Broadband News
Thu, 22nd Apr 2021
Telco complaints down by 25% during Dec quarter
Telco complaints were down by nearly a quarter for the three months ending December 2020, compared to the same period the year prior, according to new data.
Source: ARN
RSPs fork out to keep high-speed NBN customers on the books
NBN retailers are choosing to pay from their own pockets to keep existing high-speed customers happy - or to lure such customers away from rivals - by matching a steeply discounted price offer not meant for either customer type.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vodafone offers free data weekend as penance for network outage
Vodafone customers will receive free data services this weekend, with the telco calling it a "goodwill" gesture in the aftermath of a nationwide network outage experienced earlier this month.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Mon, 19th Apr 2021
Most MATE mobile plans now come with free music streaming subscriptions
Most MATE mobile subscribers can now get at least a year of free Tidal.
Source: WhistleOut
Aussie Broadband looks for CVC upside from 'white label' customers
Aussie Broadband is hoping that a ‘white label’ arrangement launched last week could help the company offset the growing bandwidth demands of its own customer base, reducing some of its exposure to excess fees charged by NBN Co.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 15th Apr 2021
Satellite NBN providers and their Sky Muster NBN plans compared
Need help picking a Satellite NBN provider? We've got the lowdown on the major providers offering Sky Muster-powered NBN plans.
Source: WhistleOut
Tue, 13th Apr 2021
Save $150 on the iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 mini with Telstra
iPhones rarely go on sale - especially recent models - but Telstra has cut up to $150 from all models until April 19. If you nab an iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12, you'll save $150 from the outright cost (divided over your repayment period). This is equivalent to $6.25 per month on a 24-month term.
Source: WhistleOut
Aussie Broadband moves into white label space
Aussie Broadband announced on Tuesday it has moved into the white label space, with an unnamed company with a customer base of 3 million already signed up.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Aussie Broadband to let resellers sell its services under their own brand
Aussie Broadband is to start letting reseller and retail service provider (RSPs) partners sell its products under their own branding with a new white label solution.
Source: ARN
How NBN Co pieced its service assurance function back together
NBN Co transformed its service assurance function - the part of the company that deals with service faults and outages - under a program of work codenamed ‘Jigsaw’ that is already said to have delivered $100 million in ‘benefits’.
Source: iTnews Australia
Kogan has a new 45GB mobile plan for just $25 per month
Kogan has expanded its range of mobile plans with two new SIM-only plans, one of which will set you back just $25 per month for your first year and get you a sizeable 45GB. The plan is sold on a 12-month contract, and the pricing will only apply during that period, after which you'll need to pay $40 per month. However, you can always bounce when the discount runs out, as your contract will be over too.
Source: WhistleOut
Fri, 09th Apr 2021
Vodafone works on resolving nationwide network outage
Vodafone customers were experiencing outages across the network on Friday, with reports being made via social media from around 11am AEST.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Vodafone hit by nationwide 4G outage
Vodafone is suffering a nationwide outage of its 4G cellular network, with users across Australia unable to access mobile data and voice services.
Source: iTnews Australia
Vocus emerges as earth station builder for Starlink
ASX listed Vocus is building the earth station for satellite broadband service Starlink, set up by Elon Musk's SpaceX, a media report and a search of the New Zealand government radio spectrum management register indicates.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 08th Apr 2021
Optus puts Australians in control of their Mobile and Home connectivity with Optus Pause
Optus has introduced what it calls "a game changing Australian first innovation" that gives its customers "the freedom to ensure they enjoy the time that matters most by opting to pause notifications and connectivity distractions they often face everyday."
Source: iTWire
Wed, 07th Apr 2021
Optus reaches blistering 10Gps aggregated throughput on live 5G site in Brisbane
Poking fun at Telstra by stating "You don’t need Australia’s fastest 5G… until you do", Optus aggregated its 5G spectrum bands of 3500Mhz and 28Ghz (mmWave) on top of existing 5G spectrum bands to deliver "unprecedented bandwidth and speed."
Source: iTWire
SpinTel is the latest NBN provider to promise congestion free NBN
SpinTel is now reporting typical evening speeds of 100Mbps on NBN 100 plans.
Source: WhistleOut
Tue, 06th Apr 2021
TPG, Optus, Nokia to shape national emergency mobile broadband network
Australia’s long-promised national mobile broadband network for emergency services has finally moved forward, with TPG Telecom, Optus and Nokia selected to deliver the first feasibility trial.
Source: iTnews Australia
TPG Telecom and Nokia pick up Public Safety Mobile Broadband trial
TPG Telecom and Nokia have been appointed to trial a proof-of-concept network for the long mooted Public Safety Mobile Broadband to be used by the nation's emergency services.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tue, 30th Mar 2021
Optus is now all but promising congestion free NBN for NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans
Optus has increased its typical evening speed guidance for plans as fast as NBN 100, ostensibly promising congestion free connectivity during peak hours. Optus is now reporting that customers can expect typical evening speeds of 100Mbps on NBN 100 plans and 50Mbps on NBN 50 plans.
Source: WhistleOut
Mon, 29th Mar 2021
NBN Co says network 'stress test' during Covid grounds for $78m in bonuses
NBN Co chair Dr Ziggy Switkowski has defended the payment of almost $78 million in bonuses to staff last financial year, arguing the network survived a major “real-time stress test” that was worthy of reward.
Source: iTnews Australia
Optus and McAfee team up for modem security
Optus has launched a new security offering through its partnership with McAfee, claiming it can automatically protect devices connected to home or business modems.
Source: ARN
NBN Fixed Wireless Plus busy hour uploads barely over 4Mbps and ACCC is okay with that
The first edition of the Measuring Broadband Australia report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to incorporate fixed wireless upload speeds was released on Monday, and the results were not good.
Source: ZDNet Australia
ACCC calls on NBN Co, RSPs to give users a hand with lethargic FttN connections
The Australian consumer watchdog has called on NBN Co and its retail service providers to give customers on fibre-to-the-node connections a hand to combat lethargic internet speeds.
Source: ARN
NBN Co asked by Telstra, Vocus and Optus to reveal its flat pricing model
NBN Co is already under substantial industry pressure to release modelling it has done for a single, flat wholesale price structure that it has not previously discussed or shared with internet providers.
Source: iTnews Australia
Fri, 26th Mar 2021
NBN Co has modelled flat-rate prices but not shared them with anyone
NBN Co has internally modelled a simple flat-rate wholesale price for each of its speed tiers but hasn’t shared it with internet providers, saying it needs to be tailored for individual providers before doing so.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co uses stockpiled HFC NTDs to work down order backlog
NBN Co has used some of its stockpile of hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) network termination devices to fulfil several thousand orders delayed by a stop-sell it announced last month.
Source: iTnews Australia
Thu, 25th Mar 2021
Telstra warns NBN Co will hit $55 ARPU 'by the end of FY23'
NBN Co's average revenue per residential user could hit $55 in FY23 if short-term price changes go through, $6 per user more than even the company’s “ambitious” forecasts, according to new modelling by Telstra.
Source: iTnews Australia
Consumers may walk away from NBN if the price isn’t right: ACCAN
Australia’s consumer voice on communications issues, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), has cautioned that consumers may seek alternative home broadband solutions, like 5G, if NBN prices are not addressed.
Source: iTWire
Apple says iOS has alternative app distribution because the internet exists
Apple has responded further to the Australian consumer watchdog's probe of app marketplaces, this time rejecting characterisation that the Apple App Store is the most dominant app marketplace and saying there are other options for iOS users, such as by going to a website.
Source: ZDNet Australia