iTWire - Fight over NBN plan costs set to heat up again itwire.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from itwire.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Date Time
New rules for telco networks must be changed to benefit consumers: ACCAN
Proposed rules for wholesale telecommunications service providers must be tightened to protect Australians from under-performing phone and internet services, and slow connection and fault rectification timeframes, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
The draft Telecommunications (Statutory Infrastructure Providers – Standards, Rules and Benchmarks) Determination 2021 proposes standards, rules and benchmarks for telecommunications carriers that provide wholesale broadband services, such as NBN Co. The rules proposed are in relation to timeframes for connections, repairs and appointment keeping, rebates, speeds, remediation and record keeping.
“The simple fact is that without competition at the wholesale level, network operators will not deliver in the interests of consumers, so we need a safety net to ensure a reliable level of service,” said ACCAN CEO, T
On today s program:
One of Australia’s most remote roadhouses is the latest to receive mobile phone service. But there’s a catch - it’s Optus only. The roadhouse says its virtually useless as people in the region mostly have Telstra. In the Federal Government’s mobile blackspot program, most contracts have been awarded to Telstra but 100 are for Optus. Advocates say one operator should be in charge of all blackspot coverage, shared with all networks, so there are no gaps. In the township of Lockhart River on the far north eastern side of Cape York in Queensland, it has had no or patchy communications for almost a week now. That means for the 800 locals there they couldn t use a mobile, a fax, landline, email or internet.
Mobile phone black spot gets Optus base station in middle of Telstra country
WedWednesday 10
The closest community to the Tjukayirla Roadhouse is about 200 kilometres away.
(
Share
Print text only
Cancel
When staff at a remote roadhouse heard they were getting mobile phone reception, they thought it would bring them one step closer to the outside world.
Key points:
It enables emergency calls but customers need to be with Optus for normal phone use
A communications advocacy group wants a rethink of the Mobile Black Spot Program
Now, they joke the only person to be able to use it is the man who installed it.
Tech giants revolt over News Bargaining Code, a proposed law before parliament
Facebook and Google both threatened withdrawing major services in Australia
Threats include no news in the News Feed for Australian Facebook users
Google says it could stop making Google Search available in Australia
US Government pressured Australia to scrap the law, suggested voluntary code
Condemnation of tech giant threats from politicians, industry and other experts
Google search withdrawal would be significant impact on small business
Facebook News Feed disruption very concerning but people would adjust
Google, Facebook withdrawals would mean opportunities for competitors
Savvy tech users unfazed, would use VPN networks to reach Google, Facebook