers Foundation has harshly criticised the Federal Government for allowing departments and agencies to unilaterally block websites suspected of containing illegal content, saying that it "beggars belief" that such a system could be in place after the previous mandatory filter policy was defeated.
Optus 4G trial blazes past 70Mbps
Australia’s number two telco Optus announced late last week that it had successfully completed what it said was the nation’s first 4G mobile broadband trial using 700MHz – a new mobile frequency providing wider coverage and faster speeds as compared to the existing 4G mobile services that used the 1800MHz spectrum.
Telstra gets $150m for NBN FTTN trial
Remember how in early June, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed that Telstra was working on a wide-scale trial of the Coalition’s preferred Fibre to the Node network rollout style that would encompass about a thousand nodes? Well, it looks like the pedal is about to hit the metal with the trial, with the Financial Review quoting Turnbull this week as stating that the two telcos had signed a deal which would see the trial go ahead.
No pristine photos: Telstra rejects copper challenge
The nation's largest telco Telstra has declined a challenge to provide photos highlighting good examples of the best-maintained infrastructure in its national copper telecommunications network, following the publication several weeks ago of a "worst of the worst" gallery of photos of the network.
800 pound gorilla: Telstra throws its 4G weight around
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning revealed it had more than 3.2 million devices operating on its 4G mobile network and that its 4G coverage was slated to reach 85 percent of the population by Christmas, in a move which will further solidify the company's 4G lead over its rivals.
Optus, Huawei achieve 1.41Gbps speeds in 4.5G wireless trial
Optus and Huawei late last week said a live trial of 4.5G technology has produced mobile download speeds of 1.41Gbps.
A voice in mainstream media on NBN
Senior Victorian IT professional George Fong encourages fellow technologists to get involved in commenting on the National Broadband Network, after the success of a segment he was involved with on 3AW last week.
Now Telstra threatens to do its own FTTB
The nation's largest telco Telstra has become the latest private sector player to threaten to deploy its own Fibre to the Basement solution in apartment blocks around Australia, in a move designed to both head off rivals and capitalise on delays suffered in Labor's National Broadband Network project.
Shorten won’t release Lazard NBN report
The Opposition has confirmed it will not consent to key Labor cabinet documents related to the National Broadband Network being publicly released, in comments which let Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull off the hook from doing the same.
Turnbull again misleads public on NBN
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has this week made a number of misleading and factually inaccurate statements in a series of interviews and comments about the Government's National Broadband Network project, on topics ranging from the technology used in the project to its cost and retail broadband prices.
AAPT is up for sale … yet again
The Financial Review reports today that Telecom New Zealand is once again trying to offload its AAPT asset (when is it not?)
Five ways NZ is smarter than Australia on broadband
In Australia, poking fun at our New Zealand cousins has become more than just a hobby over the years; these days it enjoys the status of a national sport. However, when it becomes to broadband, the situation has been turned on its head: New Zealand is doing everything right that we are doing wrong. Here's five ways the Kiwis are smarter than us in this critical area.
Telstra downplays 3G CBD issue
The nation's largest telco Telstra has sought to downplay issues being experienced by customers using its 3G mobile network in central business district areas, stating that it's happy with how the network is performing but acknowledging that there are pockets in the network that could get congested and were scheduled to be upgraded.
Vocus to buy Nextgen Networks for $861m
Vocus Communications has announced the acquisition of Nextgen Networks, along with two undersea cable projects, the North West Cable System and Australia Singapore Cable.
NBN satellite engineer wins Australia Day honours
One of the key engineers who helped guide the NBN company's first satellite into orders has been awarded Australia Day Honours.
Tell them they’re joking: Telstra still wants to own copper or HFC
What we're seeing here with Telstra during the negotiation process over access to the telco's networks is Telstra leveraging its position of strength over the Government to get the best possible result from the negotiations. Under Labor, the Government had Telstra up against a wall, because it fundamentally did not need Telstra's assistance to build its NBN fibre infrastructure. It had the advantage. Under the Coalition, Telstra has the advantage -- because the MTM mix approach cannot be delivered without Telstra's active assistance. And Telstra is leveraging that situation to the hilt.
‘ABC did not gag Nick Ross’: MD Mark Scott tells Senate (full video)
The managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has categorically denied that the broadcaster "gagged" its former technology editor Nick Ross from reporting on the National Broadband Network, stating that it merely wanted the journalist to comply with its editorial policies in doing so.
NBN Co updates rollout plan to 2016
The National Broadband Network Company over the weekend updated its rolling three-year deployment timetable, adding more than 1.35 million Australian premises to its plan for deploying fibre, wireless and satellite infrastructure throughout Australia.
Premises passed the only useful NBN measurement
The National Broadband Network Company and the Federal Government should standardise on the "premises passed" statistic to measure the network's progress and stop using the confusing and amorphous "premises commenced or completed" measurement to provide concrete detail on how well it is progressing against its network rollout targets.
Truth: A lack of Wi-Fi is definitely bad for your health
Australia's national broadcaster has unfortunately let one of its senior journalists engage in a fear-mongering campaign to convince Australians we should be scared of a technology we invented: wireless data transmission. The truth is that the only thing we should be scared of is a lack of signal.
Labor MP Husic slams NBN schedule …?
Federal Labor MP Ed Husic has taken the unusual step of harshly criticising his own party's National Broadband Network project for neglecting several suburbs in his electorate which he said suffered from "a chronic lack of access to broadband".
Spirit deploys 200Mbps FTTB to Southbank
It’s only a very limited rollout so far, but Melbourne residents might be interested to know that local telco Spirit Telecom has deployed what appears to be a Fibre to the Basement broadband rollout in the Triptych apartment facility in the Southbank area. It appears that Spirit has been able to achieve speeds of up to 200Mbps by using Fibre to the Basement and then deploying its own in-building network to extend broadband to each apartment — skipping the existing in-building copper infrastructure.
Rethinking the NBN: Hackett’s just getting started
Internode founder Simon Hackett has declared that the innovative ideas he has put forward over the past several years with respect to reforming the NBN are "just the tip of the iceberg" in terms of potential improvements and cost reductions to the project, as debate continues about its future under the new Coalition Government.
NBN questions needed for Q&A
I thought I would do a quick post noting that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be appearing on the ABC's Q&A program tonight. If you have questions that you would like to see the Earl of Wentworth respond to, on any issue, but especially the hot button topic of broadband policy, then I recommend you submit those questions as soon as possible online here.
Two thirds of Australians support the NBN
A new study has found that two thirds of Australians support the Federal Government’s National Broadband Network project, with most planning to connect to the network when it’s connected to their premises, as the project continues to experience high levels of popularity on a sustained basis over several years.
Coalition missteps on NBN budget savings
The Federal Opposition has again incorrectly alleged that it could save money by cutting the Labor Federal Government's multi-billion dollar National Broadband Network project, despite financial projections which show the project is likely to make the Government billions.
Telstra sells most of Sensis to private equity
The nation's biggest telco Telstra this morning revealed it would sell 70 percent of its ailing directories and advertising business Sensis to US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity, with the sale to net the telco $454 million.
Tragic accident reported in NBN Kiama build
NBN Co has been advised of a reported fatality at Kiama that occurred just before noon today. The Ambulance Service responded and Police are in attendance.
Telstra increases mobile, fixed phone costs
The nation's biggest telco Telstra has broadly increased its charges for fixed-line telephony services, a move that comes on the back of similar price increases unveiled at the beginning of this month for mobile customers.
“Ignorance”: Conroy slams Turnbull’s “fail” NBN policy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has taken a pickaxe to the Coalition's rival broadband policy released this morning, describing the plan as a "fail" on the part of Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull and lambasting the Coalition for its "ignorance" when it comes to broadband policy.
“Like Sol Trujillo”: Conroy blasts Vodafone CEO
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has taken an axe to complaints by Vodafone Australia's chief executive Bill Morrow about the national telecommunications regulatory regime, comparing Morrow to outspoken former Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo.
Huawei chief executive lands in Australia
Buried in an article by the Financial Review this morning is the news that the global chief executive of networking equipment giant Huawei has arrived in Australia.
NZ brings FTTP costs down to FTTN levels
The telco deploying New Zealand's own version of the National Broadband Network has revealed that it was able to cut the cost of deploying its Fibre to the Premises model by 29 percent in a single year in 2015 and will cut it evern further this year, bringing the overall cost down to a comparable level with rival mdoels such as Fibre to the Node.
6 months free: New Internode 1.5GB mobile plan
iiNet subsidiary and national broadband provider Internode has launched an inexpensive new mobile plan offering customers six months’ free access to its monthly NodeMobile plan, including 1.5GB of data and $450 of mobile calling value, to customers who sign up for two-year ADSL broadband and telephone plans.
NBN construction model failed, says Conroy
Ex-Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has acknowledged that the private contractor model which NBN Co attempted to use in its national fibre rollout has failed due to the inability of the company's partners to deliver on their commitments, in an admission which again raises the possibility of Telstra being brought back in to assist with the rollout.
Switkowski makes ex-Labor NBN exec redundant
Ziggy Switkowski has made the position of a senior NBN Co executive with a Labor political history redundant and allocated his responsibilities to a former Telstra executive with close links to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, in one of the NBN Co executive chairman’s first moves since taking the company’s reins.
Conroy fights Internet control in Dubai
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has revealed he is leading a team to a key telecommunications conference being held in Dubai this week at which the International Telecommunications Union is attempting to seek greater control over the operation of the Internet.
Parliament knocks back surveillance terms
The Parliamentary Committee tasked with examining the Labor Federal Government's wide-ranging plans to broadly increase and deepen its surveillance powers has reportedly knocked back the terms of reference which the Government has given it.
Pacific Fibre cancels Tasman/US cable project
A little over two years since it formed with the aim of building fibre-optic submarine cables between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, local telecommunications venture Pacific Fibre has folded, citing an inability to attract sufficient funding for the project.
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.
FOI requests target Section 313 notices
News that Federal Government agencies such as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission have quietly started unilaterally forcing Australian ISPs to block websites suspected of containing illegal material has spurred an extensive round of Freedom of Information requests, as journalists and activists seek to ascertain how widespread the practice is.
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.
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.
NBN Co to kill TPG rollout while Minister dithers
The National Broadband Network Company has decided to take action into its own hands to deal with TPG's plans to deploy competitive broadband infrastructure in Australia's cities, revealing plans this morning to accelerate its own rollout to compete with TPG ahead of any expected decision on the issue by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
NBN contractors: No problem with rollout speed
A lengthy article published by the ABC last week (we recommend you click here for the full article) appears to blow claims of slow rollout speeds out of the water, with NBN Co’s contractors telling Aunty that getting the deployment done on time would be no problem.
Verizon Wireless vs Telstra: The great mobile rip-off continues
Does the recent announcement by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) of a new code of practice to prevent bill shock for “long-suffering telco customers”, and improve product marketing practices, bring Australia up to par with its international cousins? In a word: no.
Internode revamps estates fibre plans
National broadband provider Internode has released a new series of plans for residents of new housing estates which have their fibre infrastructure operated by independent fibre specialists Opticomm and OPENetworks, harmonising the plans with its existing National Broadband Network pricing.
NBN rollout update a “fantasy”, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed the latest update to the rollout plans for Labor's National Broadband Network project as a "fantasy", pointing out that the initiative has been under way for four years but has failed to meet its targets and has only successfully rolled out infrastructure to a "miniscule" number of premises.
Turnbull dumps ABC spots; 7:30 dumps NBN talk
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has cancelled four scheduled appearances on various ABC television and radio shows over the past month, it emerged yesterday, as last night yet another ABC flagship cut short a discussion of Australia's largest ever infrastructure project, the NBN, with the portfolio minister responsible for it.
How long before Vodafone hangs up?
Vodafone Australia is spending hundreds of millions of dollars re-building its troubled 3G mobile network, boosting its customer service levels and trying to win customers back with attractive marketing offers. But the sad truth is that all of its efforts appear to be having little impact on its dismal future.
The perfect demonstration of an NBN false dichotomy
We couldn't help but be amused by the brouhaha caused when smart cookie, self-confessed Liberal voter and Redditor James Brotchie created the very Web 2.0-ish site How Fast is the NBN, which attempts to graphically demonstrate the difference between the rival National Broadband Network policies of the two major sides of politics.
Budde says he warned Turnbull about Optus HFC cable issue
Veteran telecommunications analyst Paul Budde late last week said he publicly warned Malcolm Turnbull that the HFC cable network which the NBN company bought from Optus for $800 million was not suitable for use as part of the National Broadband Network, but that the Prime Minister had ignored the analysis, surrounding himself instead with "yes men".
‘Appalling treatment’: Vic IT minister to take Ross’s cause to ABC MD
Victoria's Innovation Minister has described the ABC's treatment of its former technology editor Nick Ross as "appalling" and has expressed a desire to meet with the journalist and take his case directly to the managing director of the broadcaster.
iiNet to blanket Canberra with free Wi-Fi
National broadband provider iiNet today revealed that it had been selected by the nation’s capital to build Australia’s largest free Wi-Fi network, blanketing 12 business districts across Canberra during the coming year.
A challenge for Telstra: Show us your best
Yesterday a lot of people complained that our photo gallery of the "worst of the worst" of Telstra's copper network didn't fairly represent the strength and quality of the network as a whole. So today, we're challenging Telstra to show us its best.
News Corp Australia vs the NBN: Is it really all about Foxtel?
In its arguments against the NBN, it would seem News Corp Australia’s campaign is less than wholly transparent in representing its own interests.
Defying the Senate: NBN Co refuses to disclose brand new copper needs past 1800km
The NBN company has flatly refused to say how much brand new copper it need beyond its existing reserves of 1800km to make its Fibre to the Node broadband rollout model function correctly, in response to a question by one of the most powerful Senators overseeing its operations.
Fifield praises “superfast” Fibre to the Node rollout
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has praised the controversial Fibre to the Node technology which the NBN company is launching at the moment as part of the Coalition's Multi-Technology Mix vision, describing FTTN as "superfast", despite the fact that some residents may only get speeds of 50Mbps.
NBN staff nickname for HFC upgrade is “Operation Clusterfuck”, says Conroy
According to Labor Senator Stephen Conroy, even the NBN company's own staff have their doubts about the upgrade project.
Telstra P2P throttling “unacceptable”: Pirate Party
Pirate Party Australia has labelled as "unacceptable" Telstra's plans to trial a system whereby certain Internet services, such as BitTorrent file downloading, would be de-prioritised on its network, stating that the implementation of 'net neutrality" was "essential" for the future of Australian broadband.
BT, Alcatel-Lucent show 1.4Tbps fibre speeds
British telco BT and French networking equipment supplier Alcatel-Lucent have teamed up for a trial which has demonstrated speeds of up to 1.4Tbps over BT's core fibre network, in what is believed to be the fastest data speeds ever achieved using commercial-grade hardware in a real-world telco environment.
Optus extends TD-LTE network to other cities
Optus last week revealed that it had switched on its TD-LTE '4G Plus' mobile broadband in a further four capital cities: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Govt holds second secret anti-piracy meeting
The Federal Government has reportedly held a second secret meeting held between the content and telecommunications industries to address the issue of illegal file sharing through avenues such as BitTorrent.
Nokia achieves “world first” symmetrical 10Gbps over HFC cable
Nokia has announced that it has achieved 10 Gbps symmetrical data speeds using a traditional hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable system.
Conroy sees “positive outcome” ahead on filter
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has indicated the Government is having discussions with the telecommunications industry about the future of its controversial mandatory Internet filtering project, the future of which is currently hanging in the balance, following the delivery of a review of Australia's classification system.
Visionstream inks $350m Telstra facilities management deal
Visionstream, an Australian services provider to the telecoms industry, has just inked a deal with Telstra to supply maintenance and building services to more than 40,000 assets nationwide.
An inside investigation into the Teoh family
Ever wondered who actually runs top-tier Australian telco TPG? So have we. Your writer has been reporting on Australia's telecommunications industry for almost a decade now and I've never met or spoken to reclusive TPG chief executive David Teoh, despite the fact that the executive runs one of Australia's largest telcos and has a habit of buying others.
NBN policy should integrate FTTN, HFC: Budde
Maverick telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has published a blog entry arguing that realising the vision of the National Broadband Network (NBN) initiative will require not just building new FTTH (Fibre to the Home) networks, but also retaining the current HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial) and FTTN (Fibre to the Node) networks currently being used in Australia.
NBN: 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 management credibility “shattered”: Turnbull
The credibility of NBN Co's management has been "shattered" by revelations that a third of the premises which its network rollout has passed with fibre can't actually connect to the network yet, Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said this afternoon.
NBN Co renews Service Stream greenfields deal
National construction firm Service Stream this morning revealed the National Broadband Network Company had renewed its contract to design and deploy NBN Co's fibre network to greenfield developments (usually housing estates), in a deal which could eventually be worth some $140 million.
They just keep on quitting: NBN Co loses wireless exec
NBN Co has lost the executive in charge of its wireless rollout, according to the Financial Review.
No minutes taken at secret BitTorrent meeting
The Federal Attorney-General’s Department has declined a Freedom of Information request for the minutes of a recent meeting behind closed doors between ISPs and the entertainment industry over illegal online file sharing, stating that no minutes of the event exist.
Unlimited 100Mbps for $89.99: TPG equals top NBN plan
TPG has launched a new plan on the National Broadband Network fibre infrastructure which appears to match the existing best option on the market from rival Exetel, with the national broadband provider also now offering an unlimited option at speeds of 100Mbps for just $89.99 per month.
NBN enjoys massive public support despite “overwhelmingly negative” print coverage
A new comprehensive study of public attitudes towards Labor's National Broadband Network project has found the initiative still enjoys very high levels of widespread public support from ordinary Australians, despite what the study described as an "overwhelmingly negative" approach to the project by print media such as newspapers.
Huston calls for active FTTP NBN
There are actually few Australians who your writer considers to be actual, verifiable experts on the current class of broadband technologies being debated as part of the National Broadband Network discussion. However, Geoff Huston is one of them.
Rip-off: NBN business plans miss the point
The infrastructure being deployed as part of the National Broadband Network isn’t just for consumers; it will also be used extensively by businesses and non-profit organisations. But the business-focused NBN plans released so far don’t deliver on the network’s promise; being little more than more extensive versions of NBN consumer plans.
“Bicycle to the premise”: Clarke + Dawe on Coalition NBN policy
We're huge fans of the comedy duo Clarke and Dawe, who have long brought their cutting brand of satire to the ABC's flagship 7:30 current affairs show. And what better subject for this week's episode than the Coalition's new National Broadband Network policy? It all goes very smoothly for the pair -- until they get past the node, when a more unusual broadband delivery method presents itself.
Turnbull links data retention with Conroy’s filter
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has likened the Federal Government’s controversial data retention and surveillance plan to the mandatory Internet filtering project which remains official policy of the Federal Government, despite the fact that Labor’s attempt to introduce it several years ago was met with near-universal political and popular opposition.
ISPs will take coordinated approach to site blocking
A number of internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed to take a coordinated response to orders requesting website blocking over copyright infringement.
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.
FTTN “viable”, says Mike Quigley
NBN Co chief Mike Quigley concedes a fibre to the node rollout would be viable in Australia.
“Failure and incompetence”: Mark Newton on surveillance reforms
At Delimiter we love a good rant, especially if it’s about the tragically flawed understanding which our Federal Government and attendant politicans appear to have about technology. And this one, by network engineer Mark Newton (he’s got form in this area) is a cracker.
Vodafone CTO quits to join Hutchison
Benoit Hanssen, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone Hutchison Australia, is to leave the company late next month for a post with the Hutchison group.
Finally: Conroy kills mandatory filter for good
Ding, dong, the witch is dead. Almost five years after the current Labor Federal Government starting trying to force its controversial mandatory Internet filter policy on an extremely unwilling Australian population, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has formally dumped the policy in favour of a much more limited system already in place at Telstra and Optus.
Megaport wins access to TPG’s datacentres
Independent telco interconnection company Megaport appears to have emerged as the victor in a landmark legal decision about whether telcos such as TPG are compelled to allow independent operators to connect infrastructure to serve customers located in their datacentres.
NBN Co invites ISPs to retail FTTB trial
The National Broadband Network Company has invited retail ISPs to participate in a trial of the Fibre to the Basement network infrastructure model, as the Coalition’s plan to reshape Labor’s previously Fibre to the Premises-based NBN vision kicks into gear.
“Cheap buy”: Budde and Ludlam believe the NBN will be sold to Telstra
Senior figures Paul Budde and Senator Scott Ludlam this week said they expected that the only company likely to buy a privatised National Broadband Network would be Telstra, as speculation continues to mount about a sale of Australia's largest ever infrastructure project before it is even finished.
Blackspot programme reopens to further boost mobile coverage
A second round of the Mobile Black Spot Programme (MBSP) has opened to help boost the consistency of mobile coverage across Australia.
Telstra cuts 1,100 ops jobs
Is Telstra ever not cutting jobs in one division or another? The company seems to go through a purge every few six months or so, at least in my decade-long tenure as a technology journalist. The latest cuts were announced this week.
Nationals Leader factually incorrect (again) on NBN
The Federal Leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss, has for the second time this year made a major factually incorrect public statement with regards to Labor's National Broadband Network project, inaccurately stating that no resident in his electorate would be able to connect to the infrastructure until "at least the latter part of this decade".
Coalition NBN policy “bulletproof”, says Abbott
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has reportedly described the Coalition's National Broadband Network policy as "absolutely bulletproof", despite the fact that the Coalition has refused to formally cost the plan, and despite it containing a number of controversial assumptions which have been significantly questioned.
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.
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.
More NBN cost/benefit analysis pointless: Budde
One of Australia’s most respected telecommunications analysts this week called for the nation’s politicians to show “leadership” when it comes to national telecommunications infrastructure, arguing out that further cost/benefit analysis conducted on the sector would constitute further ‘procrastination’, after dozens of such studies have already been conducted.
The theory of infinite Simon Hacketts
Over on Whirlpool, forum poster Garthy advances an interesting theory about why the iiNet buyout of Internode took place, applying mathematical rigour to the situation to come up with the terrifying (or maybe glorious, depending on which way you look at it) prospect that the event may have the practical effect of creating an infinite number of Simon Hacketts.
Turnbull’s Dept seeks slab of new consultants
Malcolm Turnbull's Department of Communications has gone to market seeking a huge tranche of new consulting advice, on issues ranging from NBN Co's renewed deal with Telstra to the composition and future of Australia's ICT industry at large and for assistance regarding every technology category the department has any involvement in.
Interpol filter causes sharp drop in offensive requests
The implementation of a limited Internet filter at Telstra has caused a dramatic and rapid drop in the numbers of attempts by the telco's customers to access child abuse materials online, statistics released by the Australian Federal Police have shown.
NBN kicks off FTTN roll out in new areas of Tasmania
The NBN has commenced construction work in Tasmania that will use fibre to the node (FTTN) technology to connect several new communities.
NBN Co releases final telco contract
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) has published the final executable version of its contract with retail telcos. The 12-month contract was drawn up after five iterations and extensive consultations with the industry.
Optus signs NBN wholesale contract
The nation's number two telco Optus this afternoon confirmed it had signed the wholesale services agreement which Optus and other telcos have been negotiating with NBN Co for the past 15 months.
Reality check: Tasmanian overhead FTTP trials have already been done
As the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union argues today in an extremely valid point, there's no real need for more overhead FTTP trials in Tasmania -- those have already been done. I'd like to hear an answer from the Minister as to why we need more trials of overhead FTTP infrastructure in the Apple isle, when so much work along these lines has already been done.
Labor, Coalition block data retention transparency
Australia’s two major sides of politics have combined to block a Senate order moved by the Greens which would have forced the Attorney-General’s Department to produce key documents it is holding regarding advice it had received pertaining to the controversial data retention and surveillance scheme it is pushing.
Has iiNet been hacked? Rumours swirl
National broadband provider iiNet has conducted an audit of its network security, as persistent rumours continue to swirl that one of the company’s customer databases has been broken into and its contents handed over to spammers – a claim iiNet says it can find no evidence for.
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.
Oops
The Australian newspaper is forced to correct a report regarding the National Broadband Network and a college in South Australia.
Final closure: TPG buys AAPT for $450m
In a move which will finally put paid to Telecom New Zealand's lengthy and frustrated failed adventure into Australia, second-tier telco TPG this morning revealed it would buy its ailing Australian division AAPT for $450 million.
FTTN rollout hits 50,000 homes in record time
The NBN company today revealed its Fibre to the Node infrastructure was ready to be used at some 50,000 homes, a milestone that it reached just 51 days after formally launching the infrastructure in September.
Telcos want to write own guideline for broadband speed claims
Telecoms industry body Communications Alliance, along with the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), have together proposed a new industry guideline for firms making representations to consumers about the performance of broadband services.
iiNet gives huge quota boost to ADSL2+ plans
Internet provider iiNet has updated its on-net ADSL2+ plans, giving all options hefty quota increases without additional conditions.
Deep thoughts from Senator Ludlam on Julian Assange
The personal blog of Greens Communications Spokesperson Scott Ludlam continues to be excellent value. Last week the Western Australian Senator took some time out to pen more than 1,300 thoughtful words on the potential future of maverick WikiLeaks activist Julian Assange, whose fate is very much in the hands of several global legal systems.
Exetel launches 4G mobile plans
Tier two national broadband provider Exetel has launched a range of 4G mobile broadband plans with monthly download quota ranging up to 20GB, based on Optus’ new 4G infrastructure located in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Newcastle.
iiNet to splurge $350m on content, media
Over-the-top plays have not always gone well for Australia's telcos and Internet service providers. While the sector's big players -- Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNet and Vodafone -- have proved themselves able at selling telecommunications services, in most cases they have also found it hard to make money from content or services sold over the top of their telco packages. But this doesn't appear to daunt iiNet, which tells the Financial Review this week that it has a war chest for just this purpose.
NBN Co “in crisis”, Turnbull tells Albanese: Answers needed immediately
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has issued a backhanded welcome message to his new opposite, Communications Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing the NBN of being "in crisis" and of being infected by "the dysfunctional revolving door culture of NSW Labor".
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.
Five more telcos get access to Vodafone 4G
Vodafone has announced it will give five more mobile virtual network operators access to its 4G network.
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.
Optus loses networks chief Ottendorfer
Optus revealed last week that it's losing its highly regarded networks chief Günther Ottendorfer, who's been the driving force between the rapid rollout of its 4G network. To put it mildly, this is a huge loss for Optus
Turnbull agrees with Alan Jones: Wireless is NBN future
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly backed as "the facts" a number of highly contentious statements by radio shockjock Alan Jones about Labor's National Broadband Network project, including Jones' contested claim that wireless represents the future of broadband in Australia.
Shorten promises “greater role” for FTTP in NBN if Labor wins election
Bill Shorten this week said Labor would make sure that there would be a "greater role" for Fibre to the Premises technology in the National Broadband Network if it won the upcoming Federal Election. However, the Opposition Leader also intimated Labor wouldn't be able to reverse the changes Malcolm Turnbull has made to the project.
Optus dumps off-peak quota, raises prices
news The nation's number two telco Optus has revamped its broadband plan structure in a move which will see it follow rival iiNet and dump the practice of separating quota into on- and off-peak chunks, but it has also simultaneously raised prices on most broadband plans, in a move that has already angered some customers.
iiNet backs Movie Rights Group’s legal process
One of Australia’s largest ISPs, iiNet, has indicated it supports the legal approach taken by a new company planning to target thousands of Australians with threatened legal action over BitTorrent downloads and would hand over customer information to the company if ordered to by a court.
The NBN FTTdp option in detail
If you’ve been following Australia’s national broadband debate for some time, you’re probably familiar with most of the “fibre to the” terms. Fibre to the Premises is what Labor wanted to do with its National Broadband Network policy, Fibre to the Node is the watered down Coalition alternative and Fibre to the Basement is what most of the telcos want to build to apartment buildings. But what about Fibre to the Drop Point (FTTdp)? The concept, which would see fibre extended to the lead-in pit in front of Australian premises but the existing copper reused from that point on, has been explored in an extensive article published by the journal of the Telecommunications Society of Australia.
Vodafone, Huawei complete Narrowband Internet of Things trial
Vodafone has completed a trial of Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) – a 4G technology that could make connecting devices to the internet more efficient.
“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".
nbn meets Turnbull’s June 30 rollout targets
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull today confirmed nbn would meet its rollout targets for the start of the 2015/2016 financial year, although the success appeared to be based almost entirely upon the continual deployment of Labor’s previous Fibre to the Premises model, and not the Coalition’s technically inferior multi-technology alternative.
Turnbull factually inaccurate on NBN costs
Malcolm Turnbull has over the past 24 hours appeared to make a number of misleading statements regarding the cost of and financial details involved in constructing the National Broadband Network, in what appeared to be an attempt by the Shadow Communications Minister to demonstrate the Coalition's own rival plan would save tens of billions of dollars.
NBN Co delays FTTN rollout for further testing
The National Broadband Network company has acknowledged it is significantly delaying its rollout of Fibre to the Node technology in order to better test its own systems involved in the deployment, as debate continues to swirl around the controversial broadband rollout style.
Telstra tests 4G network up to 90Mbps
The nation's largest telco Telstra has revealed it has tested its 4G mobile network at speeds of up to 90Mbps and will shortly introduce a smartphone and Wi-Fi dongle that can theoretically access the network at peak speeds even higher -- up to 150Mbps -- although the network is not yet capable of those speeds.
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.
Stop “hiding” your NBN policy, Conroy tells Turnbull
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has told his opposite Malcolm Turnbull to "stop hiding" and release the Coalition's rival broadband policy, as Australians "deserve to know" the basics of how the Coalition would handle the portfolio if it won the next Federal Election.
Tasmanian Liberal Leader demands FTTP NBN
Tasmanian Liberal Leader Will Hodgman has reportedly spoken directly to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull arguing "strongly" that Tasmania needs a full rollout of Fibre to the Premises broadband technology, as opposed to the partial FTTP and partial Fibre to the Node rollout outlined by NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski this week.
Syntheo quits NBN rollout; Lend Lease + Downer EDI step up
Embattled construction firm Syntheo has walked away from the construction of the National Broadband Network project after a series of issues that have resulted in a material financial loss for the company, with Lend Lease to pick up its existing contracts and Downer EDI also coming on board with the NBN in other areas.
Red underpants? Yes, Minister, says Hackett
It looks as if Internode founder Simon Hackett has taken Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s infamous “red underpants” comments a little seriously, if this photo from CommsDay’s Melbourne Congress this morning is any indication. Oh, dear.
NBN + climate change deniers: A rebuttal
Remember those controversial comments by telecommunications analyst Paul Budde, comparing critics of Labor’s National Broadband Network project to “climate change deniers”? Sure you do. But what you may not have known is that Robert Kenny of UK communications consultancy Communications Chambers penned a rebuttal.
FactCheck: Will the NBN take another 20 years to complete?
The 20-year time to completion quoted by Tony Abbott seems to be some kind of rough estimate or guess, based on unclear assumptions. It is unlikely to be correct.
The Govt should hold a referendum on the NBN
The Federal Government should hold a non-constitutional referendum during the next Federal Election on whether Labor's National Broadband Network should go ahead, in order to settle the long-term fate of this important decade-long infrastructure project once and for all and end the incessant political bickering around it.
Cisco unveils DOCSIS design for massive HFC upload speeds
Cisco has unveiled a royalty-free design for a Full Duplex DOCSIS specification that it claims will produce upload speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
Turnbull needs evidence for FTTN claims
A consensus is developing amongst National Broadband Network commentators that Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull needs to provide more evidence that Fibre to the Node is the best style of broadband infrastructure rollout for Australia's long-term telecommunications needs.
NewSat offers to buy NBN Co satellites
Pure play satellite company NewSat has made an offer to the buy the National Broadband Network Company's two satellites before they are even launched, as speculation continues to swirl around the potential privatisation of chunks of NBN Co's infrastructure under the new Coalition Federal Government.
Internode sets up first ever offshore call centre
Adelaide-based ISP Internode this week revealed to staff that it would set up its first ever offshore call centre, in a move that represents a radical departure of the company's customer service and sales approach since its acquisition by iiNet and then TPG.
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.
NBN Co considers third satellite
NBN Co is reportedly considering launching a third satellite in an effort to provide better broadband access to the small percentage of Australians in remote areas.
NBN Co mandates satellite “fair use” policy
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday announced the National Broadband Network Company had instituted a "fair use" policy and deployed additional capacity to allow its interim satellite service to function more effectively, amid reports users were seeing the broadband service on the platform slow to a crawl.
Conroy slams Turnbull’s NBN policy “pretence”
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has rejected comments by his opposition shadow Malcolm Turnbull that a Coalition Government would proceed with Labor's National Broadband Network project, describing them as a con, as misleading and "merely pretence" that didn't reflect the reality of the Coalition's actual NBN policy.
Vocus buys Newcastle-based Ipera
The ongoing consolidation of Australia's telecommunications sector is showing no signs of slowing down. Sometimes it seems like every time I think there can't possibly be more buyouts and mergers in the industry, another one happens. This morning it's Newcastle-based fibre and datacentre operator Ipera, which has been bought out by Vocus Communications.
Turnbull reportedly hires Henry Ergas for NBN cost/benefit analysis
If you were seeking to hire independent experts to conduct a cost/benefit analysis on an important piece of national infrastructure, you would probably seek to hire, well, experts who were independent, right? Experts who hadn't previously formed a fixed view on what would be the best way to deploy that infrastructure? Wrong, at least if you're Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Forget naked DSL, says Telstra: Our IT can’t handle it
The nation's largest telco Telstra has claimed in a submission to the competition regulator that it can't deploy naked DSL broadband services to customers and other ISPs as doing so would require it to undertake significant development of its IT systems, which require a phone line to be connected before broadband can be provided.
Telstra NBN remediation work on again
The nation's largest telco Telstra has announced that it will restart remediation work on its pits and pipe infrastructure, as controls on asbestos handling have been put in place to deal with the hazardous material. The remediation work is necessary for the National Broadband Network rollout to go ahead, using Telstra's infrastructure.
Backdown: Turnbull accepts NBN budget accounting
Malcolm Turnbull has acknowledged that the National Broadband Network's funding is correctly accounted for the in Federal Government budget as a capital investment and not an expense, in a move which opens up a divide between the Shadow Communications Minister and other senior Liberal leaders such as Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey.
NBN supports Coalition MPs as election campaign escalates
The NBN company has taken minor steps to support two Coalition MPs this week in promoting their work bringing broadband to their local areas, in moves that call into question the company's independence in the pre-election period before the national poll expected to be held later this year.
“No debate”: Australia needs “gigabit” fibre, says Atlassian co-founder
Billionaire software mogul Mike Cannon-Brookes last night stated that there was "no debate" about Australia's need for "gigabit fiber", in comments that come in direct contrast to controversial statements made on the topic last week by the chief executive of the National Broadband Network.
Ludlam to do Reddit AMA this Wednesday night
Just a very brief message to let y'all know that Greens Senator, Communications Spokesperson and William Gibson fan Scott Ludlam is planning to open up his world to all and sundry this Wednesday night -- 15 May, from 7:30 to 9PM, for a Reddit AMA ('Ask Me Anything') session.