Broadband News

Mon, 07th Dec 2009

Telstra threatens vividwireless speed claims

Within a month of the birth of Channel Seven's WiMax internet service provider, vividwireless, Telstra had welcomed it with "cease and desist" letters over its use of the term "4G".

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra manager deems separation

Telstra has branded functional separation of its wholesale and retail businesses as "wasteful" and claims it could cost customers up to $1 billion.

Source: ARN

Quickflix readies for NBN with Macquarie Hosting

Listed Australian online movie subscription company, Quickflix has signed a three-year, half-million dollar deal with Macquarie Hosting to host its online portal as the company prepares for what it says is an expected big increase in business with the eventual launch of the NBN.

Source: iTWire

ISPs in 2010 - iiNet

With the revelation of the NBN, the potential break up of Telstra, the AFACT vs iiNet and ISP-level filtering trials, 2009 has shaped up as quite a year for ISPs. What could be in store in 2010? We ask some of the leading internet service providers. In this edition, iiNet's MD Michael Malone.

Source: Computerworld

Telstra: Separation could be a $1bn IT project

Telstra would be forced to break apart the IT systems it implemented during its five-year transformation project at a cost of at least $500 million if it is forced to functionally separate, the telco’s public policy director said today.

Source: iTnews Australia

Internode ready to lose geek image and go mainstream

Adelaide-based Internode may soon doff its propeller hat to the geek image that has helped it prosper in Australia's cutthroat internet game for nearly two decades.

Source: The Australian

NBN Co fires starting gun for network vendors

Federal Government-funded National Broadband Network company (NBN Co) has requested networking equipment vendors provide it a statement of their capabilities in preparation for the build out of a $43 billion fibre-to-the-home (FttH) national network.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN 'a window' to grab market share

The launch of the $43 billion National Broadband Network will give Australian companies a brief window of opportunity to grab market share.

Source: Australian IT

Sun, 06th Dec 2009

NBN and IPv6 Forums to dominate next week

The National Broadband Network (NBN) and the migration to IPv6 will dominate conversations at three conferences this week.

Source: Computerworld

Sat, 05th Dec 2009

NBN Co moves into network acquisition mode

The NBN Co has kicked off the process for acquiring the equipment needed to rollout its FTTH network with a request for capability statements from potential suppliers, confirming that it intends to rollout a GPON network.

Source: iTWire

Fri, 04th Dec 2009

iiNet, Internode, MacTel circling new backhaul links

ISPs iiNet, Internode, Adam and Macquarie Telecom will look to offer services to some or all of the 100 regional towns that will benefit from the Government's $250m backhaul blackspots scheme.

Source: iTnews Australia

NBN blackspots maps

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy reveals maps of 100 regional cities and towns to benefit from six new fibre links to be built by Nextgen Networks.

Source: iTnews Australia

Nextgen wins $250m NBN backhaul project

Nextgen Networks will build all six backhaul links under the Government's $250 million blackspot scheme, connecting 100 regional towns to high-speed broadband in just 18 months

Source: iTnews Australia

World's eyes on Aussie NBN: Conroy

Australia's impending National Broadband Network (NBN) has garnered considerable interest internationally, according to Broadband Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy.

Source: ARN

1000 jobs for regional NBN project

Broadband blackspots in five states and the Northern Territory will be equipped with fast broadband links in a federal government-funded project that will create 1000 jobs.

Source: Australian IT

Nextgen Networks to fill in broadband backhaul blackspots

Leighton Contractors' subsidiary Nextgen Networks has won the Federal Government's tender to provide the optical fibre links for its $250m Regional Backbone Blackspots Programme, and has already signed Nextep as the first ISP to make user of the network.

Source: iTWire

Tide rising on Tasmanian NBN

Tasmania's builder of the National Broadband Network, Aurora Energy, yesterday said it would factor in rising sea levels in its assessment of where to lay fibre along the state's coastline.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Telstra's rivals furious at freeze on access price

The competition watchdog has enraged Telstra's competitors by freezing the prices they pay Telstra for access to millions of home phone lines.

Source: SMH

Minchin hits back at Conroy jibes

Liberal Senator Nick Minchin has hit back at jibes by communications minister Stephen Conroy over the delay of the Telstra separation bill.

Source: Computerworld

NBN central to consumer cloud: NetApp

The National Broadband Network (NBN) will be fundamental to the long term success of consumer cloud computing, and irrelevant for the enterprise cloud in Australia, according to NetApp.

Source: Computerworld

Thu, 03rd Dec 2009

ACCC backtracks on Telstra ULLS pricing

In the face of industry-wide criticism, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reverted to its old pricing schedule and released a discussion paper on how it should value Telstra's network in the future.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Vividwireless to begin testing Perth WiMAX in two weeks

Vividwireless has revealed it will have an operational WiMAX network in Perth that is ready for testing in the next fortnight.

Source: iTnews Australia

Feds to crowdsource ideas for NBN talkfest

The Federal Government plans to use Twitter, Wikis and other live social media technologies to feed suggestions from the general public direct to the stage at its Broadband Forum next week.

Source: iTnews Australia

Conroy opens NICTA's HQ in Sydney

Minister for Broadband Senator Stephen Conroy officially opened the new research laboratory and headquarters of National ICT Australia (NICTA) in Sydney today.

Source: iTnews Australia

Conroy: Minchin's manipulations will hurt consumers

Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy has condemned his former opposite number, Senator Nick Minchin, for forcing the Telstra separation bill to be delayed until February next year, saying consumers will be worse off as a result.

Source: Computerworld

Conroy holds his breath for iiNet v AFACT verdict

The court stoush between iiNet and AFACT may provide the basis for new legislation addressing online copyright issues, Broadband and Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy has revealed.

Source: ARN

Wed, 02nd Dec 2009

Optus chief outlines telco "megatrends"

Optus chief executive, Paul O'Sullivan, has flagged Optus' vision of the "megatrends" that will drive the elecommunications industry. Detailing his view in a speech to the Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA), O'Sullivan said there was an explosion in bandwidth happening across all the major communications technologies.

Source: Computerworld

Amcom: NBN speeds irrelevant to business

Amcom managing director Clive Stein said today that he wasn't concerned about competition from the National Broadband Network (NBN) because 100Mbps was too slow for many of his customers.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Abbott: NBN plans crazier than Whitlam

In his maiden speech yesterday, new leader of the opposition Tony Abbott panned the Labor Government for its National Broadband Network, stating: "Not even Gough Whitlam would be as crazy as that."

Source: ZDNet Australia

Optus CEO: End political bickering over Telstra, speed up NBN

Optus CEO, Paul O’Sullivan, has called on all sides of politics to unite against Telstra and speed up construction of a National Broadband Network.

Source: ARN