Broadband News

Mon, 15th Jun 2009

Too much risk in aerial NBN cables: Kelso

Removalists and garbage trucks become enemies of broadband uptime.

Source: iTnews Australia

iiNet wins another round in copyright case

Perth-based ISP iiNet has scored a minor victory in its legal battle with film and TV organisations that are pursuing it for alleged breaches of copyright by not preventing its customers illegally accessing copyright material via its services.

Source: iTWire

Sat, 13th Jun 2009

Media partners leap to Telstra defence

The AFL, NRL and V8 Supercars argue that telecommunications regulation is "sufficient".

Source: iTnews Australia

Aussie Gov't regulatory reform paper branded a sham

While most responses to the Government's discussion paper on regulatory reform have taken it as a bona fide document and attempted to respond to the issues canvassed, telecommunications consultant and commentator, Kevin Morgan, has dismissed it as merely reflecting the views of Telstra's competitors.

Source: iTWire

Fri, 12th Jun 2009

Internet filter ISPs reveal clean-filter technologies

Six of the nine Internet service providers participating in the Government's Content filter trial are using a Marshal8e6 solution.

Source: ARN

Tasmania hurls $12.7m at NBN projects

The Tasmanian Government has allocated $14.7 million to NBN initiatives in its state budget, including establishment of an advisory group to find more opportunities for investment.

Source: iTnews Australia

Massive response to NBN regulatory reform paper

The 127 submissions made to the Federal Government's telecommunications reform paper may be the tip of the iceberg.

Source: iTnews Australia

Revealed: Telstra's regulatory reforms wishlist

Telstra wants an independent telecommunications adjudicator to be set up to resolve equivalence and service-level issues with access seekers.

Source: iTnews Australia

Thu, 11th Jun 2009

Blog: NBN - tackling the questions

Hot on the heals of the release of a new Communications Alliance discussion paper, Phil Dobbie spoke to four industry players to tackle some of the fundamental questions that the industry, and hopefully the government, are asking.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Analysts: Industry needs more info on NBNCo

The Government will need to provide far more information about the proposed structure of NBNCo if it wishes the private sector to vend assets into it, according to a note by Macquarie Equities.

Source: iTnews Australia

Telstra appoints new wholesale chief

Telstra has appointed Paul Geason as Group Managing Director, Telstra Wholesale, effective from June 30.

Source: ZDNet Australia

IBM says NBN should start in the country

Australia should focus its broadband investment outside the main cities to avoid creating a digital divide in IT, IBM says.

Source: Australian IT

ANAO can access secret NBN docs

The Australian National Audits Office has confirmed it can request the National Broadband Network ACCC and expert panel documents being kept under wraps by the government.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Tasmanian budget pumps $14.87m into NBN initiatives

The Tasmanian Government, in its state budget, The Tasmanian Government, in its state budget, has confirmed it will invest $12.7m into Aurora Energy and has announced other initiatives designed to maximise broadband opportunities created by the National Broadband Network (NBN), which will be rolled out first in Tasmania.

Source: iTWire

Minchin calls for release of "secret" NBN letter

Shadow Minister for Communications Nick Minchin has called on the Government to release a confidential letter of advice received from the NBN Expert Panel.

Source: iTnews Australia

Satellite internet needs ground investment to be NBN-ready

The Federal Government is being advised to consider investing in the ground segment of the IPSTAR broadband satellite network to fast-track its suitability for use by the 10 per cent of Aussies to miss out on NBN fibre.

Source: iTnews Australia

ISPs may be stranded by NBN, not just their assets

DSLAM assets stranded by the NBN could be the least of ISP's problems with an Ovum analyst warning of a major shake-up in the transition to a new national network.

Source: iTnews Australia

Wed, 10th Jun 2009

Comms Alliance says NBN industry consensus difficult to achieve

Communications Alliance has issued a second discussion paper on the National Broadband Network that anticipates a number of key definitional aspects of the NBN on which, it says, industry consensus will be difficult to achieve.

Source: iTWire

Basslink set to meet H1 in-service date, just

Basslink expects to complete the Victorian terrestrial component of its network in time to meet its plans to be carrying customer traffic by the end of June.

Source: iTWire

iiNet ups loan funding to $60m, upgrades guidance

iiNet (ASX: IIN), Australia's third largest ISP, has announced the extension of its existing debt finance facility with Westpac for a further three years to June 2012, providing iiNet with increased funding of up to $60m.

Source: iTWire

AFACT "struggling" to make a case: iiNet

ISP iiNet has dismissed claims by the film industry that it is stalling their landmark battle in the Federal Court, accusing AFACT of "struggling to get their case together".

Source: iTnews Australia

IIA cautions against ISP e-security burdens

Measures outlined by Senator Conroy to kick-start development of an e-security code of practice for ISPs are "on the table" but may not make the final cut.

Source: iTnews Australia

Tue, 09th Jun 2009

Canberra acts fast on bush net grant

The federal government has moved swiftly to close loopholes in its bush broadband subsidy scheme that have allowed a satellite company to claim grants for services that do not comply with the program.

Source: Australian IT

Thodey mending fences with ACCC

Telstra's conciliatory tack under new chief executive David Thodey has gathered momentum with the telco's voluntary withdrawal from a looming legal battle with the competition regulator.

Source: Australian IT

Thodey could make $6.8m per year

Telstra's new chief executive David Thodey will receive a fixed annual remuneration of $2 million or $1 million less than his predecessor, compensated by a significant boost to incentive payments that could see him take home up to $6.8 million a year.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Good year for iiNet

Australia's third-biggest internet provider iiNet today said it expected "strong growth" for the 2009 financial year, with expected full-year net profit of $25 million.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Forget FTTP, the NBN is about the apps

The laboratory director of one of Australia's leading ICT research and development organisations has claimed the national broadband network (NBN) is all about the applications, not the fibre.

Source: ARN

Basslink to go live by 30 June

The long-awaited Basslink fibre cable, which will end Telstra's monopoly over the Bass Strait between Tasmania and the mainland, will start carrying customer traffic by 30 June, the cable's operator said today.

Source: ZDNet Australia

Mon, 08th Jun 2009

Telstra split-up key: Optus

The Government's $43 billion NBN will be economically unviable unless Telstra is structurally separated, Optus says.

Source: Australian IT

Striving for mediocrity

If the latest NBN scenario planning is right, David Thodey will have to accept that even an optimal outcome for both Telstra and the government will not deliver dramatic returns for Telstra's one million shareholders.

Source: ZDNet Australia