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This week
IN THE NEWS: NBN commits to large speed upgrades for certain plans, Optus fined $1.5 million for IPND breaches, and members advisory forums approaching
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NBN this week revealed plans to increase upload and download speeds on several popular broadband plans at no extra cost to wholesale retailers. For customers connected to the NBN via a FTTP or HFC connection, 100/20 Mbps plans will be increased to 500/50 Mbps, while download speeds on 250/25 plans will triple to 750/50. NBN has committed to implementing the changes in the coming 12 months. [Tech Guide]
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Several concerns have been raised surrounding NBN’s announcement. SBS covered the concerns of Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman, who questioned whether the cost to consumers would be nil, with his reservations echoed by Mark Gregory, who warned that retailers may end up passing on costs of transit to users. Phil Britt of Aussie Broadband, in a statement reported by ITNews, noted that the speed increases were restricted to users with a particular connection type, and may widen the digital divide along the lines of geography and income. [SBS]
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The ACMA has levelled a $1.5 million fine against Optus for failing to comply with Integrated Public Number Database requirements. Customers of Coles Mobile and Catch Connect, both Optus sub-brands, were affected by the telcos failure to upload information to the IPND between January 2021 and September 2023. While the ACMA wasn’t aware of any customer harm arising from the breach, the IPND is a critical public safety measure that guarantees consumer contact details in the event of emergency situations, and relevant codes must be adhered to. [ACMA]
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ACCAN will be holding a series of Members Advisory Forums (MAFs) in the next few weeks. We encourage our members to come along and contribute to these forums, either the general MAF, or to our Disability Advisory Forum or Small Business Advisory Forum. If you have not yet registered and would like to attend, or have any questions, sign up today to ensure you don't miss your seat at the table! [ACCAN]
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The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given the green light to Kuiper Systems, a subsidiary of Amazon, to launch up to 1000 low earth orbit satellite prototypes. PCMag reports that the company intends to begin offering beta services to limited numbers of customers in the second half of 2024. Kuiper is expected to become a major competitor to Starlink, though it is unclear when Australians will be able to access the service. [PC Magazine]
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Telstra has revealed that backup systems intended to be used as a redundancy in the case of outages “didn’t work as intended’ when Victoria’s triple-zero network ground to a halt between 3:30am and 5am last Friday. Of the 494 triple-zero calls received during the period, 148 were unable to be connected to emergency services. Telstra has committed to fixing the issue as a matter of urgency, and has provided additional resources in the interim. [ITNews]
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Attorneys general from 41 US states have sent a joint letter to Meta, parent company of Facebook, this week to urge the company to act in response to increased reports of account hijacking. According to the New York Attorney General, reports of hackers taking over accounts had risen 1000% since 2019. The states call for Facebook to bolster staffing and investment in security and privacy on the platform. [ITNews]
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Meta has announced that they will not renew commercial deals with Australian news publishers which were made after the introduction of the News Media Bargaining Code. Readers may remember the last spat over payment for news content on social media platforms, which resulted in Facebook withdrawing all news from their platform for a period in 2021. The federal government is considering their response to the announcement. [ABC]
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The government is seeking feedback on the design of an SMS Sender ID Registry, an important step in stopping text message impersonation scams. This registry, if made mandatory, will help reduce the incidence of successful scam activity and minimise losses to consumers and businesses. By participating in a simple survey, you can help shape policies that protect both consumers and businesses from losing out to fraudulent activities. Find out more about and have your say above. [DITRDCA]
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Gareth Downing appointed ACCAN Acting CEO
As previously advised, ACCAN’s CEO Andrew Williams finished with the organisation on 1 March. Recruitment for Andrew’s successor is well underway and is expected to be finalised soon. In the interim, ACCAN’s Deputy CEO, Dr Gareth Downing, has been appointed Acting CEO until the process is finalised. [ACCAN - no link]
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