Broadband News

Wed, 24th Mar 2010

Bootleg video: Telstra 'dual carrier' 42 Mbps trials

During the Telstra Next G technology briefing last week, journalists and media were shown a brief video about Telstra partners testing dual carrier HSPA technology, which uses two standard 3G channels to double the bandwidth available to a handset.

Source: iTnews Australia

Mobile networks now carry more data than voice

According to Ericsson, mobile data traffic, globally, surpassed voice in December 2009. It says this finding "is based on Ericsson measurements from live networks covering all regions of the world."

Source: iTWire

Internode slashes prices to attract SMBs

ISP, Internode, has slashed prices on its SHDSL product line in a move to penetrate the SMB space.

Source: ARN

Vividwireless owner proposes carrier license fee hike

Vividwireless' owner Wireless Broadband Australia (WBA) has suggested that ISPs bear the cost of determining whether online content should be refused classification in Australia via a hike in their carrier license fees.

Source: iTnews Australia

Ten wants 3D spectrum

The chief executive of Network Ten, Grant Blackley, has called on the Rudd government to set aside broadcast spectrum to allow free-to-air broadcasters to provide new services such as 3D television.

Source: The Australian

Tue, 23rd Mar 2010

ISPs a no-show on filter discussion paper

If the level of industry feedback on the Federal Government's measures to increase accountability and transparency for Refused Classification (RC) material is anything to go by, then it's safe to say ISPs have effectively chosen to filter out the exercise as a waste of time.

Source: Computerworld

Aussie 3G competition hots up in maturing market

Competition between vendors in the Australian 3G market is expected to intensify as the market continues to mature, with end-user data service quality in terms of throughput, coverage, latency and overall experience in sharp focus.

Source: iTWire

Don't review filter blacklist: Christian group

Family Voice Australia said in a submission on suggested transparency measures for the government's planned internet filter that regular reviews of material judged to be Refused Classification would be "overly bureaucratic".

Source: ZDNet Australia

Public weighs in on Internet filter plans

The Federal Government has released some of the public submissions received for its Internet filtering discussion paper.

Source: ARN

Conroy's filter plan unworkable: Google

Internet giant Google says Australia's mandatory ISP filter is both unworkable and unwanted by parents.

Source: Australian IT

Telstra pulls plug on future copper rollouts

Telstra has offered to continue digging pits and pipes in new housing estates despite its decision to stop rolling out copper phone lines ahead of a Federal Government mandate on optical fibre deployment.

Source: iTnews Australia

TPG quadruples profits, lifts guidance

TPG Telecom (ASX: TPM) has reported a 443 percent increase in after tax profit and 34 percent increase in EBITDA for the six months to 31 January 2010.

Source: iTWire

Filter: Telstra against block notifications

Telstra was the only major organisation to advise the Federal Government against notifying internet users when a web page has been blocked by its mandatory internet filter because it believed that such action could increase the accessibility of Refused Classification (RC) content.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Conroy releases internet filter submissions

Embattled comms minister Stephen Conroy has lifted the veil of secrecy on public submissions to the internet filtering project.

Source: APC Magazine

$50m Stokes WiMax network

Kerry Stokes added an element to his media set-up in Perth yesterday when the Seven Network's wireless broadband subsidiary Vividwireless launched its $50 million WiMax network.

Source: Australian IT

ACCC bulks up on staff ahead of NBN

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has ramped up resources and restructured its pivotal Communications unit, hiring up to ten new staff ahead of the challenges presented by the NBN and associated industry developments.

Source: iTnews Australia

EFA fundraising to fight Internet filtering and support R18+ games

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has launched a fundraising campaign to raise money for future lobbying efforts.

Source: ARN

Mon, 22nd Mar 2010

Telstra calls halt to copper lines

Thousands of new houses around the country will take longer to come onto the market and cost up to $3000 more because Telstra has stopped installing copper phone lines.

Source: News Limited

Consultation raises 'issues', delays filter Bill

The Federal Government has delayed the introduction of legislation that will make it mandatory for internet service providers to block

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vividwireless unveils Perth WiMAX prices

Vividwireless has released the prices for wireless broadband services on its Perth WiMAX network, with its largest plan costing at $99 per month for 40 GB of data.

Source: iTnews Australia

Behind every good LTE there's an EPC

The press has been full of Telstra's upcoming LTE trials and the names of its chosen vendors. LTE is sexy because it promises us downloads of YouTube videos and lots of other good stuff at speeds undreamt of a few years ago, but it is only one part of the story, and not even the most important part.

Source: iTWire

Photos: Inside the AAPT Richmond data centre

AAPT has started talks with Citipower for a substation upgrade that would allow it to potentially expand its data centre in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond.

Source: iTnews Australia

Rudd roasts Conroy over NBN report

Kevin Rudd is believed to have told Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to come up with a strategy within two weeks to take the heat out of the political crisis building up around the government's $43 billion national broadband project.

Source: The Australian

Sat, 20th Mar 2010

Exetel, Netspace press case to become Tassie NBN ISPs

ISPs Netspace and Exetel have confirmed they are seeking accreditation from NBN Co to resell broadband services to customers of stage one of the fibre network in Tasmania.

Source: iTnews Australia

Unity Pacific Ocean cable close to completion

Google is reported to be almost ready to start using a new high-speed internet cable under the Pacific Ocean to increase lit cable capacity by around 20 percent.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra says it has no broadband deal yet as rivals claim it holds assets to 'ransom'

Telstra has said it is far from a deal with the federal government over its involvement in the national broadband network. This scotches earlier suggestions an agreement was imminent.

Source: SMH

Fri, 19th Mar 2010

Telstra's statement an 'extortion note': Carriers' coalition

The Competitive Carrier’s Coalition today described Telstra's statement this morning that there was a gap between its financial expectations on a National Broadband Network deal and those of NBN Co as practically being blackmail.

Source: iTWire

Huawei here for business, not spying

Australia needs to stop propagating the fear, uncertainty and doubt surrounding Chinese networking vendor Huawei and realise the company is a legitimate player in the telecommunications marketplace.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra 'price gap' is no bluff: Ovum

Telstra has warned shareholders of a "significant gap" between how much the telco should be paid to sell its assets to NBN Co and how much the Federal Government is willing to pay.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra fight for compensation over NBN rollout far from over

Telstra has given its strongest indication yet that its negotiations with the government about the telco's participation in the $43 billion national broadband network are still a long way from being finalised.

Source: The Australian