Broadband News
Thu, 18th Mar 2010
iiNet contests Cooper copyright judgement
iiNet has lodged a "notice of contention" with the Federal Court in the hope of clarifying two of its defences that were rejected by Federal Court Judge Dennis Cowdroy in its recent legal battle against the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra to trial LTE in May
Telstra is months away from testing 4G technology that could push the maximum capacity of its mobile broadband services up to 172Mbps.
Source: Australian IT
Conroy fights back against the Senate
The Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, has defended Government delays in releasing the $25 million McKinsey implementation study into the NBN and refused to promise a public release.
Source: ARN
Install fibre, not phone lines, says Conroy
"It doesn’t make sense for new houses to be fitted with old copper [phone line] technology," says Comms Minister Stephen Conroy.
Source: APC Magazine
Conroy moves to make new housing developments NBN-ready
The Federal Government has introduced the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2010 into the Parliament which aims to ensure new homes built at greenfield estates include infrastructure capable of connecting to the National Broadband Network.
Source: Computerworld
Google could be your next ISP
Internet behemoth Google now boasts a network that's bigger than all but two of the world's ISPs and telcos fear the search giant is just one step away from becoming an ISP itself.
Source: SMH
UK copyright legislation will cost ISPs up to $830m
UK Government plans to force ISPs to crackdown on copyright abuse will cost the industry between £250 million ($415 million) and £500 million ($830 million) according to an estimate published by the Department for Business.
Source: iTnews Australia
Conroy burning goodwill on Telstra split: Greens
The federal government has until 10am to produce a report that might determine whether the Senate approves Labor's planned national broadband network strategy.
Source: Australian IT
Wed, 17th Mar 2010
Tasmanian NBN pricing so far is horrible
The proposed National Broadband Network prices released this week by iiNet are simply way too expensive for the promised 100Mbps speeds and will need to be reduced significantly to drive customer uptake.
Source: iTWire
Greens slam Government NBN study silence
The Australian Greens, surprised by the Government's refusal to release the $25 million McKinsey Implementation study, are threatening to vote down crucial telco legislation.
Source: ARN
TOO EXPENSIVE: NBN monthly plans unveiled
The first 100Mbit/s plans have been announced for the national broadband network, but they're like Telstra pricing -- only worse.
Source: APC Magazine
Microsoft recommends parents filter the internet
Microsoft Australia has released research showing that Australian families are not doing enough to monitor the internet use of their children - findings which are likely to be used by both advocates and opponents of the Federal Government's mandatory ISP-level internet filtering scheme.
Source: iTnews Australia
Conroy set for clash over NBN
The Rudd government will today defy a Senate order by not releasing the study into the costs, structure and financial viability of the $43 billion national broadband network.
Source: Australian IT
Tue, 16th Mar 2010
Fielding still on fence over Telstra
After meeting yesterday with Telstra executives, Family First Senator Steve Fielding still has no firm position as to which way he will vote on the Bill, which would enable the government to force Telstra's separation.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Conroy brands EFA anti-filter campaign a disgrace
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday attacked Electronic Frontiers Australia's anti-censorship campaign in Parliament, branding it misleading and a disgrace.
Source: iTnews Australia
Conroy promises to get on to Telstra debate this week
Comms Minister Conroy's office has played down fears that debate over reform to Telstra might be delayed until May.
Source: APC Magazine
In-flight mobile usage: for data, it's no problem, says Telstra
The ACMA has proposed a complex system to enable Australian airline passengers to use their cellphones and USB dongles for data and text communications when in flight, but Telstra says they should simply use the network as they do on the ground.
Source: iTWire
iiNet looks to close gaps in AFACT judgement
Internet Service Provider iiNet is "highly likely" to serve a notice of contention with the Federal Court of Australia this week in an attempt to reduce any chance the film industry has of appealing to a higher court, according to sources.
Source: iTnews Australia
Australian telco market ripe for new consumer entrants: AAPT
The Australian market is ripe for an influx of non-traditional providers of consumer telco services, according to AAPT. Chief operating officer, David Yuile, said the local market was likely to see a UK-style evolution in which formerly non-traditional players, such as grocery retailer Tesco, entered the market with their own consumer telephony services.
Source: Computerworld
Mon, 15th Mar 2010
Netspace-iiNet deal may never happen: Malone
iiNet CEO Michael Malone has thrown cold water on speculation that his company’s acquisition of Netspace is a done deal, saying that an agreement with the ISP may not be made this year, if ever.
Source: Computerworld
iiNet, Internode and iPrimus onboard for Tasmanian NBN
iiNet, Internode and iPrimus will be the first ISPs to sell services on Tasmania's national broadband network (NBN) fibre link.
Source: ARN
As NBN rolls on, where's the Opposition?
When an opposition minister concedes he's not really on top of issues in his portfolio, you know he's not going to be much of a hindrance. Which is a good thing for Stephen Conroy, who is busy railroading through the NBN to support Labor's election bid. But is Labor's end-justifies-the-means mentality acceptable if it means ensuring the delivery of such a critical project?
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN Tasmania prices 'yet to be determined': iiNet's Malone
Official pricing for services over the Tasmanian leg of the NBN may yet be some weeks off, despite the announcement that Primus, Internode and iiNet have all committed to deliver services over network when it goes live in July.
Source: Computerworld
Net plan triggers 'digital divide'
Divisions have emerged in the Seven Media group as the dominant television arm resisted plans by its internet division Yahoo7 to make more TV shows available on new digital channels.
Source: The Australian
NBN Co to spell out how it will work with Comms Alliance
Communications Alliance has rallied the industry to embark on an ambitious project to define many, possible, aspects of the NBN. It was initiated prior to NBN Co's formation and remains independent of NBN Co. Now, NBN Co promises to spell out how it will work with Comms Alliance.
Source: iTWire
How high-speed broadband will be the death of Telstra
The opposition is doing the government a favour by blocking the legislation that will allow Telstra to be broken up - misleadingly called the Communications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2009.
Source: SMH
Fri, 12th Mar 2010
Coalition still likes OPEL broadband template
Opposition Communications Minister Tony Smith was again forced to dodge questions on the Coalition's NBN policy, promising a policy outline "in good time."
Source: iTnews Australia
Pipe Networks' shareholders OK TPG sell
Pipe Networks' shareholders have voted to approve a $373 million deal that will see the company acquired by TPG Telecom.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN hearings extended over retail clause
The Senate select committee on the NBN has called for extra public hearings on the $43 billion fibre broadband project.
Source: Australian IT
Filter trial vendor sceptical over Internet clean-feed
Internet filtering won't prevent people deliberately looking for inappropriate material from accessing blocked content, according to security vendor, M86.
Source: ARN