Telstra sues NBN Co over AU$11bn deal | ZDNet

Telstra sues NBN Co over AU$11bn deal | ZDNet: "Telstra is taking NBN Co to the New South Wales Supreme Court over claims that the government-owned company has wrongly valued the AU$11 billion deal.

After two years of negotiations, NBN Co and Telstra struck a deal in 2011 that would lease Telstra's pit and ducts infrastructure to NBN Co for the rollout of the fibre-to-the-premises National Broadband Network (NBN) and pay Telstra to shift its customers from the copper network over to the NBN.

Although the agreement was signed by the two companies in mid-2011, Telstra shareholders did not approve the deal until the Annual General Meeting in late 2011."

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NBN's new leader may be in a takeover mood - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

NBN's new leader may be in a takeover mood - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "NBN head honcho Ziggy Switkowski will have to negotiate with the company he used to run for the use of its copper network - and the evidence suggests might be looking to buy it outright, writes Alan Kohler.

The NBN has the potential to significantly transform not only the Australian telecommunications industry, but the social and economic landscape of our country.
Together, we are delivering a nation-building project and we should all be very proud of that.
- Ziggy Switkowski, NBN executive chairman, in a memo to staff yesterday.
Ziggy Switkowski was an interesting choice to take over the NBN. Telstra basically sacked him nine years ago for having too ambitious a growth strategy; his troop-rallying words in the staff memo yesterday suggest that he's not short of ambition for the new telecommunications company that he's now in charge of either."

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NBN Co begins weekly rollout updates | ZDNet

NBN Co begins weekly rollout updates | ZDNet: "NBN Co has begun publishing weekly updates on the status of the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN), revealing that 35,000 premises have been passed by the fibre network since the federal election.

Late last night, the company removed all information about premises that could expect construction to commence in their area in the next three years, instead disclosing information only about areas where construction is already underway and areas that are ready for service.

NBN Co did not comment on the sudden change, but this afternoon announced that it would begin its shift from quarterly updates on the progress of the rollout to weekly updates."

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NBN Co posts annual loss of nearly $1 billion - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

NBN Co posts annual loss of nearly $1 billion - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "The company building the national broadband network has posted a loss of nearly $1 billion for last financial year.

The NBN Co's annual report has just been released, and shows its total loss has grown to $903 million.

The company, which is chaired by former Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski, made revenue of nearly $66 million."

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NBN Co expands NBN to 10,600 premises in Tasmania - Telecompaper

NBN Co expands NBN to 10,600 premises in Tasmania - Telecompaper: "The Australian government company rolling out the National Broadband Network, NBN Co, has switched on the network for an additional 10,600 premises across Tasmania. In Launceston, 4,300 premises can now access the NBN via fibre while some 6,300 premises in rural and remote areas can access the network via 4G fixed-wireless technology. NBN Co says that Tasmania is set to be the first state in Australia to be fully connected to the NBN by the end of 2015."

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NBN Co picks consultants for review

NBN Co picks consultants for review: "NBN Co has selected three consulting firms, Deloitte, KordaMentha and Boston Consulting Group, to help it complete its 60-day strategic review. 

The three firms were selected for different reasons, NBN Co said in a statement on Friday afternoon. The request for consultancy proposals was issued last week.

‘‘Deloitte will provide governance and program management office services to ensure the Strategic Review fits within the parameters and tight deadline for submission set by the Government, KordaMentha will contribute to the analysis of the current NBN operational and financial performance, Boston Consulting Group will participate in the review of the timing, financials and product offers under alternative models for delivering very fast broadband.’’ 

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NBN Co picks 'turnaround experts' for company review | ZDNet

NBN Co picks 'turnaround experts' for company review | ZDNet: "NBN Co has picked three consulting firms to help the company undertake its 60-day strategic review of the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout in light of the change of government.

Despite a claim last month from Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull that consulting firms would not be producing the 60-day review into NBN Co's operations, the company has today announced that Deloitte, KordaMentha, and Boston Consulting Group have been appointed to advise NBN Co through the 60-day review of the company."

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