Broadband News
Mon, 12th Oct 2009
ACS calls for more content filtering
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has called for more filters and measures on top of the Government's controversial plans for an ISP filter, stating that it alone will not stop illegal content.
Source: ARN
CCC slams Telstra separation fightback
The Competitive Carriers Coalition (CCC) has slammed Telstra's announcement that it will fight the Federal Government's structural separation legislation.
Source: Computerworld
WiMAX to remain 'niche,' says analyst
Wimax is destined to remain a niche technology, even in emerging markets. That's the judgement of a major analyst firm.
Source: iTWire
Day Five: Film industry monitored Internode, Exetel and Optus
Representatives from the film industry paid investigators to become customers and monitor the IP ranges of ISPs Optus, Internode, iiNet and Exetel for alleged copyright infringements, the Federal Court heard this morning.
Source: iTnews Australia
Gotalk offers 2.8GB via mobile broadband for $10 per month, but...
...there is a catch: you need to be signed up to Gotalk's Xtreme fixed line broadband plan delivering 14GB peak and 36GB off peak downloads.
Source: iTWire
ACS: ISP-filtering could affect Internet speeds and prices
The Federal Government's Internet filtering scheme is likely to impact ISP networks speeds, and ultimately, the cost of Internet access for consumers, a new report from the Australian Computer Society e-security Task Force has found.
Source: Computerworld
Put all TV on NBN
The federal government should work to shift all of Australia's free-to-air and pay-TV networks on to the national broadband network to create a level playing field for all broadcasters.
Source: Australian IT
Telstra rivals urge changes to access
Telecommunications firms are urging the Federal Government to push ahead with changes to trade practices rules forcing Telstra to give its rivals easier access to its network.
Source: The Age
Sun, 11th Oct 2009
Telstra's HFC network should be open access, says ACCAN
The draft Telecoms legislation, now under scrutiny by a Senate enquiry, provides for the divesture of Telstra's HFC network but does nothing to ensure that change of ownership would make what is now a closed network an open access network, says ACCAN.
Source: iTWire
ACCAN lobbies for
ACCAN is proposing an amendment to the telecoms legislation that would be "truly historic for enhancing end-user welfare, both for consumers and business, and in so doing strengthen the development of a networked information economy."
Source: iTWire
AFACT has already notched up a win in copyright case
The film studios and TV stations represented by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) have already notched up a win in their civil case against Internet service provider, iiNet, whichever way you look at it. AFACT has considerable runs on the board regardless of what happens at the outcome of the case, which will run for one more week in Sydney at the Federal Court of Australia, have two weeks off and return for a final two weeks.
Source: Computerworld
Sat, 10th Oct 2009
Q&A with Senator Nick Minchin
South Australian Senator Nick Minchin has the job of representing the Liberal party on all things tech-related. ARN caught up with him to discuss about the importance of the ISP filtering trials, his reluctance to roll-back Labor party changes and his preference for Conroy as Communications Minister.
Source: ARN
Telstra bites back over plans for split
Telstra has savaged the Federal Government's attempt to split it in two, arguing the proposal will reduce competition, harm consumers, destroy shareholder value and make the $43 billion national broadband network more difficult to achieve.
Source: SMH
3 Mobile network crippled by national outage
Hutchison 3's mobile network has been crippled by a major national outage preventing users from making or receiving voice calls and text messages.
Source: iTnews Australia
Video: What does Pipe's new cable mean for consumers?
At Pipe Networks' PPC-1 launch on Thursday iTnews asked Bevan Slattery from Pipe Networks, John Lindsay from Internode, and Michael Mickel from iiNet: What will Pipe Networks' PPC-1 cable mean for broadband subscribers?
Source: iTnews Australia
Some of the top posts on iiNet vs AFACT case
Controversy over the iiNet vs AFACT case has sparked an influx of comments on online articles and forums. The wide range of comments stem from readers' views on whether Internet Service Providers should be liable for copyright infringements. While some comments are insightful and backed by analogies and factual references, others comments are pure entertainment. Below are what we thought are 10 of the best posts in the heated cyber debate.
Source: Computerworld
Fri, 09th Oct 2009
Optus sinks the boot in over Telstra delay proposal
Telstra rival Singtel Optus has taken the opportunity to launch a broadside at the incumbent fixed line carrier over its public submission to the Senate inquiry into regulatory reform, which urges the Senate to delay debate on the National Broadband Network until after the Government's implementation study is complete.
Source: iTWire
No BitTorrent contracts: studios
A group of entertainment companies suing iiNet for copyright infringement in the NSW Federal Court has accused the Perth ISP of trying to turn the trial into a "political forum".
Source: Australian IT
iiNet v AFACT: Court adjourned early, AFACT chief to front court again next week
Day four of the copyright case between film studios, represented by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), ended early due to conflict over the use of confidential documents.
Source: ARN
Telstra reforms will proceed this year: Conroy
The Rudd Government remains committed to having its telecommunications regulations passed this year, despite calls from Telstra to delay debate on the issue until Australia's largest carrier had completed its negotiations with authorities over the proposed changes.
Source: iTWire
Telstra urges Senate to delay NBN debate
Telstra has come out swinging in its submission into the Senate inquiry into regulatory reform, urging the Senate to delay debate on National Broadband Network until after the Government's implementation study is complete.
Source: iTWire
Telstra to fight separation Bill
Telstra said today it will oppose the passage of the government's Bill which would allow it to force separation on the big telecommunications company.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra goes on the offensive against separation moves
Telstra has gone on the offensive and rejected plans to split the organisation up in a submission to the Australian Senate.
Source: ARN
Day Four: Film industry claims BitTorrent contracts terminated
The film industry's lawyers have lambasted ISP iiNet's general counsel for linking several film studios with BitTorrent in the Federal Court yesterday.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiNet CEO Michael Malone to be ISP's first witness
iiNet CEO Michael Malone will be the Internet service provider’s (ISP) first witness in its civil case against the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT).
Source: Computerworld
AFACT had hidden agenda: iiNet
Lawyers representing Perth-ISP iiNet, which is currently fighting a landmark copyright trial against a group of movie and music companies, yesterday argued that the only purpose of the barrage of notifications sent to the ISP was to contrive legal grounds to sue the company.
Source: Australian IT
NBN Tasmania overhead cables 'foolish'
Tasmanians, guinea pigs for the national broadband network, could lose their high-speed internet for days on end because overhead cabling is vulnerable to the state's wild climate, a senate inquiry has heard.
Source: Australian IT
TV networks demand a free broadband ride
Commercial free-to-air television networks are urging the Federal Government to make pay TV companies give them air time on the proposed national broadband network.
Source: SMH
Thu, 08th Oct 2009
PPC-1 delivers more speed than expected
Pipe Networks today launched its PPC-1 cable after a twenty month journey that saw the company threatened by competing carriers.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra struggle to meet separation submission deadline
Telstra has missed a crucial deadline of midnight last night to hand over its submission to a Senate Standing Committee into Senator Stephen Conroy's proposal to split the company into a wholesale and retail arm.
Source: iTnews Australia