Broadband News

Fri, 20th Nov 2020

Southern Phone reclaims crown as Australia's most complained about telco

The Communications Alliance Complaints in Context report for July to September has revealed that Southern Phone has reclaimed the top position as the most complained about telco.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Thu, 19th Nov 2020

New .au domain namespace rules come into effect April 12

Australian Domain Name Administrator (auDA) has announced that from 12 April 2021, new rules for com.au, net.au, org.au, and asn.au namespaces in the .au domain will come into effect.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vocus Group announces plans to list New Zealand business

​ASX-listed Vocus Group has appointed financial advisers to execute a listing of New Zealand's fourth largest retail telco, Vocus NZ.

Source: ARN

NBN Co can seriously get in the way of communications

The NBN Co has been recently claiming that it has fast connections, super-fast connections and anything else that should satisfy the needs of even the most discriminating consumer, but that appears to be as much BS as any of its other claims.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 18th Nov 2020

Optus launches Singtel's Gomo mobile brand in Australia

Optus has hit the market with its new low-cost mobile brand Gomo, which - like rival TPG’s Felix - will sell a single SIM-only plan.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 17th Nov 2020

Vodafone MVNO felix will sell you an unlimited data mobile plan with a catch for $35 per month

Vodafone today launched a new MVNO powered by its network, felix. felix has just a single plan: a $35 per month offer that includes unlimited talk and text, as well as unlimited data. Your data is however capped at 5Mbps, which is quite a limit. For comparison, a typical 4G service should easily be able to exceed speeds of over 50Mbps in a metro area. 5G services can achieve speeds of over 500Mbps with adequate coverage.

Source: WhistleOut

Fri, 13th Nov 2020

Telstra's edge compute network to comprise 650 repurposed exchanges

Telstra will set up 650 of its 1500 telephone exchanges as edge compute locations, honing a plan it first unveiled a year ago.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 12th Nov 2020

Telstra announces plans to split into three, fuelling speculation about move for NBN

Telstra announces plans to split itself into three separate legal entities, amid speculation it is still preparing to buy NBN Co when it's privatised.

Source: ABC News

Users shift off 100/40Mbps NBN plans

Even though they only make up a small portion of its customer base, there has been quite the shift in how users are connecting to NBN on plans offering speeds at or in excess of 100Mbps.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Higher speed broadband services tick over 5M

The number of higher speed broadband plans of at least 50 Mbps has surpassed the 5 million threshold during last quarter, according to Australia's consumer watchdog.

Source: ARN

Aussie Broadband continues to dominate 250Mbps, gigabit services

Aussie Broadband is continuing to dominate NBN Co’s highest residential speed tiers with 85 percent of sign-ups to up to gigabit plans and 56 percent of 250 Mbps users.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra plans to split into three subsidiaries

Telstra wants to go through a corporate restructure that could see it split its operations among three subsidiaries and sell some parts, though it said “no final decisions have been made”.

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 11th Nov 2020

ACMA directs Telstra on compliance after overcharging customers almost $2.5 million

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has directed Telstra to comply with its billing accuracy obligations after an investigation found it had overcharged more than 10,000 customers a total of almost $2.5 million over a 12-year period.

Source: iTWire

Tue, 10th Nov 2020

New regulation to force passing of non-NBN broadband wholesaler rebates onto customers

With NBN set to pay its retailers a series of rebates for missing service standards, such as late connections and fault rectifications, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is looking to regulate the same for non-NBN network operators for its next wholesale agreement.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telcos to pass on NBN rebates to customers under proposed rules

Telco retail service providers will need to pass on rebates for missed NBN Co appointments onto their customers under a set of proposed rules by the telco industry regulator.

Source: ARN

Vodafone is gunning for Telstra and Optus with its 500GB iPhone deal

Vodafone will give you more data than you can shake a stick at with its latest iPhone 12 deal.

Source: WhistleOut

Video: Aussie Broadband starts Sydney fibre rollout

Aussie Broadband is running fibre cable through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel to connect the Sydney CBD with North Sydney.

Source: iTWire

Mon, 09th Nov 2020

Australia's MVNO market to shrink as telcos take control

Australia’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market appears to have peaked and is now expected to account for just six percent of mobile subscribers by mid-2023, according to Venture Insights.

Source: iTnews Australia

80% of new NBN customers opting for faster plans

NBN Co has seen sustained demand for its higher speed tiers, with approximately four out of five new customers to the NBN opting for speeds of at least 50 Mbps.

Source: ARN

Fri, 06th Nov 2020

ACCC keeps ‘close watch’ on global anti-trust efforts & digital platforms

Australia’s competition watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, says it is keeping a close watch on global anti-trust efforts focusing on major digital platforms, including the US Department of Justice’s recent case against Google and proposed new competition laws in Europe.

Source: iTWire

Thu, 05th Nov 2020

Internet draws in Australians in greater numbers

More Australians are using the Internet to view and listen to content more than ever before, according to new research.

Source: iTWire

Uncapped 5G home internet now costs extra on Optus

If you were hoping to experience lightning fast 5G home broadband on Optus, it will now cost you extra. While the telco has previously offered uncapped 5G home internet plans for as little as $70 per month, new customers will now pay $90 per month to experience the fastest Optus 5G speeds possible.

Source: WhistleOut

Wed, 04th Nov 2020

Full fibre cheaper for on-demand FttN upgrade model: NBN CEO

The company responsible for the National Broadband Network (NBN) has said it would upgrade customers from fibre to the node (FttN) to fibre to the premise (FttP) because it is cheaper than alternatives such as fibre to the curb (FttC).

Source: ZDNet Australia

Mon, 02nd Nov 2020

Optus to acquire amaysim

Optus today announced plans to acquire amaysim, Australia's largest MVNO, adding approximately 1.19 million subscribers to its customer base. amaysim will continue to operate as a standalone brand under the ownership of Optus, in the same way that Virgin Mobile previously did.

Source: WhistleOut

Fri, 30th Oct 2020

New speeds claim guidance for broadband providers

The competition watchdog has released its updated Broadband Speeds Claim Industry Guidance, aimed at setting broadband providers straight when marketing products with higher maximum download and upload wholesale access speeds.

Source: ARN

Thu, 29th Oct 2020

You can now get 50GB for $35 per month on Vodafone

Vodafone has amped up data across almost all its postpaid mobile plans.

Source: WhistleOut

A Review of Australia’s Metadata Laws Finds Too Many People Can Get Their Mitts on Your Data

Australia’s metadata retentions laws are making it too easy for too many people to access Australian’s data without warrant, according to a review of the controversial scheme.

Source: Gizmodo

CA calls for restricting state agencies' access to metadata

The lobby group representing the telecommunications industry has called on the government to accept recommendations made by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and repeal two sections of a law which have allowed numerous state agencies to gain access to Australians' telecommunications metadata.

Source: iTWire

Wed, 28th Oct 2020

ACCC chief determined to peg down NBN entry-level pricing

Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Rod Sims told Senate Estimates on Tuesday night that the consumer watchdog was determined to ensure NBN's 12/1Mbps plans remained low, and prices at the low end would not rise "if we have anything to do with it".

Source: ZDNet Australia

Tue, 27th Oct 2020

5G vs NBN: Compare coverage, speed and cost

Australia's 5G networks have arrived and Australians are starting to wonder: which is better? 5G or the NBN? In this guide, we compare the two on price, speed, availability and more.

Source: WhistleOut