Paul

Direct to device competition possibilities for Australia

Mobile Communications / By /

In a previous article, I discussed the emergence of direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communications and its transformative potential for Australia. With only around 30% of our landmass currently covered by traditional mobile networks, the opportunity to dramatically expand coverage using satellite technology is nothing short of revolutionary. The Australian Government is now considering legislation that would […]

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Adolescence in the digital age: how phones and social media are shaping a fragile generation

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

I recently watched the four-part Netflix series Adolescence, a raw and unsettling portrayal of teenage life in an era dominated by disconnection, dysfunction — and digital overload. While the series paints an extreme picture, it is a disturbingly recognisable one for anyone paying attention to how social media and smartphones have come to shape the

Adolescence in the digital age: how phones and social media are shaping a fragile generation Read More »

NBN fixed wireless upgrade: a step forward, but will it be enough to challenge Starlink?

Blog, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the renewed attack on the NBN by the Liberal Party. I also pointed out that many of the problems with fixed wireless services stem from the infamous Multi-Technology Mix (MtM) policy implemented by the Liberals when they were in government. Under their watch, a cheap but inadequate policy

NBN fixed wireless upgrade: a step forward, but will it be enough to challenge Starlink? Read More »

The Coalition’s NBN failure: political sabotage and the threat of privatisation continues.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

For over 15 years, I have watched the National Broadband Network (NBN) become one of the most politicised infrastructure projects in Australia’s history. What was supposed to be a game-changing, future-proof national interest project has instead been used as a political football, with disastrous consequences for the country’s digital future. The Liberal Party’s decision to

The Coalition’s NBN failure: political sabotage and the threat of privatisation continues. Read More »

Powering the AI Era: Strengthening the Grid for Data Centres, Telecommunications, and Efficiency

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries at an unprecedented pace, but its rapid adoption comes with a significant challenge: energy consumption. The surge in AI-driven computing is placing immense pressure on power grids worldwide, demanding a fundamental rethink of energy supply, efficiency, and infrastructure planning. Nowhere is this challenge more evident than in data centres—the

Powering the AI Era: Strengthening the Grid for Data Centres, Telecommunications, and Efficiency Read More »

Australia’s Mobile Future: Navigating the Political Risks of Relying on Emerging LEO Satellite Technology

Mobile Communications / By /

The Government’s Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) is an innovative way to enhance mobile coverage across Australia by leveraging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. It is well suited for a country the size of Australia. While this initiative holds promise, it also presents several challenges that require careful policy consideration. Developmental Uncertainties and Political Risks

Australia’s Mobile Future: Navigating the Political Risks of Relying on Emerging LEO Satellite Technology Read More »

Laser Communications:” Illuminating’’ the path to the future of connectivity.

ICT / By /

When I first explored the potential of laser communications in my 2020 article, “Is laser going to be the next telecoms frontier?”, it was clear that this technology held immense promise for the future of telecommunications. At the time, I highlighted the limitations of existing infrastructure, such as the high costs of deploying ubiquitous fibre

Laser Communications:” Illuminating’’ the path to the future of connectivity. Read More »

Government invest $3 billion in the NBN

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The Albanese Government has reiterated its commitment to completing the National Broadband Network (NBN) and keeping NBN Co in public hands. The announcement of a $3 billion equity injection, complemented by NBN Co’s own $800 million contribution, aims to upgrade the remaining fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network. These upgrades will enable access to faster and more reliable

Government invest $3 billion in the NBN Read More »

Energy’s transformative journey: Lessons from telecoms

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

I have been writing about telecommunications since the late 1970s, when videotext—an early precursor to the internet—was introduced. Even then, I recognised it as a game changer, shifting telecommunications from a technology-centric field to one that enabled societal and business applications. Over the years, I predicted many of the changes this shift would bring. While

Energy’s transformative journey: Lessons from telecoms Read More »

DAZN’s acquisition of Foxtel: A new era for Australian sports streaming

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

The recent announcement of DAZN’s acquisition of Foxtel marks a pivotal moment in Australia’s media and sports landscape. DAZN, often referred to as the “Netflix of sports,” is a global over-the-top (OTT) streaming service that has redefined how audiences consume live and on-demand sports content. This deal signals a profound shift in the dynamics of

DAZN’s acquisition of Foxtel: A new era for Australian sports streaming Read More »

Direct-to-Cell Services – A game-changer for rural and emergency services?

ICT / By /

The recent conditional approval granted by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to Starlink for its direct-to-cell (D2C) services is a pivotal step in the evolution of global connectivity. The promise of D2C services is nothing short of transformative: a world where your smartphone can connect directly to satellites for emergency communication, no matter how

Direct-to-Cell Services – A game-changer for rural and emergency services? Read More »

Unlocking the potential of Smart Grids: A path to Neighbourhood Energy Independence

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Back in 2006, I established the Smart Grid Australia Association. Here, we brought together organisations involved in the development of smart energy, working collaboratively to build smarter communities. Our major success was the government’s decision in 2010 to launch a $100 million Smart City Smart Grid pilot in the Newcastle area. Unfortunately, this initiative was

Unlocking the potential of Smart Grids: A path to Neighbourhood Energy Independence Read More »

Vocus-TPG Deal: Reshaping the Future of Australia’s Telecommunications Infrastructure

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT / By /

The recent acquisition by Vocus of TPG’s fibre network infrastructure, along with a substantial submarine cable portfolio, represents a significant shift in Australia’s telecommunications landscape. This move aligns with a global trend in the telecom industry: a transition from traditional vertically integrated models toward specialised, consolidated infrastructure ownership, often overseen by investment-focused entities. Through this

Vocus-TPG Deal: Reshaping the Future of Australia’s Telecommunications Infrastructure Read More »

The Future of NBN – Privatisation in a Changing Market Landscape

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

This week, the government announced its intention to introduce new legislation that would keep the National Broadband Network (NBN) in public hands, reinforcing its election promise. The proposed law, expected to be tabled in federal parliament, aims to prevent any future sale of the NBN, pushing the Coalition to clarify whether it would seek to

The Future of NBN – Privatisation in a Changing Market Landscape Read More »

The Netherlands: Europe’s Digital Powerhouse

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

From Norway I travelled to the country of my birth, the Netherlands (18 million inhabitants in a country half the size of Tasmania). I have followed the Duch market over several decades and I have organised government-led trade mission between our two countries in relation to broadband and smart cities. So, it was with interest

The Netherlands: Europe’s Digital Powerhouse Read More »

Norway’s Leadership in Green Technologies

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

I am currently in Norway and looked for interesting info to share with you. It didn’t take long to realise that Norway is an absolute leader in Green Technologies, so plenty of firsthand information on these developments from this Nordic country. The country has not only met but often exceeded international commitments to reduce emissions,

Norway’s Leadership in Green Technologies Read More »

Norway a leader in Fibre-to-the Home Broadband access

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Hello from Norway where over 70% if households are now connected to Fibre-to-the-Home or Fibre-to-the-Premise networks. I am using the opportunity to provide you with an overview of developments in this northern country with its beautiful fjords and stunning landscape. Everything is digital here, parking, shopping, museums, trains, you name it. No wonder that the

Norway a leader in Fibre-to-the Home Broadband access Read More »

Smaller telcos continue to gain ground in the NBN market.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The June quarter of 2024 has seen smaller telcos making significant strides in the NBN market, according to the latest NBN Wholesale Market Indicators Report released by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The report, prepared by NBN Co, provides a detailed overview of the NBN wholesale market, with a particular focus on residential

Smaller telcos continue to gain ground in the NBN market. Read More »

NBN Co Faces FY24 challenges: Growth in fibre demand amidst ongoing financial struggles

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

NBN Co has faced significant challenges in balancing its financial performance despite making strides in operational efficiency and revenue growth. The company’s financial results for FY24 reveal a complex landscape where increased revenue and reduced operational costs are overshadowed by a substantial net loss. However, NBN Co remains committed to its long-term infrastructure goals, particularly

NBN Co Faces FY24 challenges: Growth in fibre demand amidst ongoing financial struggles Read More »

Telstra’s underlaying problems exposed in its financial results.

ICT / By /

Telstra’s recent financial results have exposed significant underlying challenges within the company, particularly in its enterprise market, which has long been considered a cornerstone of its business. The 13% decline in net profit, down to $1.79 billion, is more than just a financial setback—it’s a clear indication that Telstra is struggling to maintain its competitive

Telstra’s underlaying problems exposed in its financial results. Read More »

Amsterdam: Leading the charge in Digital Sovereignty and Ethical AI

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

When I caught up with my colleague Frans Anton Vermast last week during his visit to Australia, it wasn’t long before the conversation turned to Amsterdam. I have written many articles over the years following the smart city developments of this city. Frans Anton, who frequently represents Amsterdam Smart City at international conferences, has been

Amsterdam: Leading the charge in Digital Sovereignty and Ethical AI Read More »

Exciting developments for Sun Cable’s Australia-Asia Power Link

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Back in 2020, I wrote about the SunCable project with a sense of excitement for its ambitious vision. Now, in 2024, that excitement is renewed as this innovative project reaches a significant milestone. In July, the Northern Territory Government gave the green light for Sun Cable to advance its Australia-Asia Power Link, touted as the

Exciting developments for Sun Cable’s Australia-Asia Power Link Read More »

Australia’s broadband growth lags behind New Zealand in latest OECD rankings

Blog, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The latest broadband statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD )clearly show that Australia is still paying the price for the political footballing around the NBN led by the Coalition during the 2000s. This mismanagement caused a significant delay in progress, and as shown in the statistics we still facing a long

Australia’s broadband growth lags behind New Zealand in latest OECD rankings Read More »

Bridging the connectivity gap: Integrating LEO satellites with mobile networks

Blog, Mobile Communications / By /

Recently I have been interviewed a couple of times regarding mobile blackspots. The questions I received were along the following lines: In our ever-connected world, staying online and in touch is more important than ever. However, many of us still experience frustrating blackspots, limited mobile coverage in rural areas, and capacity problems in densely populated

Bridging the connectivity gap: Integrating LEO satellites with mobile networks Read More »

We’ve known it for 20 years, and now it’s confirmed: fibre offers the best broadband infrastructure.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Sigh…. Twenty years after people like me started to argue for fibre-based broadband infrastructure, and fifteen years after the government decided that fibre was the best technology for 94% of all Australians, we now get confirmation that Fibre to the Premises (FttP) is the best technology. Additionally, some ten years after Independent MP Tony Windsor

We’ve known it for 20 years, and now it’s confirmed: fibre offers the best broadband infrastructure. Read More »

Australia set to become a key hub in the global submarine cable network

ICT / By /

The unveiling of  Subcom‘s comprehensive plans for new submarine cable routes heralds a significant milestone in Australia’s telecommunications landscape. These plans, outlined in marine survey submissions, unveil a grand vision to interconnect the western and eastern coasts of Australia, potentially extending to India. The scale of these ambitions surpasses previous expectations, hinting at a broader

Australia set to become a key hub in the global submarine cable network Read More »

Australian Company Taking a Leadership Role in Drone Protection

ICT / By /

Defense company DroneShield has opened new headquarters in Sydney, tripling its sovereign defense R&D and manufacturing capacity to $400 million. The new site in Pyrmont follows DroneShield’s recent $115 million capital raise, which it will use to scale operations. The headquarters will include facilities for DroneShield’s 120 local staff and a dedicated floor for high-tech

Australian Company Taking a Leadership Role in Drone Protection Read More »

New satellite operators put pressure on incumbent telcos

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The burgeoning growth of SpaceX’s Starlink service is creating substantial challenges for telecommunications companies. This discussion will cover the impact on the NBN and Telstra in Australia and, more broadly, the issues faced by the South Pacific Islands, as recently discussed at the Australasia Satellite Forum organised by Communication Daily in Sydney. Starlink’s influence now

New satellite operators put pressure on incumbent telcos Read More »

Trends in the residential broadband market

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The NBN Wholesale Market Indicators Report, prepared quarterly for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) by NBN Co, offers a comprehensive overview of the NBN wholesale market. This report, focusing on residential broadband access services, highlights the latest trends and key statistics in the market for the March quarter of 2024. Telstra’s market share

Trends in the residential broadband market Read More »

Brisbane home of the World’s First Utility-Scale Commercial Quantum Computer

ICT / By /

In a groundbreaking move set to reshape the global technological landscape, the Australian and Queensland governments have committed $940 million investment into PsiQuantum, a US-based tech firm founded by two Australians also has a base in Brisbane. This investment marks a pivotal step towards constructing the world’s first utility-scale quantum computer, which will be located

Brisbane home of the World’s First Utility-Scale Commercial Quantum Computer Read More »

More than 5 billion social media users – 62% of global population.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

The latest Digital 2024 report, a collaborative effort between media intelligence provider Meltwater and creative agency We Are Social, unveils a wealth of data and insights shedding light on the current state of the digital realm. One of the most striking revelations from Digital 2024 is the surpassing of the 5 billion mark in active

More than 5 billion social media users – 62% of global population. Read More »

Digital Twins are getting a real boost from AI

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

The symbiotic relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins is poised to reshape urban management paradigms, leveraging innovative research and interdisciplinary collaborations. This article, inspired by Dr.Frederico Fialho Teixeira’s enlightening presentation at the University of Queensland, delves deeper into the transformative potential of Digital Twins enhanced by AI across various domains, particularly in the

Digital Twins are getting a real boost from AI Read More »

Deloitte’s technology prediction for 2024 – broadband speeds stabilising

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, media, and telecom (TMT), the Australian market stands poised for significant transformation in 2024. With forecasts pointing towards substantial growth and innovation across various sectors, Deloitte’s TMT Predictions 2024 offers a comprehensive outlook on the trends shaping Australia’s digital future. Broadband speeds levelling off. Deloitte predicts a stabilisation in

Deloitte’s technology prediction for 2024 – broadband speeds stabilising Read More »

Australians lost a record-breaking $3.1 billion to scams last year – an 80% increase. Their lives are being ruined.

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT / By /

According to Scamwatch, Sarah from Sydney knows the devastation firsthand. She lost her life savings in a romance scam. The true cost of scams extends far beyond the financial toll – they shatter trust, devastate families, and can even lead to tragedy. As scammers relentlessly target Australians with increasingly sophisticated tactics, we need to urgently

Australians lost a record-breaking $3.1 billion to scams last year – an 80% increase. Their lives are being ruined. Read More »

Latest developments in the Australian telecommunications industry

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

It’s been a busy and interesting couple of weeks for the Australian telecoms industry, with all major players presenting results and updates about their businesses. Looking over a 30-year period of competition in the telecoms industry, the big picture remains largely the same. Telstra continues to be the dominant player (over 60% market share), followed

Latest developments in the Australian telecommunications industry Read More »

AI opening new business models such as Platform-as-a-Service.

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT / By /

Looking at telecommunication companies (telcos) as an example they have historically thrived on vertical integration, yielding substantial profits. However, their reluctance to transition into platform-based models has resulted in missed opportunities in the realms of the internet and, more critically, digital media. The prevailing culture within telcos still tends to favour vertically integrated solutions, even

AI opening new business models such as Platform-as-a-Service. Read More »

NBN bombshell announcement: Finally, high-speed, affordable broadband.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

NBN Co’s groundbreaking plan to boost broadband speeds across Australia is finally delivering the first-class broadband service that Australia as a modern society needs. The announcement has captured the attention of millions, promising to make its most popular plan five times faster without any additional charges. This initiative, aimed at meeting the escalating demand for

NBN bombshell announcement: Finally, high-speed, affordable broadband. Read More »

Another day, another Foxtel service

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

The Foxtel Group has launched yet another service, this one based on the so-called Hubbl. This is a small set-top box, a streaming entertainment device designed to simplify the user experience for live TV, free-to-air channels, and subscription-based streaming services. Similar devices include: Apple TV, Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick These are Internet-connected devices

Another day, another Foxtel service Read More »

NBN is making progress but still paying for previous political footballing.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Following my article from last week and your reactions to it, I think it is important to say a few words before delving into another ‘glowing’ nbn story from the company itself, obviously with a bit of spinning that you can expect from large corporations. What we are witnessing now, both regarding the growth of

NBN is making progress but still paying for previous political footballing. Read More »

The economic and social Impacts of enhanced NBN connectivity

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In recent years, Australia has witnessed a profound transformation in its digital landscape, propelled by the accelerated rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN). New economic research conducted by Accenture commissioned by NBN Co sheds light on the substantial benefits of a faster and more robust NBN network, with implications spanning economic growth, workforce demographics,

The economic and social Impacts of enhanced NBN connectivity Read More »

Global 5G market advanced to 1.6 billion users.

Mobile Communications / By /

For literally decades, I have been relying on the annual statistical reports on the global telecommunications market published by telecommunications giant Ericsson. The reports from the 1980s and 1990s primarily focused on telephone statistics, and over time, they expanded to include broadband and mobile data. However, due to the privatisation of telecommunication services, not all

Global 5G market advanced to 1.6 billion users. Read More »

More fibre connections but users stick to lower speeds.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The government’s initiative to enhance the National Broadband Network (NBN) has expanded eligibility for full-fibre broadband upgrades to over 3 million Australians. An additional 400,000 homes and businesses are set to benefit from this plan, as the latest list of eligible suburbs and towns has been unveiled. These newly eligible premises were previously serviced by

More fibre connections but users stick to lower speeds. Read More »

Unlocking Grid Flexibility and harnessing Distributed Energy Resources for a Sustainable Energy Future.

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

My earlier two articles (here and here) on the symbiosis between energy and IT (telecoms, AI, data centres) triggered a discussion with my American colleagues on ‘Grid flexibility and Distributed Energy Resources’. They mentioned the interesting developments in the USA  shaped by ambitious net zero goals set at the State levels and an unprecedented  US$40

Unlocking Grid Flexibility and harnessing Distributed Energy Resources for a Sustainable Energy Future. Read More »

Review of Australia’s Digital Evolution in 2023

Digital Media Apps & Services, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Australia’s digital landscape has undergone significant transformations in 2023, as outlined in recent reports from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). They key findings concentrate on three critical perspectives: the state of Australian telecom infrastructure, internet usage patterns, and the dynamic trends in digital communication. ACMA’s series of research reports culminating in 2023 unveiled

Review of Australia’s Digital Evolution in 2023 Read More »

Analysis of NBN fixed-lines services in urban and regional Australia

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The latest update of the ACCC report “Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) “ delves into the broadband performance of NBN fixed-line connections in both urban and regional Australia, with a focus on the program’s insights gathered in September 2023. While the report primarily scrutinises fixed-line connections, it acknowledges the prevalence of fixed wireless and satellite connections

Analysis of NBN fixed-lines services in urban and regional Australia Read More »

Australian households and the affordability of telecommunications

ICT / By /

A  study published by the Bureau of Communications,. Arts and Regional Research delves into the realm of telecommunications spending among Australian households, utilising data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The primary objective is to pinpoint vulnerable households that face a heightened risk of digital exclusion, enhancing the understanding of

Australian households and the affordability of telecommunications Read More »

Australia’s low ranking in broadband and cloud computing

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The digital landscape has undergone a profound transformation in recent years, with the global broadband and cloud computing markets emerging as key pillars of the digital economy. Their combined worth exceeds an astounding $656 billion, but the real impact extends far beyond this impressive figure. Broadband and cloud computing are instrumental in shaping the future

Australia’s low ranking in broadband and cloud computing Read More »

Optus’s handling of the outage has left many with a bad taste in their mouths.

ICT / By /

On the day of the Optus Network Outage, I wrote an article with my initial assessment. I fine-tuned it in the following week and also used it for my submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Optus Network Outage. The outage on Wednesday, 8 November, sent shockwaves across the nation, prompting a deep dive into

Optus’s handling of the outage has left many with a bad taste in their mouths. Read More »

Submission to the Optus Network Outage Senate Inquiry

ICT / By /

Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications Parliament House Canberra Brisbane 16 November 2023 Submission Optus Network Outage – General Analysis of the Optus Network Outage Incident I have been closely monitoring the developments of the Optus network outage since the early hours of Wednesday, 8 November. In response to this incident, I

Submission to the Optus Network Outage Senate Inquiry Read More »

Predicted NBN prices increases are now a reality.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

As foreshadowed in my previous articles the new National Broadband Network (NBN) wholesale agreements as have been under discussion for many years were approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Under that agreement the NBN company is now able to increase it prices for its lower tier products, while at the same time

Predicted NBN prices increases are now a reality. Read More »

Optus outage: We can’t afford to have a single point of failure in our telecoms system.

ICT / By /

Addressing Telecom System Vulnerabilities to Prevent Widespread Outages The recent Optus outage cannot be considered a ‘rare occasion.’ Over the last few years, we have witnessed several major outages across the telecoms networks, making it imperative for us to prepare ourselves for such events. Today, over 99% of telecoms traffic comprises data. Virtually every organisation

Optus outage: We can’t afford to have a single point of failure in our telecoms system. Read More »

Akamai’s latest report reveals disturbing trends in ransomware landscape.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

In an increasingly digital world, cyber threats are evolving at an alarming pace. Akamai Technologies, a prominent player in cybersecurity and content delivery services, has just released its latest State of the Internet (SOTI) Report,, titled “Ransomware on the Move: Exploitation Techniques and the Active Pursuit of Zero-Days.” This research delves deep into the world

Akamai’s latest report reveals disturbing trends in ransomware landscape. Read More »

New NBN pricing challenges and opportunities

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

After nearly three years of reporting on the troubled pricing policies of NBN Co,  the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has finally given its approval to a revised Special Access Undertaking (SAU) for the National Broadband Network (NBN). This decision ushers in a new era of NBN pricing and service standards. While the changes

New NBN pricing challenges and opportunities Read More »

Australians have massively adopted the digital payment systems.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

The Government recently  announced that the Australia’s payments system is set to undergo a radical transformation. One of the key changes in the plan is the phasing out of cheque payments. Cheques will be gradually wound down by 2030, with the removal of legislation and other requirements that currently support its use. The use of

Australians have massively adopted the digital payment systems. Read More »

Lost decade of electricity policies could lead to shortage of electricity.

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Back in 2001 I launched the UtiliTel Project. This was before there were plans for the NBN. The electricity utility companies were looking at using their infrastructure to start building fibre optic networks. They established several companies around the country dedicated to the development of telecoms networks. However, by 2006, the focus from the utility

Lost decade of electricity policies could lead to shortage of electricity. Read More »

Ongoing obstacles to good quality, affordable broadband in remote Australia

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In recent communications with two esteemed colleagues, there has been a discussion on the potential for community-owned mobile networks to bridge the connectivity gap in remote areas, particularly in Australia. The central theme of these conversations revolves around the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of establishing such networks and the legal and licensing challenges that currently hinder

Ongoing obstacles to good quality, affordable broadband in remote Australia Read More »

Optimising data centres: A quest for sustainable and secure infrastructure

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

In the digital age, where information and connectivity are paramount, the demand for data storage and processing is surging to unprecedented heights. As people and businesses increasingly rely on the internet, the need for efficient data centres has become more critical than ever. One of the negative outcomes of Australia’s lost decade in energy preparation

Optimising data centres: A quest for sustainable and secure infrastructure Read More »

NBN gets finally upgraded but will services be affordable.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Last week NBN Co revealed its 2024 corporate plan, outlining its strategies to enhance its network capabilities and improve user experiences across Australia. While it provided valuable insights into NBN Co’s network upgrade initiatives and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts, they question remain as we have mentioned before, will the network be affordable. It

NBN gets finally upgraded but will services be affordable. Read More »

Will the new NBN proposal lead to better and more affordable broadband options?

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In a significant development for Australia’s broadband landscape, NBN Co and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have reengaged in negotiations, following NBN Co’s submission of an amended Special Access Undertaking (SAU) Variation. This new proposal finally reflects a paradigm shift in wholesale pricing, aiming to bolster internet speeds, accommodate surging data demands, and

Will the new NBN proposal lead to better and more affordable broadband options? Read More »

Macquarie Infrastructure – Vocus Eyeing TPG’s Infrastructure Assets

ICT / By /

In the past, we have explored the changing trends in the Australian digital infrastructure market, emphasising its growing significance in data centres, cloud computing, and data analytics, while also addressing climate change and supporting various industries. The recent restructuring of Telstra into three separate companies, with a focus on infrastructure, provided clear indicators of the

Macquarie Infrastructure – Vocus Eyeing TPG’s Infrastructure Assets Read More »

Telstra’s Ongoing Transformation: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities

ICT / By /

Telstra has once again made headlines with its announcement of a significant workforce reduction. The company revealed plans to cut approximately 500 jobs as part of its cost-cutting initiative, marking the first major round of redundancies under the leadership of CEO Vicki Brady. These measures are aligned with Telstra’s T25 strategy, aimed at streamlining operations,

Telstra’s Ongoing Transformation: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities Read More »

Blockchain in the Power Industry: another Energy Revolution

Digital Media Apps & Services, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

As we all know it,  because of the rising costs of energy, the power industry is one of the most important sectors in the economy. It is responsible for providing electricity to homes, businesses, and other critical infrastructure. However, the power industry is also facing a number of challenges, including rising demand, aging infrastructure, and

Blockchain in the Power Industry: another Energy Revolution Read More »

NBN Co fails to improve service conditions.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

As part of the ACCC industry consultation process, Telstra and Optus have again complained about NBN Co lack of service quality improvements in the wholesale broadband agreement (WBA). NBN Co has rejected all proposed improvements by Telstra and Optus, leading retail service providers (RSPs) to call for intervention by regulators and the government to raise

NBN Co fails to improve service conditions. Read More »

LEOs are going to shake up the Australian telecoms market.

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

LEOs are going to shake up the Australian telecoms market. As we have foreshadowed before  Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Systems such as StarLink – but increasingly also others –  are going to have a serious impact on the overall telecommunications landscape in Australia, especially in the regional and remote parts of the country. So,

LEOs are going to shake up the Australian telecoms market. Read More »

The “Beyond 5G/6G Era”: A New Era of 7G Wireless Communication

Digital Media Apps & Services, Mobile Communications / By /

The “Beyond 5G/6G Era”: A New Era of 7G Wireless Communication The recent G7 Summit in Hiroshima witnessed an intriguing development in the telecoms industry as Japan proposed collaboration on technologies that lie on the horizon—what the Japanese have called  “Beyond 5G/6G era.” While the current 5G cellular network is still in its nascent stages,

The “Beyond 5G/6G Era”: A New Era of 7G Wireless Communication Read More »

Different industry tunes on the sharing of telecoms infrastructure

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

Different industry tunes on the sharing of telecoms infrastructure. The Australian telecommunications industry has long been a source of contention between regulators, operators, and consumers. In recent years, the focus has been on increasing competition and improving coverage, especially in regional areas. Two recent speeches from industry leaders have highlighted the need for collaboration and

Different industry tunes on the sharing of telecoms infrastructure Read More »

The ongoing sage of NBN’s price and conditions rejections.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been working with the government, the National Broadband Network (NBN) Co, and retail service providers (RSPs) to establish price and service standards that will govern the NBN’s operation; known as Special Access Undertaking – SAUs). The current process has been ongoing since early 2021, with the latest

The ongoing sage of NBN’s price and conditions rejections. Read More »

Smart Cities vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Digital Media Apps & Services, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has issued a new set of guidelines warning about the security risks posed by the use of 5G technology in so-called Smart Cities. The ASD’s concerns align with those of the Five Eyes security alliance, which has warned that the interconnected nature of a fully connected city makes it vulnerable

Smart Cities vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Read More »

Using AI for the good is very rewarding but keep an eye on the baddies.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

I use chatGPT now almost daily for my research. Basically background information that is not available through Wikipedia, Google, or other research facilities.  The service only provides info that was available before 2021, so it is not at all useful for more recent developments. So in my case I am looking for what often is

Using AI for the good is very rewarding but keep an eye on the baddies. Read More »

Terahertz spectrum opening up the way for 6G

Mobile Communications / By /

ACMA recently published a paper titled: Terahertz use-cases and regulatory models information paper. The terahertz spectrum refers to frequencies in the range 100-400GHz, but the more practical range will be between 100-275GHz. This part of the electromagnetic spectrum lies between the microwave and infrared regions and has unique properties that make it attractive for various

Terahertz spectrum opening up the way for 6G Read More »

NBN Co faces consequences of wrong political infrastructure decisions.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The NBN company announced that it will have to lay-off 500 people in order to lower their costs as they are facing increased competitive pressure from the other players in the market. It looks to me that this means that NBN Co forced to realise that by following the political winds and going ahead with

NBN Co faces consequences of wrong political infrastructure decisions. Read More »

First half year 2022/2023 progress report from the NBN Company

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In February 2023 NBN Co released its first half-yearly result to December 2022. I will be looking behind the self-congratulations that took place. However, for the statistics, it has reported total revenue of $2.6 billion — a 4% increase on H1 FY22. None of that is unexpected; as the roll-out keeps going, new premises are

First half year 2022/2023 progress report from the NBN Company Read More »

Growth in broadband demand is set to slow with fewer innovations hitting the market

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

There is an argument going on between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and NBN Co in relation to the broadband requirements of Australian consumers. ACCC research indicates that by 2028, the median household speed requirement will be only 29 Mbps and 95% of households will not require speeds of 58 Mbps or more. 

Growth in broadband demand is set to slow with fewer innovations hitting the market Read More »

NBN back to where it stared a project for the good of the nation

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

While there is still a lot that needs fixing, going into the new year, the basis for the NBN is back on a much better foundation. Just before the end of last year, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland released an extensive Statement of Expectations for NBN Co. This basically brings the NBN policy back to its

NBN back to where it stared a project for the good of the nation Read More »

Blocked Telstra – TPG merger will lead to an overhaul of Australian telecoms regulations

ICT / By /

As I had foreshadowed in previous opinion pieces on the Telstra – TPG merger, it was expected that the ACCC would block this. It was very obvious from the beginning that the merger was contra to the regulatory strategy that has been in place in Australia for over three decades. In my opinion Telstra played

Blocked Telstra – TPG merger will lead to an overhaul of Australian telecoms regulations Read More »

Better prices and services needed for NBN Co to stay competitive.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Recently I covered the Special Access Undertaking Variation that NBN Co presented to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The major news here was that this resulted in a $30 billion write-down of the losses that the NBN occurred during the rollout of its infrastructure. However, interestingly, its submission also included supporting documentation to

Better prices and services needed for NBN Co to stay competitive. Read More »

Better NBN deals and better mobile competition

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Australia’s oldest telecommunications society, TelSoc, organised a very interesting forum discussion with Anna Brakey, a commissioner and chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)’s communications committee and the most senior person in the ACCC in charge of telecommunications. In her presentation, Ms Brakey covered a variety of issues such as competition, the NBN,

Better NBN deals and better mobile competition Read More »

Tele-Energy Technology

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

TELE-ENERGY, or more accurately wireless power transfer, is a generic term for a number of different technologies for transmitting energy by means of electromagnetic fields. Wikipedia describes it as follows: ‘A transmitter device, driven by electric power from a power source, generates a time-varying electromagnetic field, which transmits power across space to a receiver device,

Tele-Energy Technology Read More »

Video-on-Demand services are suffering from the economic downturn

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

Kanter’s  recent Entertainment on Demand data on the Australian streaming market reveals that between July to September 2022, the number of Video on Demand (VoD)-enabled households that subscribed to at least one video streaming service fell by nearly 180,000, with over one million services cancelled. Furthermore, this third quarter of 2022 saw the largest drop

Video-on-Demand services are suffering from the economic downturn Read More »

Andy Penn says sorry about not speaking out earlier against the NBN

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

I did feel a bit of vindication when I read in the Weekend Australian the interview with outgoing Telstra CEO Andy Penn titled: ‘After the storm, Andy Penn ponders his legacy.’ A key point of regret was that he had not been more forthcoming with his criticism of the NBN as it developed during its

Andy Penn says sorry about not speaking out earlier against the NBN Read More »

LunaNet – developing the internet for the Moon.

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

The NASA-sponsored Artemis program is the first step in the next era of human exploration. Together with a large number of international government and academic partners as well as businesses – and based on international standards – NASA will establish a sustainable presence on the Moon. The aims of the programme are: demonstrate new technologies,

LunaNet – developing the internet for the Moon. Read More »

NBN Co wants the regulator to limit competition between NBN and mobile operators

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

It was interesting to note that NBN Co used its submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding the proposed mobile infrastructure sharing arrangement between Telstra and TPG Telecom to ask the regulator for more protection against mobile competition. Under the ten-year Telstra-TPG regional Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) commercial agreement, TPG customers will

NBN Co wants the regulator to limit competition between NBN and mobile operators Read More »

Free NBN or discounted with Commonwealth Bank services.

Digital Media Apps & Services, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Back in the late 1990s and early ’00s when I discussed my vision on how broadband would develop, I mentioned that organisations would start offering free broadband access, linked to the core services of their organisation. The reason is that it would either be more cost-effective for those organisations if customers use the digital service.

Free NBN or discounted with Commonwealth Bank services. Read More »

Competition struggling, NBN not delivering

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The latest Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) ‘NBN Wholesale Market Indicators Report’ shows the top three telcos (Telstra, TPG and Optus) have suffered a slight loss in customers, while smaller internet retailers have increased their customer numbers. Each one of them lost 0.3% market share and the new standings are now: Telstra 43.7%, TPG

Competition struggling, NBN not delivering Read More »

Labor Government must now intervene in the NBN to make high-speed broadband more affordable

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

We have covered the government and opposition plans for the NBN in the past, but there is a commitment from the new Government to extend fibre deeper into the market. However, the real problem is the high costs of the NBN. This makes the wholesale prices higher and therefore also the retail price. As I

Labor Government must now intervene in the NBN to make high-speed broadband more affordable Read More »

Telstra buys into Fetch TV – will this shake-up the videostreaming market?

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT / By /

Like so many telcos around the world, Telstra has been floundering through the video streaming market over the last few decades. It will be interesting to see if its acquisition of a 51% stake in the content aggregation company Fetch TV for $50 million will herald a new beginning. For the last 25 years plus,

Telstra buys into Fetch TV – will this shake-up the videostreaming market? Read More »

Dutch solar foil to turn Australia into a major hydrogen exporter

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

One of my Dutch colleagues, Vincent Dekker, has specialised himself over the years in sustainable energy matters and with his interest in smart technologies, I have been following his articles with interest.  His articles appear on the website of the Dutch newspaper, Trouw. Of course, when he included Australia in one of his articles, I

Dutch solar foil to turn Australia into a major hydrogen exporter Read More »

Telstra’s new CEO Vicki Brady – well positioned to face the challenges.

ICT / By /

There were no indications that Andy Penn would retire as CEO of Telstra, but obviously, internally they have been working on this for some time. Telstra is really good at organising smooth internal CEO successions. It has an excellent pool of talented C-level people and there is no longer the ego element that, for example,

Telstra’s new CEO Vicki Brady – well positioned to face the challenges. Read More »

The battles in the online video game streaming market are heating up

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

In a previous article  I reported on the problems that Facebook (Meta) is facing — currently betting the house on its Meta service, based on a software platform that will create a virtual reality (VR) networked environment. I mentioned that I was critical about this business model and that I don’t see, at least for

The battles in the online video game streaming market are heating up Read More »

NBN Co’s financial worries are still not over

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In the running up to the company’s six-month financial announcement, NBN Co indicated that it would start in April rolling out its latest rebate campaigns — under the themes “Step Up” and “Light Up”. They aim to attract new connections and migrate existing users from low to mid-level speeds. The offers are again only temporary

NBN Co’s financial worries are still not over Read More »

Australian farms get connected to the Starlink satellites

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Last year, I reported on the possibility that LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite-based systems might be a gamechanger for the delivery of high-speed data services, including internet access, to people in regional and remote Australia. What has become clear with the rollout of the NBN is that the quality of data connections in metropolitan cities

Australian farms get connected to the Starlink satellites Read More »

My telecoms and digital economy predictions for 2020

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Of course, let me begin by wishing you a good start to the new year. It will be an interesting year in many aspects and it remains a year of high levels of uncertainty, so it is important to stay flexible. As always, the year will provide many “wow” moments in relation to technology, but

My telecoms and digital economy predictions for 2020 Read More »

Regional telecommunications services are simply not good enough

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

For decades, we have been arguing about poor telecommunications for people that are living in regional Australia and in many cases, this includes the fringes of the metropolitan cities as well. Let’s first discuss the broadband network before we address the mobile networks. This issue started to become more prevalent in the mid-to-late 1990s when

Regional telecommunications services are simply not good enough Read More »

Labor’s NBN plan full fibre NBN will reach 8 million households

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

It seems Labor has bitten the bullet and decided that to have an overall better quality NBN, more money is needed to upgrade the Fibre-to-the-Node (FttN) to full-fibre. While the Government has indicated that the next stage of the NBN needs to be financed by NBN Co through private debt, Labor believes that this will

Labor’s NBN plan full fibre NBN will reach 8 million households Read More »

Cirque de Solei explores the new options of VR and holoportation.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

A few weeks ago, I talked about Facebook’s Metaverse and the issues that I have with this service, in a regulatory vacuum. I hope we have learned our lessons with the current way social media have developed and that we are making sure we are not going to use new developments in these media purely

Cirque de Solei explores the new options of VR and holoportation. Read More »

Interplanetary Internet

ICT / By /

We had a very interesting presentation and discussion regarding the topic of interplanetary internet with my international colleagues of which Vint Cerf – one of the “fathers of the internet” – is also a member. As a partner of the Interplanetary Networking Special Interest Group (IPNSIG), he took us on a journey that he has

Interplanetary Internet Read More »

Zuckerberg’s Metaverse hype, reality or does it just suck.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

Facebook’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg launched his metaverse vision for Facebook beyond it being a social media outlet. He envisages an augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) internet in which we all can immerse and do things basically as virtual beings. In his vision, we will all soon be wearing VR goggles and

Zuckerberg’s Metaverse hype, reality or does it just suck. Read More »

How AI and a systems approach can be used to better understand our world

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

In 2002, computer scientist, physicist and businessman Stephen Wolfram published his book, A New Kind of Science. Rather than looking at mathematics as the solution to unravel the mysteries of the world and the universe, Wolfram looked at how systems work and concluded that they do follow certain patterns to eventually create a particular outcome.

How AI and a systems approach can be used to better understand our world Read More »

C-V2X standard for autonomous vehicle services

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Around 20 years ago, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in the USA allocated 75 MHz (5.85-5.925 GHz) to Intelligent Transportation Systems. This led to the dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) standard, 802.11p, which is a tweak of 802.11a. Approximately zero cars adopted it. There were demo projects and some roadside units were built, but it never

C-V2X standard for autonomous vehicle services Read More »

Government want NBN Co to focus on the money.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Rather conveniently, NBN Co has removed all forward financial projections beyond the next 12 months in its Corporate Plan for 2022, released last week. As I also mentioned when the Government released its financial results a few weeks ago, understanding how the company is really performing remains rather murky. The new corporate plan only adds

Government want NBN Co to focus on the money. Read More »

Vale Professor Reg Coutts

ICT / By /

By Ben Grubb in InnovationAus In 2008, Professor Coutts was appointed by then-communications minister Stephen Conroy as one of six members of a panel of experts to assess proposals to build the NBN and to advise the government on the awarding of a $4.7 billion contract to part-fund its construction. The panel eventually rejected all

Vale Professor Reg Coutts Read More »

NBN hits a financial target that has been revised downwards several times

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In August, NBN Co announced its financial results for the financial year ending 30 June 2021. It showed that it had activated 8.2 million customers. Interestingly they mentioned that this was on target — returning $4.6 billion of revenues and an improved net loss of $3.8 billion. But as I have also mentioned in previous

NBN hits a financial target that has been revised downwards several times Read More »

Back to the future with FttH and finally mobile roaming is on the cards.

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In a surprise move, the Commonwealth Bank took a 25% stake in two of the NBN Retail Service Providers (RSPs): More Telecom and Tangerine. As electronic banking is growing exponentially, the bank wants to become more involved in the telecoms market which is key in providing access to such services. As Australia has one of

Back to the future with FttH and finally mobile roaming is on the cards. Read More »

Will 5G be a game changer or simply a 4G upgrade.

Mobile Communications / By /

We have covered several articles about the potential of 5G being a competitor to the NBN. I have always downplayed this but have also indicated that there certainly are new niche market opportunities of 5G. However, these will be incremental, and its main development is simply replacing 4G, as it offers significant network efficiencies for

Will 5G be a game changer or simply a 4G upgrade. Read More »

New NBN proposal smoke and mirrors, no real reform.

Blog / By /

While the NBN Co’s discussion paper on its special access undertaking variation is to be welcomed, the question remains whether this really is going to make true high-speed broadband more affordable. On several occasions, we have discussed the contentious wholesale pricing regime and, in particular, a charge known as the connectivity virtual circuit (CVC), which

New NBN proposal smoke and mirrors, no real reform. Read More »

Also, with electric vehicles Australia is trailing the world.

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

We have had former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s “kill the NBN” policy, Scott Morrison bringing a lump of coal into the Parliament and then-Small Business Minister Michaelia Cash tried to scare Australian ute drivers by proclaiming they would be obliterated by electric vehicles (EVs). Scott Morrison also questioned the need for big batteries, which he

Also, with electric vehicles Australia is trailing the world. Read More »

Enough is enough ACCC will become involved in the NBN monopoly.

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

NBN Co has released its plans for the 2021 pricing review consultation process. It is seeking retail service provider (RSP) and broader industry feedback on current and future matters of NBN wholesale pricing. However, in its outline of what will be reviewed, it became clear that the key issues are not on the discussion list.

Enough is enough ACCC will become involved in the NBN monopoly. Read More »

$100 billion national broadband plan for America.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The new Biden Administration in the USA laid out a $100 billion proposal for broadband investment as part of its $2 trillion+  infrastructure plan. Under the proposal, the plan is to provide national broadband coverage. The Administration will use better competition measures, such a price transparency, the use of public utility infrastructure and subsidies for

$100 billion national broadband plan for America. Read More »

Connected Farms

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Late last year I wrote an article on e-agriculture activities based on my trip into outback Queensland Agriculture ICT and travelling in Outback Queensland. I received this follow up from Tom Andrews from Connected Farms. I recall that last October you did an excellent article about the importance of connectivity for the  Australian farming sector

Connected Farms Read More »

Broadband users are going to pay for failed NBN policies.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

For more than a decade – dating back to the original NBN plan from the Labor Government – the retail service providers (RSPs) have argued against the unpredictable variable elements in its wholesale charges (the so-called connectivity virtual charges or CVCs). We have covered this at length in previous articles going back at least to

Broadband users are going to pay for failed NBN policies. Read More »

Are the LEOs going to disrupt the telco market?

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

We are getting closer to using alternative broadband solutions, offered by international companies. Local telecommunication entities will in this respect be relegated to resellers. The reality of accessing low Earth orbiting satellite (LEO) services is now clearly on the horizon. Most of the telcos as well as governments are not prepared for the potential shock

Are the LEOs going to disrupt the telco market? Read More »

Australian fixed broadband in the international context.

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

During the past two decade, there have been considerable efforts undertaken by governments and national telecom regulators to ensure that their countries’ economic growth is underpinned by capable broadband infrastructure. The success of national policies has been variable, but the scale of investment and the way the development of fibre infrastructure has been encouraged has

Australian fixed broadband in the international context. Read More »

NBN wants us to pay more for their broadband service.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Over the last few weeks, we have seen several new announcements from NBN Co. The key announcements include: A payment of $3 billion to the Government as a repayment of their $19.5 billion investment; An extra 100,000 fibre-to-the-node (FttN) premises will be upgraded to fibre-to-the-premise (FttP) infrastructure; and A complex review of their already complex

NBN wants us to pay more for their broadband service. Read More »

Macquarie Group is set to shake up the digital infrastructure market.

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT / By /

A few months ago, I reported on the broader market of which telecommunications infrastructure is a part. I mentioned data centres, cloud computing and data analytics (big data). All together we can perhaps best call this digital infrastructure. While the importance of this merged set of infrastructures will benefit all economies and societies, I recently

Macquarie Group is set to shake up the digital infrastructure market. Read More »

What will 2021 have install for the ICT industry?

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

While 2021 will remain a year with lots of uncertainties, at the same we can say that the pandemic has not affected the information and communications technology (ICT) industry in any significant way. Yes, there has been a slowdown, for example, in the sale of smartphones. Shortages in both materials and expertise are slowing the

What will 2021 have install for the ICT industry? Read More »

Massive renewable energy projects underpinned by ICT technologies

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

In the mid to late 2000s, I set up the industry association Smart Grid Australia (SGA). The reason why I became involved in the smart energy sector was that earlier that decade I had established the industry group UtiliTel. At that time, Telstra was reluctant to go even beyond the integrated services digital network (ISDN)

Massive renewable energy projects underpinned by ICT technologies Read More »

The break-up of Telstra: Interesting potential new telecoms scenarios.

ICT / By /

For decades, we have basically been conditioned to look at the telecoms market based on the regulatory arrangements that exist around it. The Postmaster-General’s Department (PMG) which became Telecom Australia was a state-owned business that had the monopoly on all telecoms services and was mainly paid for by taxpayers. The market was opened in the

The break-up of Telstra: Interesting potential new telecoms scenarios. Read More »

Smart Regional Towns – Game changers for reginal and rural Australia

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Developments in telecommunications and technology are key to creating more liveable regional centres. At the recent CommsDay Summit, two interesting Low Earth Orbiting Satellites (LEOsat) services were mentioned. . A few months ago I wrote an extensive article on this subject., which provides some global background information on these satellite development. At the conference, Michael

Smart Regional Towns – Game changers for reginal and rural Australia Read More »

Government backed NBN monopoly is flexing its muscles

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Over the last year, we have discussed the unsustainably high wholesale charges that NBN Co is raking in. They need this just to recoup the blowout of the investments in their second-rate multi-technology mix (MtM) infrastructure. The Government, following its election win in 2013, handpicked a new NBN team. They were favourable to their policies,

Government backed NBN monopoly is flexing its muscles Read More »

Agriculture ICT and travelling in Outback Queensland

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In October 2020, I went on a two-week tour into Queensland’s Outback, travelling through various landscapes from pastoral and agricultural lands to savanna and the desert. Leaving Brisbane, past Toowoomba you enter the Darling Downs. This is one of the richest agricultural areas in Australia. It was first explored by British Botanist Alan Cunningham in

Agriculture ICT and travelling in Outback Queensland Read More »

Vale Brian Perkins

ICT / By /

Former AAP Telecommunications executive Brian Perkins has died in Sydney, aged 88. Brian was my mentor in the telecoms industry during the 1990s. I have very fond memories of him, most importantly as a person. He generously shared his understanding of the industry and the many contacts he was able to build up during that

Vale Brian Perkins Read More »

Smart cities want to co-design change with Telcos

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

With 5G earmarked as a game-changer for cities, wireless technologies are already widely deployed by Australia’s leading smart cities. However, cities do not want to be locked into proprietary technology solutions, rather seeing themselves as a platform on which many organisations can build infrastructure, applications and services for the benefit of all citizens and all

Smart cities want to co-design change with Telcos Read More »

The incredible telehealth transformation

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

There are many healthcare needs that can only be successfully addressed in face-to-face visits with health practitioners. It is necessary to see a medical practitioner when we need to discuss private health issues in detail, to canvass different health or treatment options and to assess our health. Having said this, there are many other situations

The incredible telehealth transformation Read More »

The digital economy is spreading out more broadly.

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

The pandemic has shown us that some of the early models in the so-called sharing economy have become more mainstream. The early pioneers were companies such as Uber, Airbnb, eBay and Gumtree. But others have been making a name for themselves in transport, for example, Shebah (all-female drivers) and Camplify (caravan sharing and RCs). Spacer,

The digital economy is spreading out more broadly. Read More »

Are we building a mediocre NBN for the ‘average user’?

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Are we building a mediocre NBN for the average user? Interesting new research conducted by the Bureau of Communications and Arts Research predicts that average Australian data consumption is set to quadruple by 2028, based on figures from 2018. But they also predict that peak bandwidth will grow less rapidly. In their words: ‘Bandwidth requirements

Are we building a mediocre NBN for the ‘average user’? Read More »

City-as-a-service – new business and investment model

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

While there are plenty of opportunities for local councils to create cost savings – especially by cutting through their internal silos and using ICT and infrastructure technologies on a sharing basis across the various city systems – the problem remains that before these cost savings can be made, significant ICT investments are needed. The reality

City-as-a-service – new business and investment model Read More »

Internet of Things requires a rethink of business models.

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

There certainly is a lot of interest in machine-to-machine communication (M2M) and the internet of things (IoT). But what we are seeing is only what is happening on the surface. Most of the M2M activities are taking place unnoticed. For example, most newly produced electronic devices are now all M2M enabled. Over 100 million smart

Internet of Things requires a rethink of business models. Read More »

Nano networks set to revolutionise edge computing

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

I recently followed a “lunch box lecture”, organised by the University of Sydney. In the talk, Professor Zdenka Kuncic explored the very topical issue of artificial intelligence. The world is infatuated with artificial intelligence (AI), and understandably so, given its super-human ability to find patterns in big data as we all notice when using Google,

Nano networks set to revolutionise edge computing Read More »

New push for cheaper energy costs and a much more efficient energy industry.

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

As the initiator of Smart Energy Australia in 2007, I looked with the experts of this industry association at how we could use technologies to make our energy system more efficient, cheaper, and less polluting. Of course, this included the arrival of renewable energy and technology developments in areas such as microgrids, distributed energy and

New push for cheaper energy costs and a much more efficient energy industry. Read More »

Innovative entertainment industry will bounce forwards after Covid

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

My brother Rob lives in Rimini, Italy and he has his own company Màgina, involved in “tailor-made” events for large organisations throughout Europe. Their activities include team building, product launches, client shows and so on. Of course, with COVID-19 his business totally collapsed overnight. A few clients have indicated that they will review the situation

Innovative entertainment industry will bounce forwards after Covid Read More »

Hassle over LEOs

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The following article is based on a blog written by my Dutch colleague Fred Kappetijn. We have worked together to present this to you. Every second, 4.5 billion people using computers and other electronic devices send 100,000 gigabytes of information to each other. Around 60% of the world’s population has an internet connection. North America

Hassle over LEOs Read More »

Digital economy essential for regional Australia

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Back in the early 1990s, I was a founding board member of Service Providers Action Network (SPAN), which later became part of Communications Alliance. The key aim of this organisation was the promotion of new value-added services that could be provided over the telecommunications network. At this time there was no public internet and we

Digital economy essential for regional Australia Read More »

Building independent Gig Cities: this happens when you have a 2nd rate NBN

NBN – FttH – Broadband, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Adelaide was one of the first cities to build a gigabit fibre optic network but soon others followed. Newcastle, Wollongong, Launceston and the NSW Central Coast Council are now all developing their own gigabit infrastructure. Now, the NSW Government is putting $100 million dollars aside for the provision of “innovative systems” to improve the price,

Building independent Gig Cities: this happens when you have a 2nd rate NBN Read More »

Encouraging online lessons from the corona crisis

Digital Media Apps & Services, ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The players in the telecommunications industry have decisively reacted to the COVID-19 crisis. The NBN is holding up and the company is effectively implementing a range of measures for those who rely on it. Equally, the support from the major telcos and the digital players has been first-class and, where needed, the industry is working

Encouraging online lessons from the corona crisis Read More »

NBN Co is giving in to pressure to stop competing with its own retail customers.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The original plans for the NBN were to build a high-speed residential broadband network that would be made available to the other telcos on a wholesale basis.  Corporate infrastructure was basically left out of the plan as these organisations were in general well serviced by competing networks. But wait there was a loophole. What exactly

NBN Co is giving in to pressure to stop competing with its own retail customers. Read More »

The role of FttH in the development of 5G

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

As the rollout of fibre to the home project (FttH) remains a slow process it is no wonder that more and more people are looking towards mobile as a potential alternative. Obviously, mobile communication has improved over recent years in providing excellent access to broadband. It has also become more affordable. At the same time,

The role of FttH in the development of 5G Read More »

Broadband driven Smart Energy Developments

NBN – FttH – Broadband, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

There is no doubt that we are in the midst of an energy revolution. Not only is the nature of energy changing from fossil-generated energy to renewable – there is a total change in the distribution structure occurring with less focus on centralisation and more on distributed energy. Concerns about issues such as energy security,

Broadband driven Smart Energy Developments Read More »

Full fibre NBN back on the agenda

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Britain’s Labour Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn has promised a national fibre-to-home network for nine million homes in the UK to be completed by 2030 at a cost of £20 billion (AU$38 billion). In the same week, Australia’s Labor Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese made a similar promise regarding updating the current multi-mix technology national broadband network

Full fibre NBN back on the agenda Read More »

Smart devices ready to flood the energy market to force prices down.

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Over the last decade there have been excellent reports from the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) as well as from various industry bodies on reforming the energy market. The reports state this should be done through opening the market up to modernisation, more competition, better interoperability arrangements and better levels of transparency, all based on

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Successful smart cities require significant ICT infrastructure

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Telecommunications infrastructure plays an important role in providing the backbone for building the Smart Cities and Smart Homes which are emerging around the world. It is encouraging to see that so many governments and telecoms operators are working hard and investing heavily to deploy this underlying infrastructure which we will need for the future. Fixed-broadband

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Australia’s NBN makes slow progress

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

While fixed-line telephony traffic and revenue are declining, the mobile broadband market is growing steadily. Fixed-line broadband on the copper network is also declining as fibre and fixed-wireless broadband services become more widely available, through the NBN’s multi-technology architecture, with its emphasis on VDSL with Fibre-to-the Node (FttN). In time, much of the voice traffic

Australia’s NBN makes slow progress Read More »

Successful smart cities require significant ICT infrastructure

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Telecommunications infrastructure plays an important role in providing the backbone for building the Smart Cities and Smart Homes which are emerging around the world. It is encouraging to see that so many governments and telecoms operators are working hard and investing heavily to deploy this underlying infrastructure which we will need for the future. Fixed-broadband

Successful smart cities require significant ICT infrastructure Read More »

Monetising solutions for the telcos

ICT / By /

Developments in the telecommunications industry and the broader digital economy have opened up many new markets over the last few decades. Telecoms has changed from a more or less standalone, horizontally-organised industry to one that has become a key facilitator in a range of vertical markets. The keyword that is used to indicate that change

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Fibre to the farm provides opportunities for rural Australia

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Over the last decade, Australia has spent $5.5 billion on satellite and fixed wireless broadband services and another $650 million on mobile blackspots. After last year’s Regional Telecommunications Review, the Government earlier this year indicated another $220 million for mobile blackspots, money for digital inclusions projects and $60 million for a regional connectivity program. It

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Changing the goalposts and voila here is the new NBN corporate plan

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Since the Coalition Government has taken over the NBN back in 2013, we have seen the goalposts being changed nearly on an annual basis. It started soon after Malcolm Turnbull’s infamous announcement: “we will bring you the NBN for around $25 billion and deliver it in 2016”. The reality, of course, is that now in

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Minister Fletcher’s first in-depth comments on the NBN.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Recently the Minister made his first more in-depth public comments on various aspects of the NBN. The fact that the telecommunications industry had a sigh of relief when the new comms minister Paul Fletcher mentioned that the government would not sell the NBN to Telstra is an indication how low trust in politics has sunk

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Not Netflix but Government killed the NBN

Digital Media Apps & Services, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In a recent ABC interview, Sam Dimarco, Head of Stakeholder Relations at NBN Co, asserted that Netflix has been a catalyst for change. It has been blamed as the principal reason why the NBN is unable to deliver the quality that was promised by the Government. The article also mentioned Bill Morrow’s comment on this, admitting that

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The NBN and Net Neutrality

ICT / By /

While the network neutrality debate mainly applies in the U.S., it recently flared up in Australia when NBN Co discussed separate pricing regimes for video-based infrastructure. Net neutrality is breached when telecommunication companies provide a preferential pricing regime for companies offering video-based service. This basically creates a two-tiered system: a premium service for those providers

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Have we reached ‘Peak Telecom’ and what does this mean for 5G

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

“Peak telecom” is described as the maximum point of expansion reached by the traditional telecommunications industry before the internet commoditised the industry to a utility pipe. I had to think of this when I read the recent outcomes of the famous Ericsson Consumer Lab survey. The company used the result of the survey to counteract market criticism

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IoT – The Game Changer

Blog / By /

Guestblog by Ana Bera It is estimated that by 2020, there will be 50 billion IoT devices will be up and running. To put things in context, the number of connected devices in 2015 was 25 billion, which only goes to show how quickly this technology is taking off. The future is happening now, and

IoT – The Game Changer Read More »

Spinning the pay TV pirating issue

Digital Media Apps & Services / By /

It is interesting to follow announcements from former leaders. I recently compared Malcolm Turnbull’s suggestion for government intervention in the telecoms manufacturing market with his stand as a liberal politician who frowns upon government intervention. This time- but on a different topic –  I am looking at an assessment Kim Williams, a former CEO of

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Smart Energy Exchanges – engaging consumers in the electricity market.

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

During my time as director of Smart Grid Australia and the Global Smart Grid Federation I often used my experience from the telecoms industry to look at new opportunities in the smart energy market. While I started to talk about distributed energy infrastructure over a decade ago, nothing much has happened in the meantime. The

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Broadcasting – Submission to Productivity Commission from 1999 (20 years ago)

Digital Media Apps & Services, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

The wonders of electronics. I suddenly received a notification about this submission I made in 1999. It is interesting to look back on predictions I made 20 years ago 🙂 From: Paul Budde Sent: Monday, May 03, 1999 4:34 PM To: ’broadcasting@pc.gov.au’ Subject: Broadcasting – Submission to Productivity Commission   Broadcasting – Submission to Productivity

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Telecommunications in Armenia

ICT / By /

You might recall my recent visit to Armenia, where I had several smart city discussions. Of course, it was with great interest that I read BuddeComm’s new report on Armenia, a country that I will keep an eye on and certainly a country that warrants the attention of innovators, start-ups and investors as a range

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Macau’s smart city project gains momentum

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Macau boasts a sophisticated, independently regulated communications market. Gradual liberalisation has now fully opened the telecoms market with the full impact slowly becoming evident. Fixed line subscriptions in Macau continue to fall. Macau’s fixed-line market is transitioning to a fibre broadband market as CTM invests significantly in fibre access networks, a project made possible given

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New opportunities to open up the mobile market.

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

In my various media comments on TPG’s withdrawal from the mobile network market, I commented on the one side that the government’s ban on Huawei was a great excuse for the company to abandon its ambitious infrastructure plans. Building such a new network doesn’t make economic sense, especially within the context of a merger with

New opportunities to open up the mobile market. Read More »

Happy New Year – The NBN and the Australian Telecoms Year ahead.

ICT, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

I hope that those of you who celebrated Christmas enjoyed being together with families and friends, and that everyone took the opportunity for a break from the everyday world. Happily the holiday season continues so most of us will have a bit more relaxing time ahead. And of course the new year is upon us.

Happy New Year – The NBN and the Australian Telecoms Year ahead. Read More »

Barcelona’s Smart City Strategist visiting Australia

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

As the Digital Business Strategist for the Barcelona City Council, Joaquim Alvarez has been instrumental in helping transform the City of Barcelona into what Fortune Magazine recently called the Most Wired City in the World. Joaquim comes from a telecommunication engineering background, and is a specialist in software development and telematics communications. His passion for

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High-speed broadband infrastructure plays an important role in Smart Cities

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

  With the majority of citizens living in urban centres around the world, there has been a growing interest in ensuring these highly concentrated populations are living in the most sustainable and efficient environments possible. Smart Cities offer the ability to manage our growing populations and the limited resources and environmental issues we face. In

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NBN and the common good – write offs and Telstra’s interest in buying it.

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Looking back over the last 30 years less emphasis is now placed on the ‘common good’ than was the case before the 1980s. I will link this to the NBN a bit further in this analysis. Over the last few decades, often for very good reasons, we began to privatise what had been government businesses

NBN and the common good – write offs and Telstra’s interest in buying it. Read More »

Australian/New Zealand ‘Smart Urban Solutions’ mission to the Netherlands

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Following the Smart City mission from the Netherlands that coincided with the visit of the Dutch Royal Couple in November 2016, earlier this month a combined Australian/New Zealand ‘Smart Urban Solutions’ mission visited the  Netherlands. The week-long visit focused on urban (re)development, smart mobility, the future of energy and sustainable building and innovative solutions created

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National Plan of Settlement: Good content – wrong strategy

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

I must have missed the run-up to this and so was surprised when the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities last week published a report called National Plan of Settlement. According to this report Australia needs a national plan to encourage denser, better-connected and more sustainable cities. Among its 37 recommendations are two

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Smart Armenia – suggestion for a national approach

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Last month I was honoured to be invited to be the special guest at BreakFAST, a Sunday morning breakfast meeting organised by Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, this allowed me to share my telecoms and smart city insights with a group of select government, business and academic

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Big data portal for smart cities – and indeed a smart country

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

After Iceland, back in the Netherlands again and, as promised, a bit more information from this part of the world. It certainly is not just Amsterdam that is active in smart cities. In this article I will point to some 40+ local councils in the Netherlands that are providing smart city information. Setting an example

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Smart City Reykjavík

Blog / By /

After traveling through France and the Netherlands (see previous blogs) we are now in Iceland. Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of 350,000 and an area of 103,000 square kilometres – mainly tundra –  making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city

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Is there a business case for the National Broadband Network?

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

It will come as no surprise to those who have followed my analyses of the NBN over the last decade that in my submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network Inquiry into the business case for the National Broadband Network I stated that  the business model and investment model for the

Is there a business case for the National Broadband Network? Read More »

A new smart suburb for the city of Helmond in the Netherlands

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

The city council of Helmond (a city in the south of the Netherland, close to Eindhoven) has approved plans for the construction of their Brainport Smart District (BSD). They will start with the preparation for its first projects, the building of around 1,500 new homes in a totally new suburb; a 12-hectare industrial estate will

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Will 5G trigger smart city PPP collaboration?

ICT, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

As discussed in previous analyses, the arrival of 5G will trigger a totally new development in telecommunications. Not just in relation to better broadband services on mobile phones – it will also generate opportunities for a range of IoT (internet of things) developments that among other projects are grouped together under smart cities (feel free

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Long-term investment opportunities in smart cities

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

Questions for the investment community The federal government’s Smart City Plan, with a follow-up $75 million in grants as well as its City Deals, is stimulating a more strategic approach towards smart cities. In all, there are a dozen cities in Australia that have a solid smart strategy in place, backed up by high-level city

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Optus makes sure there will be competition in 5G

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

After lots of talk about 5G being a potential competitor to the NBN, Optus is throwing the cat among the pigeons. Its announcement of a fixed wireless product is challenging the NBN head-on. It will be interesting to see what the reaction from the national broadband company will be, as it has already hinted at

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Youth Mobility Index Report in Asia

Blog / By /

Info supplied by YMI.Asia. To commemorate its 10th year anniversary, operator of the ‘.Asia’ domain, released a ‘Youth Mobility Index (YMI.Asia)’ report. It aims to measure the social, geo-physical and digital mobility of younger generations across Asia to better support young Asian entrepreneurs setting out to change the world. YMI.Asia rankings are built on their

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Smart cities should be based on social considerations

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

While there is a general positive vibe regarding smart cities ther are also serious concerns about the way developments are currently taking place. This has mainly to do with a general lack of a people-focussed strategy – in particular in relation to social elements and personal morals, beliefs and emotions. We have been following what

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What is the future for our mobile network operators?

ICT, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

‘Wireless is just one wire less’ or ‘Wireless is just spectrum wrapped around a  fibre core” The Australian mobile telecommunication industry is continuing to resist structural changes, but the reality is that if they don’t transform, technology will do it for them. We have seen the fixed telecom operators slowly being pushed back into the

What is the future for our mobile network operators? Read More »

Vocus and TPG continue to challenge Telstra and Optus

ICT / By /

TPG Telecom Limited acquired local ISP iiNet. TPG is now Australia’s second-biggest provider of fixed-line broadband in Australia with over 1.7 million customers. Services including voice, internet and data solutions are provided to a customer base ranging from the consumer market through to small and medium enterprises, corporate and government sectors. The company also owns a

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Australia’s top three Telcos face growing competition

ICT, Mobile Communications / By /

Telstra is Australia’s largest telecommunications provider offering a full range of telecom services throughout Australia. The company provides basic access services to most homes and businesses, local and long-distance telephone call services, and mobile and internet services. Wholesale services are also provided to ISPs and RSPs while advertising and subscription television services are provided through subsidiary

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The NBN in the broader context of global telecom developments

NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

Just back from my trip to Europe where I followed some of the key international telecoms developments. Because of the highly politicised situation around the NBN in Australia it is important to look beyond the sometimes parochially-focussed NBN discussion in our country. At the joint forum of the Long-Term Infrastructure Investments Association (LTIIA) and the

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Call for national smart city collaboration and the formation of the Council of Smart City Mayors

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

With the announcement of the  government’s first smart city grants in WA and the NT – with others to follow soon – it is time to start looking at national smart city collaboration in order to achieve a maximum outcome from the funds that are made available and to ensure that we don’t simply end

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Smart City World Congress Barcelona: Dutch Australian Collaboration

Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

A key reason for my participation in the Smart City World Congress in Barcelona was to further work on international smart city collaboration that was started exactly a year ago at the Dutch Australian Smart City Summit in Sydney, which was attended by Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. Since that time there have

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The Smart City Expo World Congress 2017 in Barcelona

Blog, Smart Cities Smart Energy / By /

The Global Smart City and Community Coalition (GSC3) is running the famous Holland Pavilion (those who have been in Barcelona before, know what I mean 😊. At the GSC3 stand also the eight Australian GSC3 cities will be on display: Adelaide, Bendigo, Canberra, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Sydney, Ipswich and Moreton Bay. Several representatives of these

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Charles Todd Medal acceptance speech

Blog, ICT / By /

  This year I have been awarded with the prestigious Charles Todd Medal for Excellence in Communications. The presentation was done by Charles’ great-grandson Barry in the presence of representatives of the telecommunications industry at a luncheon organised by Telsoc.   The Charles Todd Medal The award was established by ATUG (the Australian Telecommunications Users

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