Broadband News
Thu, 21st Nov 2024
Australia launches 'landmark' bill to ban social media for children under 16
Australia's government has introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16 and proposed fines of up to $49.5 million for social media platforms for systemic breaches.
Source: iTnews Australia
Google must sell Chrome, US DOJ argues
Google must sell its Chrome browser, share data and search results with rivals and take other measures - including possibly selling Android - to end its monopoly on online search, prosecutors argued to a judge.
Source: iTnews Australia
3G shutdown in Australia: real consequences or overblown concerns?
As Australia prepares to shut down its 3G network, a discussion is unfolding about whether the concerns surrounding the transition stem from real consequences or are being overblown.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 20th Nov 2024
Australian critical infrastructure faces cyber threats
Australia said it was concerned that one in 10 cyber security incidents last year involved critical infrastructure, with state-sponsored actors targeting the country's government, infrastructure and businesses using evolving tradecraft.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co wants simpler device setup to connect to its network
NBN Co wants to consolidate the number of devices needed by customers to connect to broadband service, to reduce energy consumption and help achieve a “net zero” emissions goal.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co expects over half a million fibre upgraders a year from FY27
NBN Co is anticipating over half a million premises per year to upgrade to full fibre connections from FY27, a 66 percent increase on the present run rate.
Source: iTnews Australia
Defence to use 'Optus-X' satellite launched earlier this week
Defence has confirmed that it will use the Optus-X satellite launched by SpaceX on Monday morning Australian time.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 18th Nov 2024
ACCC invites market submissions concerning Vocus-TPG assets acquisition
Competition watchdog the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has called for industry submissions concerning the recently announced proposed multi-billion dollar acquisition by Australian communications infrastructure group Vocus of key network assets of telecoms operator TPG.
Source: iTWire
ACCC begins review of Vocus-TPG $5.25 billion deal
Australia's competition regulator is seeking views on the Macquarie-backed telecommunications group Vocus' $5.25 billion takeover of local telecom operator TPG Telecom's enterprise, government, and wholesale (EG&W) fixed business and fibre network assets.
Source: iTnews Australia
Sun, 17th Nov 2024
T-Mobile hacked in massive Chinese breach of telecom networks
T-Mobile's network was among the systems hacked in a damaging Chinese cyber-espionage operation that gained entry into multiple US and international telecommunications companies, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Source: iTnews Australia
ACCC takes aim at the size of the 'broadband tax'
Australia’s competition watchdog is weighing changes to the ‘‘broadband tax’ that would prevent the scheme from being used by NBN Co to recover “historical losses” for fixed wireless and satellite services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Anti-Musk: The social media site picking up a lot of X refugees in Australia
Bluesky is Australia’s top-ranked social media app in both Apple and Google’s app stores, firming as the social media website of choice for those quitting X.
Source: SMH
Thu, 14th Nov 2024
ACCC publishes consultation paper on Regional Broadband Scheme levy
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is seeking stakeholder submissions on the approach to calculating the Regional Broadband Scheme (RBS) levy for its 2025 advice to the Minister for Communications on the levy.
Source: iTWire
Wed, 13th Nov 2024
Warning: Watch out for scam texts pretending to be from your telco
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is seeing a rise in SMS telco impersonation scams and is warning people to be on the lookout.
Source: iTWire
New Optus boss ready for fresh chapter after two rough years for telco
New Optus chief executive Stephen Rue says he is confident of beginning a fresh chapter for Australia’s second-largest telecommunications company after two years marked by outages, a cyberattack and declining customer trust.
Source: SMH
Tue, 12th Nov 2024
Under proposed laws the truth about COVID-19 could have been struck from the internet
The federal government wants to create powers to curb the spread of misinformation and outright lies online. But legal experts have detailed why they worry that the proposed laws could actually undermine the truth.
Source: ABC News
Mon, 11th Nov 2024
Data centre operator iseek bought for $400m
Data centre operator iseek is set to be acquired by asset manager HMC Capital for $400 million.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 07th Nov 2024
Optus penalised $12m for Triple Zero failures
Optus and its subsidiaries were penalised $12 million for Triple Zero call failures during its major outage a year ago, as well as for not performing welfare checks.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 30th Oct 2024
ACCC suing Optus for unconscionable conduct when selling phone products to vulnerable customers
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is suing Optus alleging it engaged in unconscionable conduct when selling phone products to vulnerable customers.
Source: ABC News
Tue, 29th Oct 2024
Telcos in talks to roll out ‘SMS on steroids’
Telstra, Optus and TPG are in talks to implement an SMS replacement that could slash the rate of spam messages.
Source: SMH
Sun, 27th Oct 2024
Optus commences 3G switch off, offers financially strapped free handsets
Australia's second largest telecoms operator Optus will begin switching off its 3G network from 28 October 2024, potentially impacting millions of subscribers still using the old wireless technology.
Source: iTWire
Thu, 24th Oct 2024
Optus compensated users $1.2m for "lost income" from 2023 outage
Optus customers managed to extract $1.2 million in cash and service credits from the telco to compensate for lost income from its 12-hour outage on November 8 last year.
Source: iTnews Australia
Global Switch Australia to come back under local ownership in $1.94bn deal
Global Switch Australia is set to be sold to Australian asset manager HMC Capital for almost $1.94 billion.
Source: iTnews Australia
Mon, 14th Oct 2024
TPG to sell fibre assets to Vocus for $5.3bn
TPG has agreed to sell its fibre and fixed network infrastructure assets to Vocus for $5.25 billion.
Source: iTnews Australia
Sun, 13th Oct 2024
Australians don’t care who owns the NBN, they just want better broadband
The federal government is pushing for new laws that would keep the NBN in public hands, but will it lead to cheaper or better internet?
Source: SMH
Wed, 09th Oct 2024
Leaptel taps Superloop to improve backhaul, extend reach
Melbourne-based internet service provider Leaptel has chosen telecommunications company Superloop to provide virtual network to network interface (VNNI) backhaul to 121 NBN point of interconnects (POIs), as well as inter capital ethernet services across Australia.
Source: iTWire
Govt promises NBN will remain in 'public hands'
The government has introduced a new bill to maintain wholesale broadband operator National Broadband Network (NBN) in public ownership.
Source: iTWire
Gov's NBN sale block bill opens door to affordability, exec pay questions
A bid by the government to shut the door on a future sale of NBN Co could lead to a broader inquiry on the accessibility and affordability of services, and of executive pay.
Source: iTnews Australia
Sun, 06th Oct 2024
AI hype, 3G shutdown drive bumper smartphone sales
Australians are back buying new smartphones, with the new iPhone facing stiffer competition from AI-enabled Android rivals.
Source: SMH
Wed, 02nd Oct 2024
DFAT puts $51m into Google Pacific cable
The federal government has handed $51 million to US firm Manta Ray Solutions LLC to develop a new Pacific subsea cable.
Source: iTnews Australia