Mobile Communications

The major new developments here are the next generation of mobile infrastructure known as 5G and Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) used for the rapidly advancing IoT services. New business models around services providers and MVNOs are also addressed.

Ongoing obstacles to good quality, affordable broadband in remote Australia

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / 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 …

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The emergence of haptic technologies

Digital Media Apps & Services, Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / By /

Over the last few months, I have written articles about 5G, 6G (2030s) and even 7G (2040s). In my research of these articles, I increasingly have come across the use of haptic technologies So I started to look into the relation between haptic technology and the new mobile technologies. Already 5G and even more so …

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LEOs are going to shake up the Australian telecoms market.

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / 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, …

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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, …

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Different industry tunes on the sharing of telecoms infrastructure

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / 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 …

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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 …

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LunaNet – developing the internet for the Moon.

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / 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, …

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Are we seeing the slow demise of Facebook?

Digital Media Apps & Services, Mobile Communications / By /

It was all over the news, so I am sure you have seen the dramatic beating that Facebook received at the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. Facebook parent company Meta slumped more than 26 per cent, erasing more than U.S.$237 billion (AU$332 billion) in market value, the largest one-day drop in history, also …

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My telecoms and digital economy predictions for 2020

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

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Regional telecommunications services are simply not good enough

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / 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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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Are the LEOs going to disrupt the telco market?

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / 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 …

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What will 2021 have install for the ICT industry?

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / 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 …

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Internet of Things requires a rethink of business models.

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / 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 …

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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, …

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

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / 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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Can Macquarie Bank run a niche mobile service?

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / By /

Macquarie Bank Is  going to launch a mobile product in the telecoms market. This is an interesting development.. It doesn’t happen that often that an investment itself launches a mobile service, to be known as Nu Mobile. Even more remarkable is that it launches a niche mobile service known as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator …

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New opportunities to open up the mobile market.

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / 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 …

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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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What is the future for our mobile network operators?

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / 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 …

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Australia’s top three Telcos face growing competition

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / 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 future NBN might look rather different

Blog, Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband, Telecommunications / By /

In all reality it looks like the multi-technology mix (MTM) as it is currently being rolled out by the nbn company is as good as it will get. Some Australians will have an excellent service, especially those on fibre-to-the-home (FttH) and fibre-to-the-curb (FttC) technologies. Others won’t see any difference from the current ADSL services they …

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The importance of high-speed broadband in regional Australia

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

It is still a battle to extend the perception of the importance of high-speed broadband beyond fast access to the internet or to Netflix. But the social and economic benefits are equally important, especially looking towards medium- and long-term future development of the region. The healthcare, government services and education sectors are undergoing massive transformations, …

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Telecoms infrastructure and digital technologies lead the way

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

  There are a number of industries leading the current changes brought about by the digital evolution – but none more so than the ICT industry. This sector alone has been transformational in developing the appropriate infrastructure, services and equipment required to underpin our societies of the future. The enormous shift towards digital technologies continues …

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The role of the NBN in the development of 5G

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

With an NBN that is failing many customers 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; and it has also become more affordable. At the same time there is the fabulous hype …

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Mobile infrastructure will ultimately rely on fibre broadband

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In 2017 mobile broadband subscriptions are growing rapidly and LTE infrastructure now carries over 65% of all global mobile traffic. While mobile and fixed will always exist in parallel, there is no doubt that with a faltering fixed network and an excellent mobile network, mobile will give fixed a run for its money. With competitively …

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Competitive global mobile market sees the rise of regional leaders

Mobile Communications / By /

The global mobile market has become far more competitive in most markets around the world due to liberalisation, the rise of Over-The-Top (OTT) providers and, in some cases, the introduction of MVNOs. In addition, as operators go hunting for new revenue streams, there has been much regional and international expansion occurring – along with consolidation. …

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The Next Big Thing

Digital Media Apps & Services, Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / By /

Last week I chaired a number of very well-attended sessions at the Connect Conference in Melbourne. My compliments to the organisers, who had gathered together a range of excellent speakers, very different from the commercially motivated group of speakers who so often feature at commercial conferences. The Plenary Opening session featured Dr Amanda Caples, the …

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Australia’s telco market grows slowly with mobile broadband driving growth

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / By /

The overall telecoms services revenue reached over $42 billion in 2016, a growth of under 1% for the 12 months to June 2016. The overall market is predicted to grow at a stronger rate in 2017. The strongest growth is coming from the second tier providers, which grew at over 10% during that time period. …

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International expansion has strengthened the operations of many mobile operators

Mobile Communications / By /

In 2017 the global mobile market has its sights firmly set on the opportunities offered through mobile data as well as looking for potential new revenues streams presented by the enterprise sector, data mining, 5G and international expansion. Mobile saturation has occurred in many of the developed markets and this has forced some of the …

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Australia’s MNOs prepare for migration to 5G

Mobile Communications / By /

The Australian mobile market is dominated by the three major mobile network operators Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone (VHA), though there are numerous MVNOs which have a significant market share. MVNOs have been able to offer LTE services on a wholesale basis since early 2016, thus encouraging growth in the LTE sector and cementing the role …

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Telstra, Optus and Vodafone face increasing threat from 2nd Tier Market

Mobile Communications, Telecommunications / By /

The overall telecoms services revenue reached over $40 billion in 2016, a growth of 2.0% for the 12 months to June 2016. The overall market is predicted to grow more strongly in 2017. The strongest growth is coming from the second tier providers, which grew at over 10% during that time period. The market incumbent …

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Mobile roaming – does customer service matter to the mobile operators?

Mobile Communications / By /

Since the ACCC indicated that it is again opening up its investigation into mobile roaming there has been a great deal of noise from the various telco players regarding the pros and cons of mobile roaming. However very little attention has been given to the more subtle underlying issues. While most the operators involved in …

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The next development in wireless broadband

Mobile Communications, NBN – FttH – Broadband / By /

In the USA the FCC has started the discussion on the next level of telecoms in the wireless market, aimed at making spectrum in bands above 24GHz available for flexible-use of wireless services,  including next-generation, or 5G networks and technologies. New technologies such as massive-MIMO are going to make it possible to deliver ‘fibre-like’ speeds …

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Australia’s MVNOs now accessing the world’s fastest LTE networks

Mobile Communications / By /

The three LTE networks operated by Optus, Telstra and Vodafone have been developed rapidly during the past two years. These MNOs are striving to provide an infrastructure capable of meetings customer demand for mobile broadband services, and are also preparing for the possibilities anticipated through the deployment of 5G within the next few years. Telstra …

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Vodafone New Zealand’s merger with Sky shows continuing pressure to provide a full suite of services

Digital Media Apps & Services, Mobile Communications / By /

The merger was not approved by the New Zealand Regulator (6/2017). During the last decade there has been considerable merger and acquisition activity in the telecoms sector across global regions. Where these processes are not possible, for regulatory or commercial reasons, operators have found ways to share resources in a bid to provide improved services …

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China Continues to Evolve as a World Leader in the Digital Media Sector

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

The Chinese telecom market is the largest in the world in terms of subscribers and is undergoing transition. Mobile subscriptions outnumber fixed voice connections and voice is giving way to data as the primary revenue generator. China’s telecom market is served by three operators; China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile. All three are integrated …

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