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Broadband boost moves closer
The program manager for the regional black spots program, Michael Ackland, says it will result in cheaper internet and faster speeds. (Getty Images: Thinkstock)
The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a step closer to reality for South Australia’s Riverland, with construction of the backbone cable from Mildura to Adelaide beginning today.
The cable links mobile phone towers and telecommunications exchanges to create a pathway for the NBN.
The program manager for the regional black spots program, Michael Ackland, says it will result in cheaper internet and faster speeds.
“The backbone allows for companies to deploy alternative ADSL2 services. That is by using their own infrastructure and what that will allow for is very different types of services delivered over ADSL2,” he said.
Mr Ackland says once installation is complete, consumers will see major benefits.
“In all capital cities and a number of regional markets where competitive backbone exists, you’ve got very large download caps, they are moving very quickly to unlimited plans and this will give regional consumers the ability to access those plans,” he said.
Brisbane Council cans i3 sewer fibre deal: reports
Report suggests looking for alternative provider.
Brisbane City Council has reportedly dumped plans to deploy fibre optic internet cables in the city’s sewer system.
The council had touted a commercial deal with i3 Group Asia Pacific to deploy the fibre-to-the-home network in July last year. i3 was scheduled to begin the rollout early this year.
But reports by the Brisbane Times, The Courier Mail and City News indicated that the i3 deal had been canned less than seven months after it was first announced.
And a tweet by Brisbane City Councillor for Deagon Ward, Victoria Newton, appeared to confirm the i3 deal was off.
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman was quoted as saying that council would no longer be dealing with i3, as he was reportedly unhappy with their progress on the project.
Analysis: Did NBN Co pay too much for wireless spectrum?
David Havyatt crunches the numbers – and the results aren’t rosy.
There is probably a good reason Senator Conroy avoided mentioning the $120 million price NBN Co paid Austar for wireless spectrum last week in his otherwise laudatory press release.
The simplest of analyses suggests NBN Co has paid way too much for this spectrum.
For those needing a refresher on last week’s news, NBN Co paid $120 million to acquire five year leases on the 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz bands.
Usually, the price paid for spectrum is governed by a price-based allocation (usually an auction) for spectrum licenses. The 900 MHz band originally used for GSM is the major exception.
Every price based allocation has occurred in different economic climates, with different lot structures. A” lot” is a small band of the frequency available for a specific geographic area.
Conroy disputes wireless power over NBN
The Federal Government has dismissed suggestions wireless technology is a threat to the National Broadband Network (NBN) as Telstra plans to boost mobile internet speeds.
The telco giant aims to have 4G long term evolution technology ready in capital cities and some regional areas by the end of the year.
Telstra chief executive David Thodey has said that demand for mobile data is doubling each year as more Australian opt for smartphones, mobile modems and tablets.
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull believes the potential could threaten the viability of the government’s $36 billion NBN and Telstra’s vow to improve its mobile technology also comes only a day after a report commissioned by the Gillard government said wireless technology was a key risk to the NBN business case.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has downplayed this suggestion, and welcomed Telstra’s announcement.
“Far from being a threat to the National Broadband Network, wireless is an important complementary technology to fibre,” Conroy said in a statement.
The Australian Greens defended the government against criticism that it backed the wrong technology.
Queensland data centre selected to host NBN Co software systems
NBN Co, the company set up by the Federal Government to design, build and operate Australia’s wholesale-only, high-speed broadband network, today announced it had contracted Polaris Data Centre in Queensland to host its second data centre.
The data centre will house NBN Co’s IT infrastructure and its operational and business support systems. The value of the contract is approximately $5 million over five years.
Head of Corporate Services, Mr Kevin Brown, said Polaris’ facilities at Springfield, south-west of Brisbane near one of NBN Co’s Second Release Sites, met NBN Co’s existing and longer-term requirements.
“The contract with Polaris follows the announcement late last year of a contract with a Sydney-based data centre operator, Global Switch. The announcement today of a second data centre will provide the resiliency we need. It is also pleasing that Queensland will now host one of our key national investments, joining the Network Operations Centre in Melbourne and the previously- commissioned data centre in Sydney,” Mr Brown said.
Late last year NBN Co also announced a contract with Cisco to provide its IT infrastructure platforms, including those that will support its operational and business support systems.