Broadband News
Fri, 19th Feb 2010
Internet filter: All eyes on the Liberals
The politics of the internet filter is looking a lot more interesting today than it was just a few weeks ago. Suddenly the Government is under some pressure. More than ever, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy needs a win.
Source: iTWire
Conroy tells Facebook to boost security
Stephen Conroy has demanded social networking giant Facebook detail how it will prevent cyber-vandalism in the wake of the defacing of an online memorial site for 12-year-old school stabbing victim Elliott Fletcher.
Source: Australian IT
Thu, 18th Feb 2010
Tasmania NBN Co goes into sale mode
The Tasmanian arm of NBN Co is approaching access seekers in preparation for the fibre network's July activation, but households will likely need to fork out at least $129 per month to get a 100Mbps service.
Source: ZDNet Australia
We'll have the world's best consumer broadband - says Tassie Government
The Tasmanian Government has released a 10 year digital infrastructure strategy boasting that, thanks to the NBN, it will have "the best fixed consumer broadband in the world," by 2014 but flagging the need for greater investment in mobile and wireless infrastructure, applications, smart grids and other system-wide digital technologies.
Source: iTWire
Wireless trend undermines NBN premise
Given the population's strong love for wireless, is the government's planned $43 billion National Broadband Network burning cash by taking fibre all the way to the home?
Source: ZDNet Australia
Photos: Rolling out fibre in Australia's backbone blackspots
Nextgen Networks has begun laying the first fibre optic backbone link for the National Broadband Network (NBN) in mainland Australia, offering Communications Minister Stephen Conroy a photo op at Mt Isa in remote Queensland.
Source: iTnews Australia
Wed, 17th Feb 2010
Mainland NBN being rolled out
The first fibre optic backbone link for the NBN on mainland Australia has been laid at Mount Isa.
Source: Computerworld
Analysis: Quigley's balancing act
The Federal Government has charged Mike Quigley with building a national network to fix failures in the structure of Australia's telecommunications market.
Source: iTnews Australia
NBN Co preps IT tenders
The National Broadband Network Company will late on Friday afternoon call for submissions from technology vendors interested in supplying the core IT systems for the national roll-out.
Source: iTWire
ISOC-AU says no to ISP filter
The Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU) has voiced its criticism of the Federal Government's mandatory ISP-level content filter, arguing ISPs should have no role in determining what content their customers can access.
Source: Computerworld
Conroy crows about first mainland chunk of National Boondoggle Network
The $43 billion monstrosity that is Australia's already woefully outdated 100Mbps "fibre optic" national broadband network (NBN) has finally had its first piece of mainland infrastructure installed, some 7 long years before the rest of the network is finally due to be completed.
Source: iTWire
Telstra: dual-carrier 42Mbps smartphones "over a year away"
Smartphones built to take advantage of Telstra's twin-channel Next G network won't arrive until at least 2011, says Telstra exec.
Source: APC Magazine
Tue, 16th Feb 2010
NBN to take back seat in lead up to Tasmanian election
Tasmania's political leaders have begun the battle for votes ahead of the State's election on many fronts, but not over the National Broadband Network (NBN) currently being rolled out across the island state.
Source: Computerworld
AAPT's new unlimited broadband - are better deals on the way?
AAPT has set the cat amongst the pigeons with its new offer of a "truly unlimited" broadband offering, promising no caps and no throttling, but instead of unleashing a torrent of competition, the early stance from other ISPs is one of "wait and see". Should consumers do the same?
Source: iTWire
Seven's dream to turn vivid nightmare?
Australia definitely loves its wireless broadband - but as Seven firms up plans to deploy high-speed WiMax wireless services this year under its vividwireless brand, the big question is whether the geographically-limited service can become relevant in an already crowded wireless landscape.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Librarians: Close the books on Internet filtering
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), has joined with Google, Inspire Foundation and Yahoo to express opposition to the mandatory ISP filter.
Source: ARN
MWC 2010: Huawei boasts 600Mbit/s data transfer
Telecoms provider Huawei has claimed a world record for the fastest data transfer in a demonstration of its new LTE-Advanced technology at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Source: PC Authority
Vivid falls short in WiMax coverage
It's been a long time coming. But Australia is about to get its first real taste of widespread WiMax: wireless broadband technology originally designed to replace Wi-Fi. Kerry Stokes's Vividwireless, part of his Seven Network group, will next month launch a mobile WiMax network in Perth that pretty well blankets the city. It will be for data only: laptops and netbooks welcome, mobile phones not.
Source: Australian IT
Mon, 15th Feb 2010
AAPT rivals swear off unlimited market
ISPs including Telstra, Optus and iiNet have stated that they are unlikely to match AAPT's 24/7 unlimited broadband product, believing they already had bundled offers that could effectively compete.
Source: iTnews Australia
Google joins new anti-filter coalition
Search giants Google and Yahoo have joined the Australian Library and Information Association and Inspire Foundation to create a coalition of online interests to lobby against Rudd Government plans to filter the internet.
Source: iTWire
March filter 'protest' canned for picnics
The 6 March street protest planned by anti-filter groups Block the Filter and Stop the Filter has been ditched in favour of more "family friendly" activities, such as picnics.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra boosts real-world Next G data speeds past 8Mbps
A 'dual carrier' upgrade to Telstra's Next G network will use two data channels to double network speed to 42MBs for real-world rates in excess of 8Mbps.
Source: APC Magazine
Telstra Velocity fibre network remains closed shop
A proposal to open Telstra Velocity fibre networks up to other internet service providers appears to have ground to a halt, with customers remaining locked in to Telstra internet services in Smart Community housing estates.
Source: iTnews Australia
Nextgen starts $250m backhaul build in Qld
Mount Isa in Queensland's north will this Wednesday become the starting point for the Federal Government's $250 million backhaul blackspots build.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Tassie eyes fourth subsea internet cable
Tasmania will get a fourth subsea fibre cable crossing Bass Strait within five years, according to an infrastructure blueprint for the island state.
Source: iTnews Australia
AFACT v iiNet: Appeal decision to be known in a fortnight
The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) will take the next two weeks to consider appealing the recent loss of a copyright infringement case against ISP, iiNet.
Source: Computerworld
No cap on broadband downloads
The dream of unlimited broadband downloads is a reality for internet users with the introduction today of Australia's first truly no-limit plan.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
Will nice guy Thodey finish last?
Nobody wants the pugnacious Sol Trujillo back, but is Telstra's charming new CEO David Thodey too much of a soft touch to rescue Telstra from steady decline?
Source: APC Magazine
Sun, 14th Feb 2010
3G wireless broadband moving to 112Mbps
Telstra will be one of the first operators in the world to offer a commercial HSPA data service at 42Mbps maximum downlink bandwidth, but Nokia Siemens is touting the next evolution of the technology offering up to 112Mbps.
Source: iTWire
High-tech bust costs web pirate $1.5m fine
People who download the latest TV shows, films and games are at risk of prosecution as major distributors use new forensic technology to target individuals who illegally file-share on the internet.
Source: SMH