Broadband News
Wed, 16th Sep 2009
The NBN is dead - long live the new Telstra powered NBN?
Australia's federal government has come out with an offer that Australia's dominant and supposedly independent telco, Telstra, seemingly cannot refuse: structurally separate the company or the government will do it for you.
Source: iTWire
Expert: No recourse for Telstra in the High Court
With Senator Conroy providing Telstra few options to escape the prospect of separation in one form or another, Telstra's legal department would no doubt be spending the coming days assessing whether the carrier has a case to take to the High Court.
Source: iTnews Australia
Conroy rings in new Telstra era
The Rudd government has given Telstra an ultimatum to split its wholesale and retail businesses or it will be forced to sell key assets and locked out of new broadband and mobile phone opportunities, in the biggest shake-up of the communications sector in a generation.
Source: Australian IT
Tue, 15th Sep 2009
Regulatory reform: Telstra rivals praise Conroy's separation ploy
Telstra's rivals have cracked open the champagne after the Federal Government delivered sweeping changes to the regulation of Australian telecommunications, with market incumbent Telstra being asked to structurally separate or have a form of separation imposed upon it by law.
Source: iTnews Australia
Analysts weigh in on Telstra break-up
Separating Telstra is at the heart of proposed telecommunications industry reforms announced by the Federal Government today. But while the industry was quick to welcome the news, analysts say there is still a long way to go before the restructure can be finalised.
Source: ARN
Optus warns Telstra not to cheat
Optus said that it and the industry would be keeping a sharp eye on any separation plans Telstra put forward to the government.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Shareholder group slams Telstra split
The Australian Shareholders' Association (ASA) today said the Federal Government's planned reforms for Telstra and the telecommunications industry are a "giant kick in the teeth" for shareholders.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra 'disappointed' with separation plans
Telstra chief executive officer, David Thodey, has responded to the Federal Government's proposed regulatory reform package in a media release to the Australian Stock Exchange.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra forced to separate
The Federal Government has delivered sweeping changes to the regulation of Australian telecommunications, with market incumbent Telstra being asked to structurally separate or have a form of separation imposed upon it by law.
Source: iTnews Australia
Reforms announced that could break up Telstra
The Rudd government has announced a package of reforms to telecommunications regulations that will pave the way for a break-up of Telstra.
Source: SMH
Telstra's day of reckoning in NBN legislation
in April as a $43 billion certainty, the national broadband network was at the time little more than a plan for a network, and things are still fluid. The Rudd Government hopes, for example, that the eventual cost comes in well below that worst-case estimate: a number below $30 billion has been lightly pencilled in.
Source: SMH
Telstra rivals resurrect Terria
A posse of Telstra rivals have resurrected the slumbering Terria consortium and put out the call for new members eager to join the fight in ensuring the government's $43 billion national broadband network becomes a reality.
Source: Australian IT
Mon, 14th Sep 2009
TERRiA reunites, calls for a competitive NBN
The chief executives of several Australian telecommunication companies have reunited to call for a "pro-competitive" approach to upgrading Australia's national broadband infrastructure.
Source: iTnews Australia
Telstra counters rivals letter to ACCC chairman
The ACCC has a formal process for accepting commentary on its draft decisions, but the major telcos are bypassing this with direct appeals to the ACCC's chairman, Graeme Samuel.
Source: iTWire
Growth in DSL connections stagnates
More Australians are jumping on board the wireless broadband train, according to statistics released today, while demand for DSL-based connectivity is stagnant.
Source: iTnews Australia
Alcatel exec wins NBN CFO role
NBN Co chief Mike Quigley has announced the appointment of two new executives, including Alcatel Lucent's former chief financial officer.
Source: ZDNet Australia
TASA arises from the ashes of Terria to savage NBN's naysayers
The CEOs of a number of Australia's leading telecommunications companies and ISPs - previously members of the Terria carrier grouping formed to bid for the NBN Mark 1 - have reunited to counter what they say is the large amount of misinformation being reported about the National Broadband Network.
Source: iTWire
Turnbull attacks 'spin and paper' NBN
Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has rubbished the National Broadband Network (NBN) as "nothing more than a press release".
Source: ZDNet Australia
ISPs asked to cut off malware-infected PCs
The Internet Industry Association (IIA) has drafted a new code of conduct that suggests Internet Service Providers (ISPs) contact, and in some cases disconnect, customers that have malware-infected computers.
Source: iTnews Australia
iiNet founder Malone cashes in
Michael Malone, the founder and managing director of telco iiNet, has taken advantage of the company's rising fortunes, fetching $6.6 million in the sale of his own shares.
Source: Australian IT
Dialling up the plan for broadband
Many of the questions surrounding the proposed $43 billion national broadband network could be answered this week.
Source: SMH
Sat, 12th Sep 2009
ISP Q&A: AAPT
The ISP Q&A Series is a look at the opportunities Australian ISPs have for resellers. It also profiles their views on some of the more contentious issues affecting the industry. In the sixth part of this ARN series, AAPT chief operations officer (COO), David Yuile, talks about the wholesale market, his outlook for the industry and why Australia Post doesn't open your mail.
Source: ARN
Fri, 11th Sep 2009
Telcos fuming over Telstra access win
The Australian Competition Tribunals' (ACT) decision to wind back regulated access to Telstra's wholesale network has outraged the telecommunications sector.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Telstra wins under attack
Telstra's competitors have launched an attack on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over a pricing decision they say will cost consumers dearly.
Source: The Age
Blog: NBN: Like giving candy to babies
I have seen the NBN, and it looks a lot like Christina Aguilera. Or, at least, it looked like her when I dropped into Ericsson's Melbourne headquarters recently to see a live demo of their NBN solutions. Yet behind the streaming TV, one question lingers -- and not even the government seems able to answer it.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Faster broadband is the next infrastructure debacle
The national broadband network is shaping up like many recent infrastructure public-private partnerships, such as the Cross City Tunnel and BrisCon, a splendid engineering project with a dubious business case ("Conroy's baby needs to get out of the cradle", September 9). The demand side seems to have been developed by intellectuals and vested interest groups, with no account given to the ultimate consumer demand. No business would invest $43 billion without a rock solid business case.
Source: SMH
Thu, 10th Sep 2009
Coalition tries to limit NBN legislation
The Opposition will try to limit the information the government can demand from telcos and utilities to help it set up its ambitious broadband company.
Source: ZDNet Australia
NBN critic Concept Economics goes bust
Concept Economics, the consultancy that recently estimated the costs of the National Broadband Network outweighed the benefits by up to $20 billion, has gone into administration.
Source: ZDNet Australia
Win for Telstra on wholesale access
Telstra has won a reprieve against the Australian Competition Tribunal after the arbitrator confirmed there was a strong case to rescind regulated access to Telstra's wholesale voice services.
Source: Australian IT
Conroy says website attacks juvenile
Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has described an attack on federal government websites as "juvenile".
Source: Australian IT