Wednesday, February 29, 2012

NBN Co steps closer to three-year rollout plan - Voice & Data - Technology - News - CRN Australia

NBN Co steps closer to three-year rollout plan - Voice & Data - Technology - News - CRN Australia: "NBN Co has moved a step closer to releasing a three-year rollout plan for its broadband network after a key regulatory hurdle was resolved this week.

The company is expected to reveal the rollout plan later by the end of March, pending cabinet approval of Telstra's structural separation and the telco's $11 billion deal with NBN Co.

The plan will be based on detailed information about Telstra’s existing customer access and dark fibre networks, now available to NBN Co as a result of the deal."

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Monday, February 27, 2012

Telstra designs first NBN plans to protect its existing business, analysts say | Adelaide Now

Telstra designs first NBN plans to protect its existing business, analysts say | Adelaide Now: "TELSTRA'S new National Broadband Network plans are bundled with home phone lines at prices designed to protect its old business.

From $49.95 a month - on top of a home phone-line cost - and up to $150 a month for 500 gigabytes at 100 megabits a second, the charges are more expensive than their competitors, analysts say.

South Australia Telstra Country Wide area general manager Mark Bolton said the telco had been trialling the products with about 500 customers in the first five mainland NBN release sites, including 60 in Willunga, for the past six months."

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Brace for big Telstra broadband prices | Information, Gadgets, Mobile Phones News & Reviews | News.com.au

Brace for big Telstra broadband prices | Information, Gadgets, Mobile Phones News & Reviews | News.com.au: "HOUSEHOLDS will be slugged at least $73 a month for Telstra's most basic National Broadband Network plans.
The nation's biggest telco will charge customers $49.95 a month for its slowest and most basic NBN service and at least $22.95 a month to keep their telephone line as part of the deal, even if they don't want it.

The total cost of $72.90 is three times the cheapest wholesale price spruiked by the Federal Government just 14 months ago.

And the NBN offering is even slower than existing $50-a-month plans that run on the pre-NBN technology."

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Telstra unveils NBN pricing - Communications - Insight - ZDNet Australia

Telstra unveils NBN pricing - Communications - Insight - ZDNet Australia: "The company has today announced a number of 24-month bundles for NBN plans with download speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) and 100Mbps. The plans will be available to residents living in the first five mainland release sites of Kiama, Armidale, Townsville, Brunswick and Willunga. Although Telstra does have customers in Tasmania, Telstra will not offer commercial NBN services to those customers until NBN Co upgrades the network-termination devices to the Alcatel-Lucent standard units.

The lowest-end bundle with home phone, Wi-Fi modem and installation costs $80 per month with 5GB of data per month on 25Mbps, while the high-end plan comes in at $150 with 500GB of data per month on the 100Mbps download plan.

Telstra has three varieties of standalone plans, starting at $49.95 per month for 50GB of data per month on the 25Mbps download plan, right up to $89.95 per month for 500GB. For an extra $10 per month, Telstra will upgrade the speed of the plan to 100Mbps."

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Many plans prove shape of competition to come: NBN | The Australian

Many plans prove shape of competition to come: NBN | The Australian: "THE NBN Co has insisted that the $36 billion National Broadband Network is encouraging competition between retail telecommunications providers after Telstra revealed it would charge households at least $50 a month to use the internet on the NBN.

Under the plan, Telstra's new 24-month bundles, which will go on sale tomorrow, range from $80 a month for 5GB of data (at speeds of up to 25Mbps) and unlimited local calls, to $150 a month for 500GB and unlimited local, long-distance and Australian mobile calls."

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

REVEALED: Telstra NBN Pricing $49 + 50GB - Smarthouse

REVEALED: Telstra NBN Pricing $49 + 50GB - Smarthouse: "Finally, Telstra has revealed its NBN pricing which starts at $49 a month - $10 more expensive than rival Optus.

The new Telstra fixed line broadband bundles includes new NBN release sites in NSW, Qld and Victoria were announced today, after months of speculation on the pricing strategy Aussie's biggest telco would pursue, after rivals Internode and Optus, released their pricing last year.

Residents in the NBN's first release sites in Armidale, Kiama Downs, Townsville, Brunswick and Willunga can take up Telstra's new broadband plans with download speeds of 25Mbps or "up to" 100Mbps, depending on the chosen plan, the telco said today. "

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Telstra signs up for NBN fibre-optic superhighway

Telstra signs up for NBN fibre-optic superhighway: "TELSTRA will start selling broadband and telephone retail services on the government's new fibre-optic network after signing a deal with federal government-backed NBN Co over the weekend.

The agreement comes as Telstra waits for the competition watchdog to approve plans to internally separate fixed-line retail and wholesale operations. Once approved, Telstra and NBN Co can finalise a deal which the telco values at $11 billion. A decision is expected as early as this week."

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Companies expect NBN to boost digital economy: survey | Technology Spectator

Companies expect NBN to boost digital economy: survey | Technology Spectator: "Australian companies are keen to participcate in the digital economy and believe the national broadband network will help them to do so according to a new report from telecommunications group Alcatel-Lucent.

In a survey of 275 medium to large businesses, 93 per cent confirmed a belief that their ongoing prosperity is tied to the digital economy, with 75 per cent believing that the NBN will help increase their digital participation."

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

iiNet to continue building copper network

iiNet to continue building copper network: "iiNet will keep expanding it copper-based broadband networks around Australia even though the NBN is under construction and will replace this technology with new fibre-optic cables over the next decade."

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Aussies support NBN by two to one: poll - Communications - News - ZDNet Australia

Aussies support NBN by two to one: poll - Communications - News - ZDNet Australia: "Australians supporting the high-speed National Broadband Network (NBN) exceed opponents by more than two to one, a new survey shows.

The Essential Research survey released on Monday showed 56 per cent of 1042 respondents were in favour of the NBN, up from 54 per cent when the question was previously asked in April 2011."

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Three Melbourne suburbs to get NBN

Three Melbourne suburbs to get NBN: "Melbourne suburbs of Footscray, Keysborough and Karingal will be connected to the government's national broadband network next year, NBN Co announced this morning.

About 25,200 premises in these suburbs will be connected to the new fibre-optic network, which can provide broadband speeds of 100 megabits per second and will be upgraded for faster speeds in years to come."

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Telstra told to cap ADSL prices or risk losing NBN deal

Telstra told to cap ADSL prices or risk losing NBN deal: "UPDATE Telstra has told shareholders the competition watchdog's decision to impose a price cap on wholesale broadband prices is not material to its financial results and it will continue to work towards its deal with NBN Co.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says it will not approve the structural separation undertaking unless Telstra accepts a cap on its wholesale broadband prices. The separation undertaking must win the watchdog's approval for Telstra and NBN Co to complete a deal worth at least $11 billion."

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

ACCC sets price cap for Telstra broadband

ACCC sets price cap for Telstra broadband: "Telstra must accept a cap on wholesale broadband prices before the competition watchdog will let it finalise a lucrative deal with NBN Co, it emerged.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says the proposed cap will lower retail broadband prices and increase competition."

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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Broadband to speed trend of sending service jobs offshore

Broadband to speed trend of sending service jobs offshore: "It began as a trickle last year. There was the odd announcement detailing cutbacks and job losses at companies like CSR and SPC before steelmaker BlueScope announced massive losses, the closure of a major section of its Port Kembla facility and 1000 retrenchments.

Less than six weeks into the new year and the drip, while not quite a deluge, certainly has become far more serious."

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Locals claim NBN contracts skip Australia - Communications - News - ZDNet Australia

Locals claim NBN contracts skip Australia - Communications - News - ZDNet Australia: "NBN Co has been accused of ignoring Australian manufacturers by selecting overseas bidders for its grounds-systems satellite-service tender.

Earlier this week, the company announced that Space Systems/Loral had secured a $620 million contract to develop two Ka-Band satellites for NBN Co for its satellite service, which is due to be launched in 2015. At the time, NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley said that two further tenders around ground systems and launching the satellites will be announced soon, for a total of $1.4 billion."

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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

NBN to help migrants learn English - trial, nbn co, NBN, migration, language, English, education - ARN

NBN to help migrants learn English - trial, nbn co, NBN, migration, language, English, education - ARN: "The Federal Government has launched a virtual English language tuition program trial for migrants powered by the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, and Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, made the announcement on Tuesday."

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Monday, February 6, 2012

Optus launches small business NBN packages - optus, nbn co, national broadband network, broadband - ARN

Optus launches small business NBN packages - optus, nbn co, national broadband network, broadband - ARN: "Optus has released a set of new National Broadband Network (NBN) packages available to small business customers in the first five mainland release sites."

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Thursday, February 2, 2012

Exclusive: NBN Co withholds fibre upgrade price - Telco/ISP - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au

Exclusive: NBN Co withholds fibre upgrade price - Telco/ISP - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au: "NBN Co has refused to reveal the price paid by a Tasmanian resident to receive a fibre connection outside of the planned footprint because the figure could unleash a chain of events that brings the network to a grinding halt.

The "extreme" worst-case scenario is detailed in a freedom of information (FoI) determination issued to iTnews after a three-month investigation."

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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

NBN Co must not dodge ACCC oversight - Liberal Party of Australia

NBN Co must not dodge ACCC oversight - Liberal Party of Australia: "The NBN Co has been granted a statutory monopoly – any retail service provider that wishes to sell fixed line communications services to Australian households or businesses will be compelled to deal with it. So framing the appropriate rules for those dealings is critical, and will have ramifications for years to come.
Given its market power and monopoly status, the onus should be on NBN Co to be transparent, fair and consistent in its dealings with carriers. Before obtaining ACCC approval for its Special Access Undertaking, NBN Co must be required to finalise its Wholesale Broadband Agreement and make all terms, conditions and other commercial arrangements available for scrutiny by the public, the industry and the regulators."

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