Hockey admits: We can’t shut down the NBN
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey yesterday admitted that the Opposition would find it hard to “shut down” the National Broadband Network project completely if it wins the upcoming Federal Election in September, and would release further details “in the next few weeks” about the Coalition’s plans for the project.
The irony, it burns: Telstra’s NBN price complaints
Wait, back up a bit. Did Telstra just argue that NBN Co’s wholesale prices would be so high that they would not allow retail ISPs to charge reasonable prices to end user customers? And that this would stop those ISPs from investing in their own products and services? And that this wouldn’t be in the long-term interest of end users?
Did NBN Co fudge its rollout numbers?
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull this week claimed the National Broadband Network Company had in January fudged its network rollout statistics by retroactively updating its December fibre rollout database to show additional premises; a claim NBN Co has denied.
Does Telstra have a million 4G devices or not?
Does Telstra have a million 4G devices on its Next G network or not? It depends who you ask, apparently.
Slow progress: NBN Co releases Dec 2012 stats
The National Broadband Network Company overnight released hard statistics showing the progress of the rollout and uptake of its network infrastructure during the three months to the end of 2012, showing that the company is still making only slow progress in its construction effort and uptake of its services.
NBN Co offers $108 bounty on new customers
The National Broadband Network Company has kicked off what it described as a “promotional” initiative which will see it pay retail Internet service providers $108 per end user customer who signs up to the network by the end of June, a period shortly before the next Federal Election is to be held.
Turnbull loose with facts on NBN finances
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has inaccurately claimed that the Federal Government is wasting tens of billions of dollars building its National Broadband Network project, despite the fact that the organisation’s business plan shows it will actually make a modest return on investment for the Government.
Telstra finishes South Brisbane fibre migration
The nation’s largest telco late yesterday revealed it had completed the project of migrating all 18,000-odd copper telecommunications services in the South Brisbane Exchange area to the telco’s new fibre network, with the finalisation of the controversial project just around the corner.
FoI request targets NBN rollout stats
A Freedom of Information request has been filed with the National Broadband Network Company seeking hard data regarding the progress in rolling out and uptake of the company’s network as at the end of 2012, as well as documents relating to the process of compiling the statistics.
NBN tower “life-threatening”, claim residents
A small community group in the Victorian town of Dereel is attempting to block the installation of a National Broadband Network wireless tower in the region despite most of the community approving, inaccurately claiming that the installation of the tower could cause life-threatening radiation to residents in the area.
Telstra sets up nebulous software dev unit
The nation’s biggest telco Telstra has set up a new software development business unit, stating that it plans to use the division to take advantage of software-driven business opportunities integrated with its network assets, but without stating precisely what projects the new unit will be working on.
Exceed your quota … somehow it’s the NBN’s fault?
Herald Sun columnist burns through her Telstra broadband quota on the NBN and has her connected slowed as a result, then blames the National Broadband Network infrastructure. Wonderful.
Coalition must support FTTH, says Oakeshott
Ever the supporter of the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project, independent Rob Oakeshott has come out swinging this week to demand that the Coalition must support the fibre to the premises basis of the NBN, not the FTTN model the Coalition currently supports.
Tick tock, NBN Co. Where are the rollout stats?
By continually declining to release hard statistics about how the rollout and uptake of its network are proceeding, the National Broadband Network Company risks portraying itself as exactly the kind of negligent and overly bureaucratic monopoly which the Federal Opposition has long accused it of being.
#Vodafix: Vodafone back to kilobyte charging
Vodafone customers concerned by the company’s move decision last month to start charging for mobile data usage on a per megabyte basis can rest easy, with the company announcing it would back down from the decision, in a move it dubbed a “Vodafix”.
‘Bold & visionary’: UK MP loves Australia’s NBN
One of the UK Government’s up and coming technology-focused politicians, Chi Onwurah, has declared Australia’s National Broadband Network to be bold and visionary following a visit Down Under and asked her own country’s administration why it doesn’t have similar ambitions in its own, much more limited broadband policy.
Never gonna give you up: ACCC takes TPG to High Court
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission this morning flagged plans to appeal a bruising legal loss against TPG, with the regulator continuing to push its case that TPG's 'unlimited' ADSL and telephone bundle advertisements were misleading.
Fact check: The NBN wasn’t a “media stunt”
Free market thinktank the Institute of Public Affairs recently claimed Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network project was drawn up purely as a “media stunt” to drum up publicity for the Government. Unfortunately, this is a factually inaccurate statement, and here’s the evidence to prove it.
NBN makes construction chief redundant
The National Broadband Network Company today confirmed it had made its head of construction Dan Flemming redundant, just 18 months after he was appointed, in a move that marks the second time the leadership of the company's construction team has changed in less than two years.
Vodafone dumps Crazy John’s brand
Mobile telco Vodafone has confirmed it will shortly dump the Crazy John's brand from its retail stores and re-brand them under the Vodafone master brand, in a move which will also see the closure of some Crazy John's stores entirely.
NBN originally just a “media stunt”, says IPA
Just how well-developed was the NBN policy, five or so years ago when it was first put together by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and then-PM Kevin Rudd? According to free market thinktank the Institute for Public Affairs, not very well-developed at all.
iiNet’s piracy stance attracts global praise
A decision by Australia's third-largest ISP to pull out of controversial secret talks with the content industry over Internet piracy issues has attracted international attention, with global commentators and readers highlighting the ISP's approach as a sensible one to dealing with litigious film and TV studios.
NBN hard rollout data ‘not yet finalised’
The National Broadband Network Company has again declined to release hard data measures relating to the rollout and uptake of its fibre infrastructure in the last quarter of 2012, stating that the figures were still being "finalised", despite stating the release of more nebulous rollout data last week meant it was meeting its targets.
Turnbull continues to attract IT industry bile
Not since Communications Minister Stephen Conroy was strongly pushing the Internet filter project several years ago have I seen this level of frustration with a politician regarding a technology policy.
Qld expansion: Optus beefs up 4G coverage
Optus has revealed that it has rapidly expanded its 4G coverage in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, as the SingTel subsidiary races to catch up with the more widespread coverage offered by Australia’s largest 4G network operated by Telstra.
Global roaming stupidity
Like most people, when I travel overseas I make sure to avoid huge global roaming charges through the use of Wi-Fi networks, cheap local SIM cards, IP telephony and other measures. But apparently some of our nation's most venerable technologists and politicians are not capable of doing the same.
Court reversal: TPG ads not misleading
The full Federal Court has largely reversed an earlier decision by a single judge which had found that TPG's advertisements of its $29.99 'unlimited' ADSL and telephone bundles had been misleading, forcing the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission onto the back foot in the case.
Crazy spectrum prices? No. Historically consistent.
The flagrantly worded argument by Liberal MP Paul Fletcher and others that the Federal Government has badly mismanaged the process of auctioning off 4G wireless spectrum is overly simplistic and does not well-represent the complex dynamic involved in this commercial bidding process.
Fletcher takes a big fat swing at 4G auction
This morning, it appears, it's Liberal MP and former Optus executive Paul Fletcher's turn to whale on the Government's wireless spectrum auction, which Vodafone has already deserted and which Optus thinks is way too expensive.
Bill Clinton wants $50bn US NBN
Seems like it's not only Australian politicians who can get the NBN bug. We're a bit late to this party, but we thought it would be worth getting on the record that in late December, former US President and all-round good guy Bill Clinton jumped on the NBN train wholesale courtesy of a keynote speech at Dell's annual confab in Austin, Texas.
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.
NBN Co to release updated rollout stats
NBN Co has confirmed it will shortly release updated statistics relating to how many premises its predominantly fibre network was deployed to over the last quarter of 2012, in what is expected to be an extremely closely watched announcement which will do much to qualify the network’s progress ahead of the upcoming Federal Election.
Reality check: China’s not getting an “NBN”
You wouldn’t believe the number of outraged readers who’ve contacted me today encouraging me to take The Australian newspaper to town for its controversially headlined story in this morning’s edition, entitled “A billion Chinese to get an NBN for a third of the cost of ours”.
Merry Christmas from Malcolm Turnbull
Following on from yesterday’s Christmas card from the good Senator Stephen Conroy, we’ve now received a similar message of Yuletide cheer from his opposite, Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Stephen Conroy wishes you Merry Christmas
Yes, the above is a Christmas card sent by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to Delimiter. It was addressed to "Ms Renai LeMay" (oops), but we choose to believe that it expressed sentiments by the Minister not to me personally, but to the Delimiter community as a whole, as the site's strength is not in one person's voice, but in the many.
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.
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’s NBN media war blows back
This morning, long-time telco commentator David Braue skewers Turnbull for this ongoing war on the media, in the erudite fashion which Braue readers have become accustomed to.
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.
Adam buy harms ‘fragile’ competition: Macquarie
Business-focused telco Macquarie Telecom has filed a submission with the competition regulator calling for it to block Telstra's proposed acquisition of Adelaide ISP Adam Internet on the grounds that it would "further weaken" the already "fragile" state of competition in the nation's telecommunications market.
Sorry Mr Turnbull: We’re not convinced
Last week Malcolm Turnbull delivered a series of very strong, evidence-based answers to key questions about his rival NBN policy, demonstrating that he would be a safe pair of hands to steward the nation’s broadband future. But, despite his eloquence and depth of knowledge, the Liberal MP has still failed to convince Australia’s technical community that his policy is better than Labor’s.
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.
Turnbull responds to FTTN concerns
It's taken four months, but Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has finally answered a series of key questions regarding his focus on using fibre to the node (FTTN) technology to roll out the NBN. But has the Member for Wentworth provided enough details to answer his critics? Read on to find out.
‘Unbalanced’: Turnbull hammers ABC again on NBN
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has again hit out at the reporting of the National Broadband Network debate by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, accusing the broadcaster of “superficial, misleading and unbalanced reporting” of the issue and detailing a litany of complaints about the ABC’s Lateline program specifically.
FTTN “viable”, says Mike Quigley
NBN Co chief Mike Quigley concedes a fibre to the node rollout would be viable in Australia.
Turnbull’s right: ‘Under construction’ NBN stats are worthless
Malcolm Turnbull is absolutely correct in his claim that NBN Co’s focus on nebulous statistics regarding the number of premises where it has commenced or completed construction are “complete nonsense”. The company should stop using this figure as a measure of its progress, and focus only on areas where it has actually finished building the NBN.
Copper network not “rooted”, says Telstra
The nation's largest telco Telstra has rejected unsubstantiated claims that its copper network was suffering a fault rate of up to 30 percent, pointing out that in October this year, only about 1.3 percent of its telephone lines nationally suffered any kind of fault, and that it invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year keeping it that way.
Why setting the floor price for digital dividends auction is the right approach
Last week’s directive from Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to postpone setting the reserve prices for the upcoming digital dividends auction will help ensure the sale’s success.
Low-cost Telstra ‘Adam’ brand worries iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet has warned the competition regulator that Telstra must not be allowed to introduce a new, low-cost ‘Jetstar’-like brand into the broadband marketplace without strict controls being placed around such an initative, due to the potential for Telstra to further increase its already dominant market share.
BT demonstrates 10Gbps on normal fibre
British telco BT has demonstrated that it is possible to deliver broadband speeds of up to 10Gbps over its normal fibre infrastructure extending to some homes and businesses; the same Fibre to the Home infrastructure which is being deployed in Australia as part of the Federal Government’s National Broadband Network project.
“Nonsense”: Turnbull rejects ABC’s FTTN criticism
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed as “nonsense” claims by contracting companies deploying Labor’s National Broadband Network project that changing the project’s model to a fibre to the node rollout would be “an expensive, time-consuming hindrance”.
Customers dumping fibre for 4G in Japan
There is now serious evidence emerging that the arrival of high-speed LTE (4G) mobile networks coupled with the smartphone and tablet boom is creating serious problems for fibre to the home operators in some markets such as Japan.
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.
Just watch, Quigley tells NBN critics: We’re on track
NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley has laughed off criticism of the speed of the rollout of the National Broadband Network’s fibre deployment, confirming it is on track for its December target of 758,000 premises being constructed, and pointing out similar criticism levelled at the deployment of Australia’s first telephone networks in 1909.
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.
‘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.
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.
Vodafone loses 154k more customers
Ailing mobile telco Vodafone has revealed it lost a further 154,000 customers in the three months to the end of September, with the continued customer churn piling on more financial woes for the company and signalling that the company's internal transformation under new chief executive Bill Morrow may not yet be having a positive impact.
AAPT buys NEC’s Nextep division
It appears as if business and wholesale-focused telco AAPT is expanding its grip on those sectors of the Australian market, after exiting from the consumer side of the industry through the sale of its retail base to iiNet in mid-2010. This morning it announced it would buy NEC Australia's Nextep division.
Turnbull inaccurate on internet filter details
Malcolm Turnbull has appeared to make a number of incorrect statements over the past week regarding the Federal Government's now defunct mandatory Internet filtering policy, as the Shadow Communications Minister and other senior Coalition figures continues to make inaccurate statements in the communications portfolio.
iiNet harmonises TransACT, NBN plans
National broadband provider iiNet appears to have broadly begun harmonising the broadband plan prices of its new subsidiary TransACT with its plans available on the Network Broadband Network infrastructure, in a move which is slated to deliver significantly enhanced value to TransACT customers.
Alan Jones slams Turnbull’s NBN performance
Alan Jones has attacked the performance of Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull in holding Labor’s National Broadband Network project to account, with the shockjock commentator attempting to use a variety of inaccurate statements about the NBN to demonstrate that Turnbull is avoiding the issue and “plotting” against Liberal leader Tony Abbott instead.
NBN Co defends business plans
NBN Co head of Product Development and Sales Jim Hassell has sent us this post in response to our analysis of NBN business broadband plans last week.
Telstra wants to buy Leighton assets
According to the Financial Review, Telstra's going after some of the telco-related assets which Leighton Holdings recently put on the block.
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.
Optus to shut down Unwired from Feb 28
Optus has starting emailing customers on Vividwireless' Unwired network to let them know they only have a few months before their broadband goes AWOL.
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.
“Really good job”: Abbott praises Turnbull’s NBN work
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott this week said the fact that the Australian population overwhelmingly believed long-time rival Malcolm Turnbull would be the best choice for leader of the Liberal Party indicated that Turnbull was doing “a really good job” as Shadow Communications Minister, including his ongoing attacks on Labor’s National Broadband Network project.
NBN critics ‘like climate deniers’, says Budde
Telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has accused the harshest critics of Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network project as being similar to “climate change deniers” in their irrational opposition to the project, arguing that such critics are given undue prominence in the media, despite representing less than five percent of the population.
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.
Naked DSL subject to water damage: Telstra
The nation’s biggest telco Telstra has opened up another front in its ongoing struggle against being forced to sell naked DSL services to customers and other ISPs, arguing that selling naked DSL would cause a significantly higher number of costly network faults from water damage than other types of broadband services.
Pyne won’t retract false 100Mbps NBN claim
Federal Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne has declined repeated requests for him to retract an inaccurate comment he made on Triple J's Hack program last week claiming that no customers had been connected to Labor's National Broadband Network at speeds of 100Mbps, despite evidence being provided to the contrary.
Market better to deliver broadband, says Abbott
Tony Abbott this week said the private sector could deliver broadband cheaper and more swiftly than the Government's National Broadband Network project, in comments which Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said illustrated a growing divide between the Opposition Leader and Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Optus 4G hits Brisbane, Gold Coast
The nation’s number two telco Optus announced this morning that it had switched on its first 4G sites in the Brisbane central business district and Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, adding to its existing coverage zones in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Newcastle.
Nobody has connected to NBN at 100Mbps, claims Christopher Pyne
Federal Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne has inaccurately claimed on national radio that the National Broadband Network has not connected any customers at speeds of 100Mbps, despite the fact that in fact, 44 percent of NBN customers connected so far to the project's fibre infrastructure have taken up such speeds.
Conroy threatens naughty NSW with NBN powers
Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and the National Broadband Network Company have threatened to use Federal telecommunications powers to force the Coalition New South Wales State Government to provide access to electricity infrastructure NBN Co needs to roll out its fibre infrastructure in the state.
“Wi-Fi breakthrough” undercuts NBN: Andrew Bolt
Controversial conservative commentator Andrew Bolt has published a blog post arguing that a new development in wireless technology revealed this month could leave the Federal Government’s flagship National Broadband Network project looking like “the biggest white elephant in our history”.
Vodafone to cut up to 500 jobs
Troubled mobile telco Vodafone has flagged its second staff restructure in less than a year, in a move that has seen a number of senior executives appointed and internal investment priorities changes, and which could see up to 500 staff lose their roles in the near future, representing about 10 percent of the company’s Australian workforce.
NBN future “clearly wireless”, claims Alan Jones
Radio shockjock Alan Jones made a statement riddled with factual errors about the Federal Government’s National Broadband Network project on his radio program this morning, describing it as a “white elephant” and a “disaster” and inaccurately claiming that the future of telecommunications is “clearly wireless”, rather than the mainly fibre model the NBN is mainly using.
Hockey repeats inaccurate NBN claim
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has continued to publicly repeat a factually inaccurate statement regarding the accounting treatment of the National Broadband Network funding as a capital investment, maintaining that the funding should be treated as an expense, despite direct evidence to the contrary, including the acknowledgement of fellow Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull.
Telstra’s Adam buy will boost competition, say Hackett & Malone
Telstra’s controversial move to acquire South Australian ISP Adam Internet would actually increase competition in the state, iiNet chief executive Michael Malone and Internode founder Simon Hackett said yesterday, despite concerns from Adam Internet customers about the deal.
Our NBN debate: Where everyone is partly wrong
Like a blade out of the dark, this week ex-ACCC chief Graeme Samuel came from nowhere to drive a stake into the heart of the Coalition’s rival NBN policy, arguing that the FTTN technology it’s based on is “obsolete”. And just as viciously, Malcolm Turnbull fired back. But who is objectively on the side of truth in this storm in a teacup? As is so often in our flawed NBN debate, the answer is: ‘Nobody’.
Telstra to buy Adam Internet
The nation’s largest telco Telstra has announced plans to firm up its already dominant position in Australia’s broadband market, through the acquisition of South Australian broadband provider Adam Internet.
Now Hockey contradicts Turnbull on NBN costs
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has joined Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in contradicting comments made by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the budget accounting for Labor’s National Broadband Network project, describing the NBN’s off-budget treatment as “accounting tricks”, despite the accounting model having been independently verified.
Abbott contradicts Turnbull on NBN costs
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott today said a Coalition Government would "pause" the Federal Government's NBN, claiming such a move could save money in the Federal Budget, in comments which appear to place the Liberal leader at odds with the view of his Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the issue.
“Green splotches”: Turnbull mocks NBN rollout speed
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has issued a statement poking fun at what he sees as the slow rollout speeds of Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network project, joking that the Government was more active in publishing future rollout maps for the network than actually rolling out the network itself.
White House clears Huawei of spy claims
Well, well. Seems as though there just still isn't any evidence that Chinese networking giant Huawei is involved in espionage for the Chinese Government or military, and now some rather large players are finally coming out in public to say so.
Huge 100Mbps demand: 44% of NBN users take top speed
44 percent of NBN customers signed up so far have opted for the company’s fasted 100Mbps speed tier, the National Broadband Network Company revealed this week, as evidence continues to accumulate that Australians will overwhelmingly pay for the fastest broadband speeds available if given the chance.
Top cybercop had no idea about Telstra logging
Australia’s highest-ranking cybercrime police officer yesterday acknowledged he had not followed the controversial news which broke in June that the nation’s largest telco Telstra had been archiving the web browsing activity of its users, despite the fact that his organisation, the Australian Federal Police, received requests by concerned citizens to investigate the issue.
Will Telstra will be forced to wholesale 4G?
Telstra’s aggressive moves to wind back competition in Australia’s mobile sector, coupled with the rapid decline of Vodafone and the stagnation of Optus, has re-opened a conversation about whether the telco should be forced to offer wholesale access to its Next G mobile network – including the new 4G components of it.
FTTN or FTTH? It doesn’t matter, says Vodafone
The chief executive of ailing national mobile player Vodafone stated over the weekend that it wasn’t “important” whether Australia’s National Broadband Network policy pursued a fibre to the home or fibre to the node approach, with only “minor nuances” between the two platforms proposed separately by the Government and the Opposition.
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.
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.
Turnbull on Quigley “witch hunt”, says Conroy
Communications Minister Conroy this morning heavily criticised his shadow, Malcolm Turnbull, stating that the Liberal MP’s continued criticism of the management of the National Broadband Network Company constituted “witch hunts” and “personal attacks” which needed to stop.
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.
‘Partisan ideology’: Turnbull blasts pro-NBN ‘media apologists’
Shadow Communications Minister has taken a verbal pick axe to a number of ‘pro-NBN specialist commentators’ who he said were delivering a “partisan ideology” and helping “fantasy” triumph over fact in the ongoing national debate over the specific details of how Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network project should go ahead.
Turnbull has “grave misgivings” on data retention
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has broken his silence regarding the Fedeal Government's controversial data retention and surveillance package, declaring that he has "grave misgivings" about a project which he feels "seems to be heading in precisely the wrong direction".
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.
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.
Past history: When the Nationals backed the NBN
Think all elements of the Coalition have always been irrevocably opposed to Labor's ambitious National Broadband Network project? Think again. Back in April 2009 when it was first announced by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the good Senator Barnaby Joyce issued a media release supporting the idea.
NBN could cost $100bn, claims Hockey
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has claimed the National Broadband Network could cost as much as $100 billion to build, despite the company’s own estimates showing that it will require around $37 billion of capital injection from the Government and eventually make a return, paying back the investment with some profit on top.
iiNet hid game forum hack from customers
Following several months of rumors, national broadband provider iiNet has admitted a now-defunct forum associated with its 3FL gaming network was recently hacked and that it concealed the break-in from affected customers whose login details may have been compromised.
NBN nightmare install escalated to CEO, fixed
Remember Andrew Devenish-Meares, the Armidale resident who penned a nightmarish tale several weeks ago relating to his ongoing struggle to get the National Broadband Network fibre connected to his house? Well, the situation has been resolved, and Devenish-Meares is now a happy NBN camper with Internode.
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.
Coalition concerned Turnbull too close to NBN
Coalition MPs apparently concerned Turnbull is too close to Labor's National Broadband Network policy.
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.
Qld towns build their own goddamn NBN
They weren't getting much joy from the Federal Government's National Broadband Network and were only slated to receive satellite services under the plan, so half a dozen Queensland towns have reportedly decided to build their own fibre backhaul network connecting the region to the main NBN infrastructure.
Malcolm Turnbull and the great Huawei farce
It doesn’t matter at all whether Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull was or was not briefed about the Federal Government’s security concerns about Huawei. What matters is whether those concerns are actually objectively grounded in hard evidence. Because all indications so far support the argument that they are not.
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.
Brumby wants Huawei to list on the ASX
Former Victorian Premier John Brumby's suggestion that Huawei list in Australia is mere parochialism, in my opinion.
Leighton to sell NextGen, Metronode, Infoplex
Diversified contract and industrial group Leighton Holdings has flagged plans to sell its NextGen, Metronode and Infoplex telecommunications and technology businesses, in a move which will move the so-called “non-core” assets off the company’s books and potentially into the arms of another major player in the sector.
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.
Turnbull won’t disclose rival NBN policy details
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has repeatedly declined to be nailed down on the specific details of how much the Coalition’s rival National Broadband Network policy will cost taxpayers, what speeds it will provide or how many Australians its infrastructure will reach, in a wide-ranging television interview this week.
Turnbull’s Quigley slander is flatly offensive
Malcolm Turnbull’s dogged attacks on the highly capable and transparent chief executive of the National Broadband Company are without basis and run contrary to the Shadow Communications Minister’s public call recently for truth, leadership and responsibility to re-enter Australia’s political sphere.
Eftel buys Engin from Seven
Diversified media group Seven has offloaded its ill-fated Internet telephony business Engin for just $9.1 million, in the second move by Seven this year to shift its emphasis away from failed investments in Australia’s telecommunications sector.
Coalition NBN policy: Costed or not costed?
Call us sticklers for the truth, but it does seem rather like Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been jumping back and forth recently over the issue of whether the Coalition's rival National Broadband Network policy has been costed.
Turnbull launches national broadband survey
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched a new national broadband survey which the Liberal MP said would allow Australians to determine the speed of their existing broadband services and which would provide data to help make better broadband available to “those who need upgrades” the most.
TPG’s $69.99 unlimited plan shows the NBN future
The $69.99 unlimited plan revealed by cut-rate ISP TPG yesterday shows what the future of broadband plans on the National Broadband Network will look like, and it's not good news for premium ISPs such as Telstra, Optus and iiNet.
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.
Explainer: what is 4G?
If you’re looking to buy a new smartphone or computer you’ve probably seen advertisements and offers for 4G-compatible devices. You might even own a 4G-compatible device already. But just what is 4G? How does it compare to existing 3G networks? And what is the current availability of 4G networks in Australia?
iiNet to launch 4G through Optus
National broadband provider iiNet this morning announced it had signed a deal with Optus to start reselling access to the SingTel subsidiary's 4G mobile broadband network, with services to start "in the coming months".
“Extraordinary incompetence”: Turnbull on NBN greenfields
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has gone on the warpath regarding NBN Co's performance in rolling out fibre to greenfields housing estates, touring a number of estates nationwide and damning what he said was NBN Co's "extraordinary incompetence" in its greenfields rollout schedule.
NBN irony as Turnbull takes the high ground
Last week Malcolm Turnbull gave what is generally acknowledged to be a landmark and admirable speech calling for truth, leadership and responsibility to boost the quality of debate in Australia's rapidly deteriorating political sphere. Now if only the Liberal MP would practice a little of the same when it comes to the National Broadband Network.
Turnbull ignores FTTN cost issue
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has avoided responding directly to a claim by NBN Co chairman Harrison Young yesterday that the Coalition's fibre to the node-based broadband policy could end up costing more than the current fibre to the home-based NBN.
FTTN could cost more, says NBN chairman
NBN Co chairman Harrison Young gave a landmark speech in Sydney yesterday claiming that the Coalition's policy of delivering NBN cost savings by using fibre to the node technology wouldn't necessarily save money, and wouldn't actually meet the objective of structurally separating Telstra either.
NBN Co faces wireless tower backlash
The National Broadband Network Company is under fire for an alleged lack of community consultation as it rolls out fixed wireless infrastructure across parts of regional Australia, with local councils expressing frustration at what they say is an 'apply first, consult later' pattern of behaviour.
Roxon just a front for department, says Newton
Prominent network engineer and commentator Mark Newton has accused the Federal Attorney-General's Department of using the Attorney-General of the day -- whether Labor or Coalition -- as a front for its long-running data retention and surveillance plans, which he said dated back to the Howard Government.
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.
Optus 4G equal to ADSL2+, tests show
A new series of real-world usage tests conducted on Optus' 4G network have shown the brand new next-generation currently performs on par with legacy ADSL2+ broadband in terms of raw download speeds and latency, and offers significantly better upload speeds.
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.
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.
Why a 4G iPhone will spell doom for Vodafone
The local launch of a new Apple iPhone supporting 4G mobile speeds will spell disaster for ailing mobile carrier Vodafone -- the only major mobile telco in Australia not to have launched or even started constructing a 4G network to deliver improved speeds to customers.
IPA damns “extraordinary” data retention policy
One of Australia's most prominent conservative and free market-focused think tanks has published a strongly worded critique damning the Federal Government’s planned telecommunications surveillance and data retention reform package as "excessive" and "systematically" breaching Australians' right to privacy.
“Next item”: LNP mayor gives NBN Co just 8min
The Liberal/National Party-backed Mayor of the Gold Coast Council this week dramatically cut short a presentation by the National Broadband Network Company to the council, according to multiple reports, calling time on the company's comments just eight minutes into a scheduled half-hour briefing.
“Police state”: Privacy czar slams security reforms
Victoria's acting Privacy Commissioner has filed a strongly worded critique of the Federal Government's planned telecommunications surveillance and data retention reform package, labelling some of the included reforms as "being characteristic of a police state".
“Insufficient evidence”: Telcos pan surveillance reforms
A number of major telecommunications companies including iiNet and Macquarie Telecom, as well as telco and ISP representative industry groups, have expressed sharp concern over the Federal Government's proposed package of surveillance and data retention reforms, stating that "insufficient evidence" had been presented to justify them.
I’m no FTTN “zealot”, says Malcolm Turnbull
This morning's Financial Review (where else?) has published a spanking new lengthy profile of Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Among other things, the Liberal MP addresses his reputation amongst 'NBN backers', who, he believes, are treating him a little unfairly.
Total war: Telstra in colossal 4G expansion
The nation's largest telco Telstra has returned fire from all cannons in its developing war with Optus for 4G mobile coverage and customers, announcing this morning that it now has some 500,000 4G customers and would be expanding its 4G network to two thirds of Australia's population by mid-2013.
Five things to like about the Coalition’s NBN policy
The Coalition's rival National Broadband Network policy has copped a lot of flak over the past several weeks. Business Spectator commentator Alan Kohler described it as "madness" and analyst Paul Budde described the UK model it's based on as "unconvincing". But there's still a lot of reasons to like the policy -- and here's five.
Fibre to the home the ‘preferred’ option, says NZ
New Zealand's conservative party technology minister has hailed fibre to the home as the preferred option for national telecommunications infrastructure, stating during a visit to Australia this week that it made better "fiscal sense" to deploy fibre all the way to the premise where possible, instead of only to neighbourhood 'nodes' as Australia's Coalition is proposing.
Tasmania’s Scottsdale rejects NBN towers
One of the first communities in Tasmania to receive the National Broadband Network's fibre infrastructure has knocked back two planning applications for NBN wireless towers in the area, continuing a trend seen nationally of concern over the infrastructure.
Hackett buys personal ten-seater plane
Wondering what Simon Hackett would do with the millions of dollars he netted from the sale of his company Internode to iiNet? Wonder no more. The telco executive this week flew to Switzerland to buy a small nine seater plane (ten if you include the pilot) of the type usually used for corporations.
Telstra cuts 651 jobs in offshoring move
The nation's largest telco has revealed it will cut some 651 Australian jobs in areas such as customer support, with some of the work to be absorbed by other workers locally and some to be offshored to facilities in countries such as the Phillipines.
Turnbull in conflict of interest investment
Malcolm Turnbull has disclosed a new financial investment in France Telecom that places the Shadow Communications Minister in a significant conflict of interest situation with respect to the French telco, due to its extensive business operations in Australia through its Orange Business Services brand, including some 240 local staff.
For whom the Whirlpool trolls? Stephen Conroy and the NBN
Is Whirlpool or the Financial Review more accurate when it comes to reporting on the National Broadband Network? Two Canberra journalism professors analyse the situation.
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.
Release your NBN plan already, Conroy tells Turnbull
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy this afternoon demanded his opposite Malcolm Turnbull release the Coalition's rival National Broadband Network policy, after the Liberal MP admitted to the Financial Review newspaper this morning that the policy was "ready".
Turnbull slams ‘pro-NBN zealot journalists’
Specialist technology journalists are fanning a pro-NBN zealotry among tech-savvy citizens, according to Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Oh, dear.
UK pledges “fastest” broadband in Europe
One of the key politicians responsible for delivering telecommunications policy in the UK delivered a major speech overnight pledging to deliver UK residents the "fastest" broadband of any major European country by 2015, through a range of initiatives combining fibre to the home, fibre to the node and wireless technologies.
Turnbull rejects Kohler’s “pure fantasy” NBN analysis
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has sharply rejected a column by high-profile business commentator Alan Kohler this morning which argued the Coalition's NBN policy as being "madness", describing the Business Spectator founder's words as "pure fantasy".
NBN: Misleading parliament should be a crime
The Federal Government should follow Queensland and enact a law which makes it illegal for politicians to knowingly mislead Parliament with false information. This would immediately have a dramatic and positive impact on the quality of the debate around the National Broadband Network.
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.
NBN Co not keeping secrets unnecessarily, finds review
A review of NBN Co's compliance with Freedom of Information laws has found that the company is meeting its legal responsibilities with regard to the release of information, despite the fact that out of 35 FoI requests over the past year, only two resulted in the information sought being fully released.
Analysis: Liberal MP Fletcher cherrypicks NBN facts
Liberal MP and former Optus executive Paul Fletcher's highly critical article about the new corporate plan released last week by the National Broadband Network Company contained a number of generally factually accurate but contextually misleading statements about the project, analysis has shown.
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.
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.
NBN a “financial disaster”, claims Andrew Bolt
Conservative commentator Andrew Bolt has published a series of strongly worded blog posts over the past week arguing that the "gold-plated" National Broadband Network project is turning into the Federal Government's "biggest financial disaster by far".
NBN opt-out: Tassie slams Coalition states’ ‘politicking’
Tasmania's Labor Premier has praised NBN Co for adopting a universal 'opt-out' model for the deployment of its fibre to premises around Australia, and sharply criticised what she said was the "politically motivated" opposition of Coalition-dominated State Governments to the plan.
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".
Help us fact-check Fletcher’s NBN comments
Delimiter invites readers to help us fact-check an important NBN-related article by Coalition MP Paul Fletcher. Let's get to the truth of the matter, together.
Whirlpool more accurate than AFR, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has delivered a fiery tirade against the media for constantly repeating misconceptions about Labor's National Broadband Network project, singling out the Financial Review newspaper for particular ridicule and recommending that those interested in accuracy read broadband forum Whirlpool.
Turnbull slams “insulting” NBN delays, blowouts
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday claimed the new corporate plan released by NBN Co this week showed the project was falling "disastrously" behind its benchmarks on both financial and infrastructure rollout measures, in a trend which he described as being "insulting" to the nation's taxpayers.
Labor releases new NBN corporate plan
The Federal Government today released the National Broadband Network Company's latest corporate plan covering the years from 2012 through 2015, stating that it showed the project was on track financially and in its rollout of broadband infrastructure around the nation.
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.
NBN corporate plan lands 2PM today
The National Broadband Network Company will release its latest corporate plan at 2PM today, with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley to host a press conference in Sydney this afternoon.
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.
Internode plans for 4G mobile launch
National broadband provider Internode has revealed it expects to launch 4G mobile broadband services through Optus’ fledgling LTE mobile network, following other Optus mobile resellers in getting access to the next-generation wireless infrastructure.
NBN budget doesn’t include interest, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has publicly claimed that there's an error in the National Broadband Network budgeting, due to Labor not counting the cost of interest on debt or equity required to fund the NBN.
Broadband quota caps fair, says iiNet
National broadband provider iiNet has published an article arguing the pay as you go quota charging system used by most Australian ISPs is fairer than the 'unlimited' quota models popular in regions such as the United States and Europe.
Delimiter’s curious response to UK Superfast report
Delimiter has published a curious response to a UK House of Lords report on broadband policy released this week. Strange days indeed. Perhaps Delimiter read a different report to everyone else.
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".
Sell off the NBN? Abbott won’t confirm or deny
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has repeatedly refused to confirm or deny whether the Coalition would sell off finished portions of the National Broadband Network infrastructure if it won the next Federal Election, stating only that the Coalition believed the private sector could deliver broadband to Australia better than the Government.
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.
Take that, Telstra: Optus has 500 4G towers
The nation's number two telco Optus has revealed it has already upgraded some 500 mobile phone towers across Australia to support high-speed 4G mobile broadband services, in a rapid-fire rollout aimed at curtailing Telstra's lead in the provision of the next-general mobile services.
Advancing a competition agenda
Regulatory assessments have not acknowledged that Telstra’s dominance in fixed telephony has significant impacts on the mobile industry, according to Vodafone chief executive Bill Morrow, who argues in this opinionated article that in a converging world, this siloed approach is no longer tenable.
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.
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.
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.
Conroy savages Coalition’s rural fibre complaints
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has issued an angry statement rejecting Coalition criticism of Labor’s plans to deploy fibre to the home infrastructure in rural areas throughout Australia, demanding the Coalition “come clean” with its own plans for rural Australia.
If Nicola Roxon doesn’t believe in her own policy, why should we?
Contrary to utopians such as Julian Assange, there is a place for secrecy in national security. But we need to be able to trust the spooks and police. Proposals that are vague, extraordinary and unsubstantiated do not induce trust. Neither does an Attorney-General who confuses kite-flying with an own goal.
NBN Co hires major critic as commercial exec
The National Broadband Network Company has appointed an executive who has been publicly critical of the project to be its new chief commercial officer, a role which will see him buying services from other telcos and negotiating commercial arrangements with infrastructure providers and utilities.
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.
Help us fact-check Turnbull’s NBN comments
Delimiter invites readers to help us fact-check an important and lengthy policy statement by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Let's get to the truth of the matter, together.
Turnbull accuses ABC of NBN “propaganda”
Malcolm Turnbull has accused the national broadcaster of creating “relentless propaganda” to support Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network, in a stance which the Shadow Communications Minister yesterday described as “embarrassing”.
Be sceptical of vague new ‘National Security’ powers
Any proposal by the government to increase its own power should be treated with scepticism. Double that scepticism when the government is vague about why it needs that extra power. Double again when those powers are in the area of law and order. And double again every time the words "national security" are used.
New tests: Optus 4G as fast as Telstra
A series of new speed tests on Optus’ fledgling 4G mobile network in the Hunter region of NSW appear to show the network has the potential to be at least as fast as Telstra’s 4G network, reversing earlier results which had appeared to show Optus’ infrastructure was much slower than that of its rival.
Dark day for the ACCC as it abandons competition
The Government and the NBN Co have decided to use our taxes to buy out Optus' competition just as they have done with Telstra’s HFC. A black day indeed for the ACCC and competition in Australia.
ACCC rubber stamps Optus’ NBN deal
The national competition regulator has approved an $800 million deal which will see number two telco Optus shut down its HFC cable network and migrate its fixed-line broadband and telephony customers onto the National Broadband Network infrastructure as it is rolled out over the next decade.
Dreaming of the perfect NBN policy
In an ideal world, the perfect National Broadband Network policy would be a mix of the policies espoused by both Labor and the Coalition, taking the best ideas from both sides and ditching the bad ones. It would address Australia's short-term needs while still investing in the future. Here's how it would work.
Ex-staffer threatened ISP director with axe
If you thought you were having a bad day, spare a thought for the company director of an un-named South Australian ISP, who was recently threatened with an axe by an angry individual who had also allegedly hacked into its servers.
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".
“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.
Nationals Leader grossly inaccurate on NBN
The Federal Leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss, has again made a number of major factually incorrect public statements with respect to Labor's National Broadband Network project, in an extended interview on the topic riddled with mis-statements about the project and his own party's rival policies.
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.
New surveillance powers akin to ‘China, Iran’
Digital rights lobby group Electronic Frontiers Austraklia has described the Federal Government's proposed new surveillance and data retention powers as being akin to those applied in restrictive countries such as China and Iran, as the group and others have renewed calls for an inquiry into the powers to have its timeframe extended.
Govt blocks surveillance inquiry extension
The Federal Parliament has rejected a number of requests from interested parties to extend the short deadline for submissions to an inquiry into a wide-reaching package of legislative reforms proposed by the Federal Government which the Greens have slammed as constituting a “systematic erosion of privacy” in Australia.
Vodafone buys TelstraClear for $660m
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning confirmed it would walk away from its ill-fated venture into the New Zealand market, with rival Vodafone New Zealand to buy its Kiwi division TelstraClear for A$660 million.
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.
“Systematic erosion of privacy”: Parliament launches surveillance review
The Federal Parliament has kicked off a review of and is seeking public submissions into a wide-reaching package of legislative reforms proposed by the Federal Government which the Greens have slammed as constituting a "systematic erosion of privacy" in Australia.
Coalition NBN notes: Some truth, mostly fiction
Last week Crikey leaked a confidential document which appeared to contain a large number of speaking tips for Coalition politicians to help them discuss policy areas in public, including with respect to the National Broadband Network. But to what extent is the document accurate when it comes to the NBN? Read on to find out.
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.
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.
Propaganda: Govt creates NBN newspaper
Stephen Conroy's broadband department has created its own tabloid-style print newspaper, which will be distributed to Australian residences and businesses in an effort to continue educating local communities about the benefit of the Federal Government's flagship National Broadband Network project.
‘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.
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".
Wrong: NBN Co rejects News Ltd wireless science
NBN Co's chief technology officer has published an article strongly rejecting a claim by News Ltd publications last week that recent scientific breakthroughs in the area of wireless science could make the predominantly fibre-based National Broadband Project irrelevant.
330Mbps: BT extends fibre from node to premise
British telco BT has revealed plans to modify its 80Mbps national fibre to the node rollout so that customers will be able to choose to have fibre fully extended to their premises, delivering a large speed upgrade to 330Mbps in the process and shifting its rollout model closer to Australia's own National Broadband Network.
Wireless could beat NBN’s fibre, claims AFR
In its main masthead editorial, The Financial Review newspaper this morning published a number of heavily disputed statements regarding the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project, including backing the controversial claim that a new generation of wireless technologies could make the NBN's fibre rollout obsolete.
NBN: 85% of Australians want 50Mbps or higher
85 percent of Australian consumers want to be able to connect to the Internet at speeds of 50Mbps and higher, a new survey released this week showed, in figures which support the release of statistics by NBN Co showing that most new NBN connections are opting for the network's higher speed tiers.
You’re flat out wrong, NBN Co tells AFR
NBN Co and two of its key contractors have categorically denied a front page report by the Financial Review this morning that the contractors weren't bidding for the next round of NBN construction deals due to rollout delays, describing the newspaper's report as "patently untrue".
Telstra cancels covert filter testing
The nation's largest telco Telstra today announced it had stopped archiving the web browsing activity of its users for the purpose of implementing a new voluntary Internet filter product, following widespread concern expressed this week after the test was revealed by a savvy group of network administrators.
Vodafone’s 4G rollout starts in 2013
Vodafone has revealed it will start rolling out 4G speeds to its national mobile network from 2013 in a belated effort to catch up to its rivals Telstra and Optus, who will have started their own national 4G rollouts 18 months and almost a year previously at that stage.
Fatality: Optus plans to kill Telstra’s 4G monopoly
The nation's number two telco Optus has kicked off a verbal offensive aimed at the mobile dominance of its arch-rival Telstra, with the SingTel subsidiary claiming its own fledgling 4G infrastructure will be the "highest capacity" and "best-performing" mobile network in Australia when it is completed.
How important will NBN contention ratios be?
Will cheaper ISPs provide a degraded level of service on the NBN compared to 'premium' ISPs, through the use of poorer contention ratios? We'll look at both sides of the issue in this follow-up article on the future of retail ISP competition under the NBN.
NBN competition will rest almost solely on price
Retail competition on the National Broadband Network will rest almost solely on price, in my opinion, as the importance of other differentiating factors between telcos like Telstra, Optus, TPG and iiNet will diminish almost to zero. And here's why.
Abbott, Hockey mislead again on NBN funding
Senior Coalition figures Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have both this week again made misleading statements about the funding model for the National Broadband Network, separately stating that the NBN funding should be included in the Federal Budget as an expense, although standard accounting guidelines would see it listed as an investment.
Job losses hit iiNet after TransACT, Internode buys
National broadband provider iiNet has reportedly kicked off a round of redundancies, as rumours swirl about a staff rationalisation in the wake of its Internode and TransACT acquisitions.
Hockey wrong on 4G, says analyst
A senior telecommunications analyst who has previously praised the Coalition's alternative NBN policy has heavily criticised Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey over his claims that 4G mobile broadband could be "far superior" to the NBN's fibre in some areas.
Australia’s Internet freedom being eroded, Greens warn
The Australian Greens have issued a broad statement warning Australians that their Internet freedom is being steadily 'eroded', with a wide swathe of government initiatives in areas ranging from surveillance to data retention, to the freedom of expression and privacy set to affect the nation over the coming years.
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: Sorry Mr Hockey, you’re still wrong
Yesterday Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey issued an extensive statement attempting to show that comments he had made about 4G mobile broadband having the potential to be "far superior" to the National Broadband Network's fibre had been taken out of context. Unfortunately, he only succeeded in digging himself a bigger hole.
4G comments taken out of context, says Hockey
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has described as "inaccurate and misleading" an article published by Delimiter which highlighted claims Hockey had made that 4G mobile broadband had the potential to be "far superior" than the NBN, claiming his comments were taken out of context.
4G “far superior” to the NBN, claims Joe Hockey
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has inaccurately claimed that 4G mobile broadband has the potential to be "far superior" to the fibre technology which Labor's National Broadband Network policy features, in a controversial interview in which he also claimed that it could cost Australians up to $1,000 to connect to the NBN.
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.
Turnbull “evasive” on Coalition NBN policy, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has accused his Opposition shadow Malcolm Turnbull of being "evasive" with respect to the Coalition's telecommunications policy, stating the Liberal MP had "no excuses" for failing to come clean on the policy after five straight months of questions on it.
Vodafone NZ may buy TelstraClear
The nation's largest telco Telstra this morning revealed it was in talks to sell its New Zealand unit TelstraClear to Vodafone New Zealand, in a move which would finally put an end to speculation about the future of the struggling division, which has always found it hard to bring in profits from the Kiwi nation.
Coalition will complete NBN objective, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has given what he described as a "solemn undertaking" to the Australian people that a Coalition Government would "complete the job of NBN Co", instead of ripping up the network or abandoning Labor's NBN policy altogether.
When good copper cable goes bad
Since we published our "worst of the worst" photo gallery of Telstra's copper telecommunications network several weeks ago, we've been receiving a constant drip stream of complaints and extra examples of poor quality areas of the network.
Tiny niche ISPs join the NBN market
When you think about competition on the National Broadband Network, you normally think about major telcos like Telstra, Optus and iiNet battling it out to win Australia's broadband spend. But the truth is that a large number of very small ISPs have already joined the NBN market and are also competing.
US telco Verizon launches 300Mbps unlimited fibre
Giant US telco Verizon has launched a 300Mbps broadband service with unlimited data quota included that uses the same fibre to the home technology as the National Broadband Network, stating that homes with multiple devices using high-bandwidth applications simultaneously need the extra speeds.
Warning: Telstra is killing off Australia’s mobile competition
In five years' time, just how much market share will Telstra have in Australia's mobile phone industry? If it keeps on adding 900,000 new mobile connections every six months while its rivals do diddly squat, I would have to say the answer will be: Most of it.
Data retention proposal still hazy, even within Govt
The Federal Government's data retention proposal was still largely incomplete and being internally evaluated as of late 2011, new documents released under Freedom of Information laws have shown, despite the fact that the controversial plan is several years old and has become part of a concrete package of reforms aimed at increasing surveillance powers.
“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".
“Bragging rights?” Telstra has 1,000 4G base stations
Telstra has hit the 1,000 base station mark for installations of its 4G mobile network around Australia, and Optus and Vodafone are nowhere near catching up.
Higher 100Mbps uptake will spur NBN price cuts
If Australians continue to buy 100Mbps NBN services at the current rate, it is likely that the real-world consumer cost of accessing the NBN will come down substantially over time, as the network will pay for its own construction much faster than the National Broadband Network Company had been anticipating.
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.
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.
ACCC approves Optus’ $800m NBN deal
The national competition regulator has provisionally approved the $800 million deal under which the nation's number two telco Optus will shut down part of its HFC cable network and transfer its broadband customers onto the National Broadband Network infrastructure currently being rolled out around Australia.
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".
Rural Australia wants the NBN as quickly as possible
Rural and regional Australian communities are strongly committed to the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project, with a focus on maximising the potential of the infrastructure when it arrives in their area, a new independent report has found.
The NBN, service providers and you … what could go wrong?
The NBN will provide Australians with a raft of exciting new opportunities. For services providers, it will provide a much-needed chance to improve their customer relations and procedures. And who wouldn’t welcome that?
NBN here to stay under Coalition, says analyst
Labor's flagship National Broadband Network project is here to stay in one form or another and won't be discontinued as a whole, telecommunications analyst Paul Budde said this week, even if the Coalition was to take power in the next Federal Election.
iiNet ramps up Internode digestion
iiNet has taken several key milestone actions over the past week as it continues its ongoing efforts to integrate the operations of fellow national broadband provider Internode into its own, following its acquisition of the company in late December last year.
China concerned by Huawei NBN ban, says Bob Carr
Foreign Minister Bob Carr hit up the ABC's flagship current affairs program 7:30 last night and was quizzed by host Chris Uhlmann on, among other things, the attitude of Chinese officials to the Federal Government's move to block Chinese networking gear supplier Huawei from participating in National Broadband Network contracts.
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.
Evidence: Rural Australia is demanding the NBN
An analysis of rural coverage following the announcement of the three-year rollout plan for the National Broadband Network has shown overwhelming demand for the infrastructure from a large number of rural and regional Australian communities, with many expressing disappointment that they had been left off the list for the NBN's first few years.
Pristine Telstra network photos: We sourced our own
Following our publication of a photo gallery of "worst of the worst" photos of Telstra's copper network, the telco declined to provide photos of pristine, well-maintained infrastructure. So, we sourced our own photos anyway.
NBN no CommBank or Qantas, says Hockey
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has taken an axe to the Federal Government's budget treatment of its National Broadband Network project, arguing that NBN Co is not an asset like previous government-owned companies such as Qantas or the Commonwealth Bank, which were eventually successfully privatised.
NBN debate not about technology, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has delivered a major speech in Malaysia in which he criticised the publication of "worst of the worst" photos of Telstra's copper telecommunications network and argued that the National Broadband Network debate should be about real end user outcomes and not about technology per se.
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.
Politicos reject NBN referendum idea
A number of politicians and lobby groups have panned the idea that Australia could hold a non-constitutional referendum on whether Labor's National Broadband Network policy should proceed following the next Federal Election, with most stating that such a vote would be unnecessary given existing popular support for the project.
We’re not shutting down T-Box, says Telstra
The nation's biggest telco Telstra has rejected a report by The Register that it is expected to shut down its T-Box IPTV streaming video platform and shift its 300,000-odd customers using the platform to the Foxtel pay TV company it part owns.
Is Abbott consciously lying on NBN costs?
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appears to have again misrepresented the cost of connecting to National Broadband Network fibre infrastructure, in comments which the Government has said represent a deliberate attempt to mislead the Australian public on the issue.
Geo-block busting ISP not realistic, says Hackett
Internode managing director Simon Hackett has downplayed the potential for Internode or other Australian ISPs to follow a New Zealand ISP and offer a "Global Mode" that offers greater access to the internet by circumventing geographical restrictions placed on the certain internet services such as Hulu and Netflix.
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.
‘Cooked books’, ‘funny money’, ‘trickery’: Coalition on NBN budgeting
Leading Opposition figures have slammed the Government's handling of funding for the National Broadband Network in this week's Federal Budget, alleging that the project's finances are being misallocated to cover up holes that would have sabotaged the policy aim of delivering a budget surplus.
Reality check: ISPs do not understand content
Australian ISPs, regulators and the Government need to take a step back and stop fooling themselves that future telecommunications competition will rest on ISPs' ability to provide bundled video content services to users. The reality is that ISPs aren't good at this task and customers don't want them to do it.
4G faster than the NBN? I don’t think so
Today's dose of National Broadband Network-related FUD comes from the West Australian newspaper, which has done some testing of Telstra's 4G mobile broadband network in Perth and come to the conclusion that "Wireless 4G leaves NBN in its wake". Riiiiight.
Pirate Party slams ‘unjust’ surveillance upgrade
The Australian division of digital rights political movement the Pirate Party has slammed Federal Government plans to "unjustly" boost online surveillance powers by law enforcement agencies, describing the initiatives as "steps towards a police state".
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.
“Cooked books”: Abbott misleads on NBN
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appears to have made a number of mistakes or factual inaccuracies in a wide-ranging speech criticising Labor's National Broadband Network project, alleging, for example, that the project's funding was based on "cooked books" and that retail prices would be three times higher than on current broadband networks.
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.
Pure massacre: Optus sacks 750
The nation's number two telco Optus this morning revealed plans to sack some 750 staff, in a company-wide restructure which it claimed was aimed at giving customers "a stronger voice".
Copper maintenance cost not an issue, says Turnbull
Upgrading Telstra’s copper network to fibre to the node was the “quickest and easiest” way to get better broadband for Australians, the office of Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said this week, highlighting a study which had shown that the cost of maintaining the decades-old infrastructure was not significant compared with the overall investment required for universal fibre.
Worst of the worst: Photos of Australia’s copper network
You don't always have a perfect day. Some days, you just get out of bed on the wrong side of the bed, and things go wrong for you all day. Australia's copper telecommunications network is like that. Most days it works OK, but on some days it's just a shocker. And there's a very good reason why -- it's old and in many areas it hasn't been maintained very well.
FTTN a huge “mistake”, says ex-BT CTO
One of the UK's foremost telecommunications experts, a former chief technology officer of British telco BT, has publicly stated that fibre to the node-style broadband is "one of the biggest mistakes humanity has made", imposing huge bandwidth and unreliability problems on those who implement it, as the Coalition may do in Australia.
Liberal MP missteps in NBN Co ad rage
Liberal MP Paul Fletcher has written to the competition and press regulators complaining about what he said were misleading advertorial-style paid articles about the National Broadband Network, despite the fact that NBN Co has denied paying for the articles, which were independently written by News Ltd and Fairfax journalists and, in one case, sponsored by Optus.
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.
Exetel launches $55 terabyte ADSL plan
National broadband provider Exetel has launched a terabyte ADSL broadband plan including a PSTN landline service for a total of $55 per month, in what is initially a limited "Anzac Special" offer lasting to the end of April.
Piracy meetings still censored: “No public interest”
An internal Government review has backed a decision by the Federal Attorney-General's Department to censor almost all information about the secret Internet piracy meetings the department has held with the content and ISP industries over the past six months.
Reality check: AFACT is not planning mass lawsuits
Worried that AFACT will start suing individual users, now that it has lost its High Court case against iiNet? You needn't be. The organisation itself has denied any such plans, and even the legal case to identify Australian Internet pirates is on shaky ground at the moment.
Vodafone releases $39 plan with unlimited text
Vodafone Hutchison Australia has launched a new $39 Plan with "infinite" text messages included, with a range of handsets for zero monthly cost to choose from, including the Samsung Galaxy S II.
NBN satellite gateway for Merimbula
Merimbula, on the NSW Far South Coast, is to be the site of the National Broadband Company’s first satellite ground station gateway. This facility will enable NBN’s Long Term Satellite Service (LTSS) to “transmit high-speed internet to homes, farms and businesses in remote parts of Australia,” a media release by NBN Co issued last week said.
Back off, AFACT: Changing the law is not the answer
The Federal Government should ignore the pathetic demands of the film and TV industry for new legislation to "exterminate" Internet piracy and fix the blatantly obvious problems with its commercial model, following its latest loss in Australia's High Court. Australia's copyright law works well as it stands, and does not need changing.
Govt to continue secret anti-piracy talks
The Federal Government would "closely examine" the High Court's judgement in the long-running copyright infringement case won by ISP iiNet over film and TV studios this morning, Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said this afternoon, as she noted that closed door talks held by her department on the matter would continue.
Defence worthy of a High Court victory? “Yes, Minister”
Given iiNet's conclusive victory in its High Court defence against AFACT this morning, it seems an appropriate time to remind readers of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's opinion of the case, aired in March 2009.
AFACT demands Govt action over iiTrial loss
The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) today said its high-profile loss in its High Court case against ISP iiNet illustrated that Australia's Government needed to step in and take action on the issue of Internet piracy in Australia.
iiNet wins High Court Internet piracy trial
iiNet today emerged victorious in a landmark High Court victory against a coalition of film and TV studios on the issue of Internet piracy through peer to peer platforms like BitTorrent, in the conclusion of a long-running case which is viewed as the a test for how Australia's telecommunications industry will deal with the issue in future.
Australia’s copper broadband infrastructure: The reality
What I want to do with this article is encourage people to send any similar shots you have of awful sections of Australia's copper telecommunications infrastructure in so we can publish a huge collection. Broken cables, cables poking out, patch panels with wires everywhere, street-side cabinets open to the elements, we want them all.
Correction: NBN wireless isn’t ‘replacing’ ADSL
Calm down, everyone. The fact that the National Broadband Network is rolling out wireless broadband services in your area doesn't mean that your existing ADSL broadband service will be shut down. You won't be left in the lurch with inferior speeds and latency.
You’re wrong, global satellite authority tells Turnbull
The global adjudicator on satellite positioning appears to have rejected claims by Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the National Broadband Network Company had inappropriately gone ahead with plans to launch two satellites over Australia without securing the necessary orbital slots first.
Abbott faces down Tassie NBN supporters
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has stared down harsh criticism of the Coalition's rival broadband policy in a tense community meeting in Launceston, where the Labor Federal Government's popular National Broadband Network was one of the topics being discussed by Tasmanian residents.
Strong NBN support amongst Coalition voters
More Coalition voters support the Labor Federal Government's flagship National Broadband Network project than are against it, according to new research released today, as support for the initiative continues to grow to record levels.
Sold: Primus Australia goes to M2
Local telco umbrella group M2 this morning unexpectedly revealed it would buy the Australian operations of Primus Telecom, in a move that will further consolidate the Australian telecommunications landscape ahead of the rollout of the National Broadband Network.
Back in your box: NBN Co shuts down wireless “expert”
The National Broadband Network has shot down in flames inaccurate claims by a non-technical analyst today that all Australian telecommunications would be based on wireless technologies by the time the NBN was completed.
High Court iiTrial verdict set for 20 April
iiNet has revealed that Australia's High Court will lay down its verdict in the national broadband provider's high-profile legal battle with a coalition of film and TV studios next Friday 20 April at 10AM, in a move which will finally provide closure to the long-running online copyright infringement case.
Have iiNet’s acquisitions helped or harmed competition?
Has iiNet's ongoing series of acquisitions harmed or helped the development of market competition in Australia's telecommunications sector? It's a difficult and complex question -- and one which we will attempt to answer in this in-depth analysis of the situation.
NBN Co in-sources contact centre
In what appears to be something of a reversal of a previous outsourcing strategy, the National Broadband Network Company has announced that it would set up a new contact centre located at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast in Queensland. The centre would be ready for operations in the second half of this year, and is expected create more than 130 jobs.
Sydney to Melbourne cable turns 50 years old
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has highlighted the fact that yesterday, April 9, marked the 50th anniversary of the landmark opening of the coaxial telecommunications cable between Sydney and Melbourne, delivering a new era in telecommunications in Australia. Conroy has additionally likened the project's vision to that of the National Broadband Network.
Coldplay: No paradise in Australia for Huawei
Placing barriers to entry in the government space for the building of a network when Huawei operates extensively in the corporate sphere here in Australia seems more than a little political. It mirrors the overtly partisan nature of the debate in the United States, which is mired in assertion rather than evidence and procedures for determining investment occluded rather than transparent. A Coldplay indeed.
History is the key to understanding Huawei
Up until last week, many Australians were probably unaware of Chinese telcommunications company Huawei. But the decision by the federal government to ban Huawei from any involvement in the National Broadband Network has shone the spotlight on the company and its remarkable rise to prominence.
Turnbull has no NBN plan, says Conroy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has demanded that the Coalition publish its policy platform for the next election in the area of broadband and telecommunications, pointing out that this is the third time, in as many months, that he has made this inquiry of the Coalition; asking it to disclose its broadband policy, the technology it proposes to use, and the cost to Australians.
Come clean, Conroy: Turnbull slams Brissie NBN “gerrymandering”
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused the Government of targeting its own electoral seats in the National Broadband Network’s (NBN) rollout in Brisbane, where Labor suffered major losses in the recent Queensland election. NBN Co’s latest rollout plan for the next three years was announced several weeks ago.
Insider Robin Payne appointed NBN Co CFO
The National Broadband Network Company, the company constructing Australia’s national broadband network, has appointed Robin Payne, Chief Financial Officer. Payne has been acting as CFO, succeeding Jean-Pascal Beaufret, who retired in January 2012.
Radio shockjocks diss NBN during paid ads
NBN Co has shifted some of its radio advertising away from 2GB after the station's well-known conservative shockjock Ray Hadley and another presenter standing in for his colleague Alan Jones criticised the project on air, directly before reading paid advertising for NBN Co which factually explained details of the rollout.
Exetel flooded with Internet piracy notices
National broadband provider Exetel has published a day by day breakdown of the numbers of copyright infringement notices it has been receiving from content owners such as film and TV studios, with the figures regularly ranging into the hundreds each month, and potentially even beyond a thousand in any given 30 day period.
Virgin ups quota on postpaid broadband
Optus subsidiary, Virgin Mobile, has announced it is refreshing its suite of Postpaid Mobile Broadband plans.
Huawei & the NBN: Beware the CCP’s long arm
Huawei Australia’s local company men appear to have little idea of how China’s political economy, the Chinese telecommunications sector, or the Shenzhen-based parent company operates.
Patently Australian: CSIRO settles suits over Wi-Fi
Australia’s national science agency will receive $220m after settling litigation against three US companies to license the wireless local area network (WLAN) technology it invented in the early 1990s.
Internode launches NBN wireless, reveals pricing
National broadband provider Internode today started selling fixed wireless services over the National Broadband Network's fledgling wireless broadband footprint, with the ISP's pricing in the area to be the same as its pricing on the lowest speed tier (12Mbps) of its NBN fibre plans.