Telecommunications

In a recent meeting with the Senate Select Committee on the NBN in Hobart, Michael Larkin, general manager, service delivery at Aurora Energy, and group manager, strategic and government, Sean Terry, discussed the company’s proposal to use aerial, rather than underground, infrastructure for the Tasmanian rollout. The proposal, which suggests that the NBN could be rolled out at a lower [...]

The latest reports on the NBN rollout show that progress  slowed somewhat over the last month, with fewer new areas connected to the network, due to the construction industry shut-down period. Nevertheless, some work still occurred with further premises passed by the NBN in areas already under construction and works beginning in Modbury, South Australia and Shepparton, Victoria. Recent figures [...]

So far, twenty-seven NBN Co wholesale customers, including Telstra and Optus, have signed the new Wholesale Broadband Agreement (WBA). This comes after the ACCC accepted NBN Co’s amended Special Access Undertaking in December, 2013. The new WBA will be fully operational from 1 March 2014. NBN Co’s Head of Regulatory Affairs and Industry Analysis, Caroline Lovell said, “The new WBA was [...]

Visionstream Australia Pty Ltd has announced that it is accelerating its roll out of the NBN across Tasmania, having undertaken discussions with NBN Co, clarifying the approach for fibre delivery across the State to more than 200,000 premises. Allan Bradford, General Manager NBN Visionstream, says “We look forward to continuing our current work to roll out this important infrastructure and [...]

Farms, homes and businesses across parts of 17 communities in the Gippsland region of Victoria can now switch to the National Broadband Network. NBN Co’s fixed-wireless network is now available to around 1,450 families and businesses in parts of the following communities: Airly Maffra (surrounds) Stratford Bundalaguah Newry The Heart Cobains Pearsondale Tinamba Fulham Riverslea Tinamba West Longford Sale (surrounds) [...]

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has accepted NBN Co’s Special Access Undertaking (SAU). The SAU is a key part of the regulatory framework that will govern the prices NBN Co, as a wholesale open access telecommunications network, can charge for the services it supplies to retail telecommunications companies, as well as other terms. The ACCC’s decision follows an [...]

As the release of the results of NBN Co.’s strategic review draws near, speculation is rife about the state of the rollout and the viability and likelihood of various options for the network’s construction. Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull has assured critics that the results of the strategic review will be released by the end of the year, with some [...]

The Age newspaper has reported that according to sources privy to the information in the NBN Co’s upcoming internal analysis report, the Coalition government’s NBN model is unlikely to meet the 2016 and 2019 delivery deadlines and may prove inadequate for the demands on many businesses. The analysis is said to cast doubts over the timing and cost-effectiveness of the [...]

The Special Access Undertaking (SAU), a document that will decide the way the National Broadband Network is regulated for the next three decades, is a step closer to being finalised. NBN Co has told the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that it will accept all the variations to the Special Access Undertaking (SAU) that have been proposed by the [...]

As part of the Federal Government’s continuing National Broadband Network reforms, three new directors have been appointed to the NBN Co Board. The three new non-executive directors are Mr. Patrick Flannigan, Mr. Simon Hackett, and Mr. Justin Milne.  They further enhance the Board’s capabilities and expertise to provide appropriate oversight and guidance to this vitally important national project. NBN Co [...]

NBN Co has received approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to purchase the TransACT-branded fibre-to-the-premise network in the Australian Capital Territory as well as access to other relevant infrastructure. Under the agreement NBN Co will purchase TransACT/iiNet FTTP network for $9 million. The network comprises coverage of approximately 8,500 premises, with network assets currently planned or under construction [...]

NBN Co Executive Chairman Dr Ziggy Switkowski has announced that Mr Greg Adcock has been appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new position Mr Adcock will be a member of the executive committee and report to the CEO. Mr Adcock has spent the past 20 years at Telstra, most recently as the executive charged with [...]

The NBN Co has released its first progress report as required by the Government’s Statement of Expectations to NBN Co. NBN Co plans to release information weekly in this format to show the progress of the rollout as of the previous Sunday. NBN Co has said that variations in numbers from week to week reflect the modular nature of the [...]

The consultancies chosen to support the Strategic Review of the rollout of the National Broadband Network have been announced. The company has selected three advisory firms to contribute their services to the review process: Deloitte will provide governance and the program management office services to ensure the Strategic Review fits within the parameters and tight deadline for submission set by [...]

New NBN Co Executive Chairman Dr Ziggy Switkowski has announced the appointment of Mr JB Rousselot to the newly created position of Head of Strategy and Transformation. This role will incorporate the current activities within the Quality group and also the corporate planning, strategy and decision support functions of the office of the Chief Finance Officer. Mr Rousselot will lead [...]

As part of the Strategic Review of the rollout of the National Broadband Network, NBN Co has issued a request for proposals for consultancy services to support the review process. The invitation has been extended to a select number of consultants. The results of the tender are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The Strategic Review is being [...]