Government IT
Broadband
Australian broadband speeds inconsistent, patchy: study
![Melbourne University will have access to the National Broadband Network in the next year. Melbourne University will have access to the National Broadband Network in the next year.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/2/7/l/9/z/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv7az.png/1388719590194.jpg)
Lucy Battersby More than a third of Australian premises with access to fixed broadband never get more than moderate speeds of 9 megabits per second.
Broadband
NBN alternatives: fibre to the node or HFC cable?
![The government now supports a multi-technology broadband network. The government now supports a multi-technology broadband network.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/1/e/9/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv6hd.png/1387581459518.jpg)
Adam Turner HFC cable has the potential to outperform fibre to the node, but only after a significant and expensive network upgrade.
Broadband
The $1b difference between Labor's and the new NBN, and the big catch
![Untangling all the NBN options will take some time. Untangling all the NBN options will take some time.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/2/8/7/7/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv659.png/1387427435913.jpg)
Lucy Battersby Hidden within the recently released NBN strategic review is a surprising fact.
Procurement
High-achieving employee sues IBM for bonus
![IBM is the subject of two separate law suits at the moment. IBM is the subject of two separate law suits at the moment.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/6/0/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv60m.png/1387244437973.jpg)
Clay Lucas, Lucy Battersby An IBM sales executive on a salary of $295,000 is suing the company because it paid her half a million dollars less than she expected.
Broadband
Hearing: NBN Co gagged on finer details of strategic review
![NBN Co executive chairman Dr Ziggy Switkowski. NBN Co executive chairman Dr Ziggy Switkowski.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/3/x/4/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv60v.png/1387259101981.jpg)
Ben Grubb NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski has refused to hand over an unredacted version of the NBN strategic review.
Broadband
Turnbull does what he says he would, still questions remain
![Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/4/2/z/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5xv.png/1387165964919.jpg)
Tony Brown Why is the government delivering a second class network when a couple more years could deliver fibre to every premise, asks Tony Brown.
Security
Inquiry launched into internet, phone surveillance
![An inquiry will scrutinise internet and telephone surveillance by law enforcement. An inquiry will scrutinise internet and telephone surveillance by law enforcement.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/5/j/9/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5j8.png/1386896994056.jpg)
Ben Grubb A Senate committee will examine internet and telephone surveillance by law enforcement and security agencies.
Broadband
Bill Morrow wants to build NBN legacy for Australia
![Bill Borrow said yes when called to help build Australia's NBN. Bill Borrow said yes when called to help build Australia's NBN.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/5/g/7/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5h8.png/1386881252412.jpg)
Lucy Battersby Vodafone's outgoing CEO hopes running NBN Co will be more difficult than his job at Vodafone, where he is leaving two-thirds of the way through a three-year turnaround process.
Broadband
Labor leaks NBN Co analysis of Coalition NBN
![Shadow communications minister Jason Clare has released a draft NBN Co analysis of the Coalition's NBN. Shadow communications minister Jason Clare has released a draft NBN Co analysis of the Coalition's NBN.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/5/h/1/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5fz.png/1386881150915.jpg)
Ben Grubb A draft analysis of the Coalition's NBN plan produced for the incoming Abbott government by NBN Co has been released by the Labor party.
Broadband
Coalition NBN could reach gigabit speeds by 2030
![A report given to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull shows an upgrade path to gigabit broadband. A report given to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull shows an upgrade path to gigabit broadband.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/1/v/v/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5fn.png/1386825151006.jpg)
Ben Grubb The fixed-line portion of the Coalition's version of the NBN could be upgraded to super-fast gigabit broadband speeds by 2030, according to the NBN strategic review.
Broadband
Vodafone CEO Bill Morrow an 'interesting' appointment for NBN Co
![Bill Morrow will leave Vodafone to head NBN Co. Bill Morrow will leave Vodafone to head NBN Co.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/5/e/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5ey.png/1386809431049.jpg)
Lia Timson The man hired by Vodafone to turn its business around will now be in charge of turning the NBN into a profitable enterprise.
Broadband
NBN has not tested fibre to the node
![A new website has launched to help consumers with wiring up their homes for the NBN. A new website has launched to help consumers with wiring up their homes for the NBN.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/3/r/p/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5az.png/1386742905700.jpg)
Lucy Battersby NBN Co has not conducted any trials of the alternative national broadband network since the change of government, executives told a senate select committee on Wednesday morning.
Broadband
Funding for alternative NBN may require rethink
![A new website has launched to help consumers with wiring up their homes for the NBN. A new website has launched to help consumers with wiring up their homes for the NBN.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/3/r/p/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv5a6.png/1386737800462.jpg)
David Braue Taxpayer funding, sale of company may be needed if project not viable.
Procurement
More Apples, fewer BlackBerries is the forecast for Canberra
![Government agencies are less resistant to non-BlackBerry devices than they used to be. Government agencies are less resistant to non-BlackBerry devices than they used to be.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/5/8/3/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv551.png/1388812816668.jpg)
Sylvia Pennington More Apples, fewer Blackberries - that's the purchasing pattern market watchers expect to see as Canberra overhauls its panel of suppliers of mobile products and services in the new year.
Broadband
NBN Co execs ordered to Canberra again
![Cheaper, faster NBN unlikely to meet 2016 deadline according to confidential briefing papers. Cheaper, faster NBN unlikely to meet 2016 deadline according to confidential briefing papers.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/2/a/a/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv566.png/1386658820802.jpg)
Lucy Battersby A Senate select committee has ordered NBN Co executives to attend a public hearing in Canberra on Wednesday.
Broadband
Mike Quigley to Malcolm Turnbull: 'you don't have a minute to lose'
![Former NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley appearing before a public hearing at Parliament House in 2012. Former NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley appearing before a public hearing at Parliament House in 2012.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/4/z/l/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv4xh.png/1386632632002.jpg)
David Braue He may have been founding chief executive of the best-funded start-up in Australia, but Mike Quigley and his staff consistently refused to throw undue amounts of money at the national broadband network's problems just to make them go away.
Broadband
TPG to take on dominant ISPs with AAPT deal
![Junior telco TPG bought AAPT for $450 million. Junior telco TPG bought AAPT for $450 million.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/4/z/o/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv50k.png/1386625043096.jpg)
Max Mason TPG Telecom has provided its strongest indication yet that it is preparing to take on Australia's dominant internet players.
Procurement
Private largesse: how CenITex accepted hospitality offers
![Hospitality has proven one of the hottest tickets in town for CenITex employees. Hospitality has proven one of the hottest tickets in town for CenITex employees.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/4/z/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv50j.png/1386574605955.jpg)
Melissa Fyfe Fancy free tickets to games, dinners and the races? You might want to become a Victorian public servant.
Broadband
CSIRO: Australia could miss out on broadband's benefits
![Australia has not yet understood the benefits of broadband, says the CSIRO. Australia has not yet understood the benefits of broadband, says the CSIRO.](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/1/i/l/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv4yc.png/1386558344129.jpg)
Lucy Battersby New broadband networks could be "the most important infrastructure built in Australia this century" but only if more people had the confidence to go online.
POlicy
Public servants seek ethical advice about Twitter, Facebook posts
![Former Immigration Department Michaela Banerji is fighting her sacking in court. Photo: Jay Cronan Former Immigration Department Michaela Banerji is fighting her sacking in court. Photo: Jay Cronan](/web/20140106121712im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/v/4/c/i/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.hv4cf.png/1386134134407.jpg)
Markus Mannheim Public servants remain confused about what they can write on Facebook and Twitter, and regularly seek ethical advice.