********************************************************** Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre Nanyang Technological University, Singapore http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
********************************************************** Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, already online! And see my website - http://GoldsteinReport.com/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Microsoft's search engine boosts market share http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26085466-7582,00.html Latest Google news service promises publishers money and readers http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/15/google-news-service-experiment Australia's growing addiction to wireless broadband http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26070919-601,00.html Facebook now reaches 300 million users - and makes money http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/sep/15/facebook-300-million 750,000 paedophiles prowling the net: UN http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/17/2688234.htm UN expert: child porn on Internet increases [AP] http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/16/international/i101255D46.DTL Bid to NZ keep kids safe online [Papakura Courier] http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/papakura-courier/2867281/ NZ’s Hector’s World & Google Launch [news release] http://hectorsworld.netsafe.org.nz/2009/09/nz%E2%80%99s-hector%E2%80%99s-world-google-launch/ Lily Allen hits out at file sharers as Tories mock government plans http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6835043.ece UK music industry ready for climbdown on internet piracy demands http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6836104.ece French piracy bill approved - '1000 a day could be taken offline' [AP] http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597617 Skype Founders File Copyright Suit Against eBay http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/technology/companies/17skype.html Schools Defy Beijing, Remove Web Filter http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125310519098115697.html France Télécom bosses to hold crisis talks over staff suicides http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/15/france-telecom-suicide Telstra break-up will be pain for telco and gain for consumers http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080215-5013404,00.html Telstra may benefit from Stephen Conroy's separation plan: comment by John Durie http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26081480-5013408,00.html ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Microsoft's search engine boosts market share Microsoft's Bing search engine is emerging as a challenger to the dominance of Google after capturing a near-11 per cent share of the market in little more than three months. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26085466-7582,00.html Latest Google news service promises publishers money and readers Google is launching an experimental news service that it says will boost the revenues and readership of newspapers and allow people to mimic the experience of flicking through pages to find a good read. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/15/google-news-service-experiment Google Releases News-Reading Service Google, long seen as an enemy by many in the news industry, is making a bold attempt to be seen as a friend with a new service it hopes will make it easier for readers to read newspaper and magazine articles. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/technology/internet/15google.html Google turns page on news content Google has unveiled a service called Fast Flip to let users consume news more quickly and to boost the flagging fortunes of the news industry. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8256054.stm Google turns a new page in online news content Google has stepped up its efforts to woo newspaper publishers with a search service that displays results in the style of a "virtual magazine". http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article6834456.ece http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26076347-36418,00.html Recession hasn't slowed global Internet traffic [IDG] Not even the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression could slow the ongoing explosion of traffic over international Internet connections, and service providers are still building to accommodate it. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138026/Recession_hasn_t_slowed_global_Internet_traffic http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/171985/.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/318562/ Google Docs 'widely used' at 1-in-5 workplaces, reports survey The near total dominance of Microsoft Office in the workplace may be getting a serious challenge from Google Docs, according to a new survey by market research firm IDC. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138157/Google_Docs_widely_used_at_1_in_5_workplaces_reports_survey Australia's growing addiction to wireless broadband Australians can't get enough of mobile wireless internet, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows. Since December last year there has been a 51 per cent increase in subscribers to mobile wireless, the service that allows customers to access the net at places away from their home such as coffee shops and airport lounges. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26070919-601,00.html ABS Report: Internet Activity, Australia, Jun 2009 - Highlights At the end of June 2009, there were 8.4 million active internet subscribers in Australia http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/8153.0 Aussie web data consumption doubles Australian internet users now consume twice as much data than they did a year ago, but figures by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveal there are still over 200,000 businesses and government agencies on a dial-up connection. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Aussie-web-data-consumption-doubles/0,130061791,339298504,00.htm ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook now reaches 300 million users - and makes money Cynics have long dismissed social networking as a fad - but the appetite for connecting online appears to be growing more rapidly than ever, after Facebook announced today that it now has more than 300 million users worldwide. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/sep/15/facebook-300-million 300 Million and On by Mark Zuckerberg As of today, Facebook now serves 300 million people across the world. It's a large number, but the way we think about this is that we're just getting started on our goal of connecting everyone. http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=136782277130 Facebook makes money, tops 300 million users Facebook is making enough money to cover its costs and now has 300 million users, the world's largest social networking site said on Tuesday, proving the Internet's newest star industry can be a viable business. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE58E80620090916 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-42481820090916 http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/2869807/ Facebook finally set to turn a profit [AFP] Facebook has announced it is now earning more money than it is spending and has signed up its 300 millionth member. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/16/2687317.htm Twitter gives traders voice in virtual open outcry Twitter is resurrecting in cyberspace the teeming trading pits of yesteryear as traders sign up with the the social networking site to reconnect with global counterparts. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ff39ba8a-a2ef-11de-ba74-00144feabdc0.html Twitter funding would value it at $1 bln - report Twitter is closing a round of funding that will value the company known for its 140-character, stream-of-consciousness blogs at $1 billion (₤606 million), technology news site TechCrunch reported on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE58F6NC20090917 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-42513920090917 http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/2874477/Twitter-valued-at-US-1b au: 'Facebook Five' spat sparks privacy row It is almost an Australian tradition to sit at the pub after work and sledge the boss, but six New South Wales prison officers have discovered you can run into trouble when you take that sledging online. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/17/2688792.htm ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** S'pore, Taiwan among world's most competitive Five countries in the Asia-Pacific region have been identified among the world's top 20 economies in IT competitiveness, according to a new report released Thursday. http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62057848,00.htm ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ 750,000 paedophiles prowling the net: UN About 750,000 sexual predators are constantly prowling the internet in a bid to gain contact with children, a United Nations report warned. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/17/2688234.htm UN expert: child porn on Internet increases [AP] The number of Web sites containing child pornography is increasing and more images show serious abuses, a U.N. expert said Wednesday. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/16/international/i101255D46.DTL http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/child-porn-networks-growing-warns-un-20090917-fscv.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/un-expert-child-porn-on-internet-increases-20090917-frxe.html Cyber predators are 'enemy number one' As Australian children spend more time unsupervised on the internet, police say cyber predators are posing one of the greatest social challenges to the community. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/16/2688031.htm Dangers of the digital age Being digitally connected around the clock brings huge benefits for many of us, but for an increasing number of children this new connectedness also brings with it the frightening world of 24/7 bullying. http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2009/09/17/2679508.htm Bid to NZ keep kids safe online [Papakura Courier] The internet and cellphones are part of everyday life for Kiwi kids but both present risks so Telecom, NetSafe and police have collaborated on a Keeping Kiwi kids safer in Cyberspace pamphlet for parents. http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/papakura-courier/2867281/ NZ’s Hector’s World & Google Launch [news release] Today Hector’s World Limited launches its new brand channel on YouTube, the world’s leading resource for video sharing and watching. RanjeetHector’s World® is an internationally recognised education initiative which helps children 2-9 years old stay safe online and learn about digital citizenship. HWL is one of the first charities in New Zealand and Australia to have such an ad-free channel. http://hectorsworld.netsafe.org.nz/2009/09/nz%E2%80%99s-hector%E2%80%99s-world-google-launch/ Conroy confirms receipt of internet filtering report Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam today confirmed that Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has taken receipt of his ISP-level filtering report, but was yet to release it. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/155933,conroy-confirms-receipt-of-internet-filtering-report.aspx Internet filtering pilot: Conroy waits for report As Senate Greens turned up the volume on demands for more detail of Government plans for mandatory internet filtering, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy recommitted to releasing a consultants report on the issue when it is completed. http://www.itwire.com/content/view/27803/53/ Has Conroy's dept received filter report? Uncertainty reigns about whether Stephen Conroy's Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has received Enex Testlabs' report into the feasibility of ISP-level content filtering. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Has-Conroy-s-dept-received-filter-report-/0,130061791,339298583,00.htm Aussie censors persist in making a bad fist of it Male masturbation and extreme anal fisting are now PG, as far as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) are concerned. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/15/ozzie_censorship_mess/ Sony refuses to rule out Australian PlayStation adult content Sony Australia may allow downloadable adult content on its popular PlayStation 3 console locally as it prepares to launch a local video download service. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/318774/ Could Internet filtering cause more harm than good? Countries around the world are steadily rolling out filtering systems which block citizens from viewing child abuse imagery. With the United Kingdom and New Zealand with independent filters in place, and Australia potentially soon after, Internet censorship is becoming common practice across the world. http://blogs.zdnet.com/igeneration/?p=2799 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Lily Allen hits out at file sharers as Tories mock government plans The battle within the music industry over how to deal with internet pirates intensified today as the Conservatives announced their opposition to government plans to disconnect repeat offenders from the internet, and Lily Allen condemned artists who have spoken out against the proposals. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6835043.ece UK music industry ready for climbdown on internet piracy demands The music industry is preparing to back down from its demands that people caught downloading songs illegally be disconnected from the internet after a revolt by leading musicians. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6836104.ece French 'pass' piracy legislation The French National Assembly has passed a draft law that would allow illegal downloaders to be thrown off the net. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8257720.stm French piracy bill approved - '1000 a day could be taken offline' [AP] France's lower house of parliament approved a pioneering bill yesterday, allowing authorities to cut off internet access to people who download illegally, a measure that entertainment companies hope will be a powerful weapon against piracy. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597617 Ilegal downloaders face web ban in France [AFP] A bill that will allow authorities to cut illegal downloaders off from the worldwide web was on Tuesday approved by French lawmakers. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ilegal-downloaders-face-web-ban-in-france-20090916-fpww.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ilegal-downloaders-face-web-ban-in-france-20090916-fpww.html ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** New Africa broadband link 'ready' A new high-speed undersea cable connecting East Africa with the rest of the world is poised to go live, Kenya's top internet official has told the BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8257038.stm ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** UK lawyer threatens Facebook, mulls action against ISPs to block defamation The lawyer who has threatened Facebook with a defamation suit on behalf of boxing promoter Frank Warren has said that he may take action against internet service providers (ISPs) for US-published defamation. http://out-law.com/page-10378 us: Blair sets intel goals, ranks cybersecurity high Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair today unveiled an overarching strategy for the nation's intelligence agencies, which for the first time lists cybersecurity and counterintelligence as top mission priorities. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090915_2113.php China, Russia 'aggressive' in cyberspace: US intelligence [AFP] China and Russia are "aggressive" players in cyberspace, the US intelligence chief said Tuesday as a report identified enhancing cybersecurity as a national priority. The 2009 National Intelligence Strategy (NIS), a four-year blueprint for the intelligence community, "elevates the importance of the challenges we face in the cyber domain," Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-russia-aggressive-in-cyberspace-us-intelligence-20090916-fpws.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-russia-aggressive-in-cyberspace-us-intelligence-20090916-fpws.html Hathaway: US Feds Starting to Get Cybersecurity In her first public address since leaving the White House, Melissa Hathaway issued an urgent warning about the severity of the cyber threats facing America's digital networks, a message she tempered with a cautious optimism about the mounting political will toward addressing the challenges. http://www.internetnews.com/government/article.php/3839001 House Cyber Leaders Urge Swift Action House Cybersecurity Caucus co-chairs Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas, urged President Obama last week to swiftly appoint a permanent cybersecurity coordinator within the White House. In a Thursday letter, the pair said the absence of such an official "impedes the ability of federal agencies to move forward in updating and strengthening their aging cyber policies," while complicating efforts to collaborate with private institutions that also play a critical role. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/house-cyber-leaders-urge-swift.php Skype Founders File Copyright Suit Against eBay The founders of Skype are escalating their legal battle with eBay. Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who became billionaires after selling Skype to eBay in 2005, filed a copyright lawsuit on Wednesday against Skype in the United States District Court of Northern California. The suit comes a little more than two weeks after eBay announced it would sell most of Skype for $1.9 billion, to a consortium of investors led by the private equity firm Silver Lake Partners. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/technology/companies/17skype.html Skype founders file copyright suit against Skype Joltid, a peer-to-peer software company established by Skype's founders, filed a copyright suit against Skype Wednesday alleging Joltid's technology is being infringed on by Skype users "in the United States at least 100,000 times each day." http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10355258-2.html Skype founders go to court to seek damages The original founders of Skype initiated a legal action tonight, demanding billions of dollars in damages against the investment group that has just agreed to buy the internet telephony company from eBay for $1.9 billion (£1.2 billion). http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/article6837583.ece Report: Skype founders sue Skype [IDG] With a similar legal battle playing out in the U.K., a company owned by Skype's founders has reportedly filed suit against Skype in the U.S. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138151/Report_Skype_founders_sue_Skype http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/318926/ ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Swiss watchdog threatens to sue Google over Street View [AFP] Switzerland's data protection watchdog on Monday threatened to sue Google over its "Street View" facility, saying that measures taken by the American Internet giant to address privacy concerns were inadequate. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/swiss-watchdog-threatens-to-sue-google-over-street-view-20090915-fo1i.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/swiss-watchdog-threatens-to-sue-google-over-street-view-20090915-fo1i.html Standing on guard in Canada for privacy - before Facebook by Michael Geist The recent Canadian privacy case involving Facebook attracted international attention as the world's leading social networking site agreed to implement a series of changes that will affect 250 million users. While the case is a significant victory for Canadian privacy, the issue might never have been addressed but for a second, little-noticed privacy decision released two weeks later. http://www.thestar.com/article/695147 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Schools Defy Beijing, Remove Web Filter Some Chinese schools are removing the Web-filtering software that Chinese authorities ordered installed on all computers this summer, further weakening the influence of a controversial censorship measure that was intended for PC users throughout China. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125310519098115697.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** FTC to Host Public Roundtables to Address Evolving Consumer Privacy Issues [news release] The Federal Trade Commission will host a series of day-long public roundtable discussions to explore the privacy challenges posed by the vast array of 21st century technology and business practices that collect and use consumer data. http://ftc.gov/opa/2009/09/privacyrt.shtm FTC To Host Privacy Workshops As Congress contemplates Internet privacy and data security legislation, the FTC will host the first in a series of public roundtable discussions on Dec. 7 to explore challenges posed by the array of 21st century technology and business practices that collect and use consumer information. Such practices include social networking, cloud computing, behavioral advertising, mobile marketing, and the collection and use of information by retailers, data brokers and third parties, the FTC said in a Tuesday notice. The events will help the Commission determine how best to protect consumer privacy while supporting beneficial uses of the information and technological innovation. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/ftc-to-host-privacy-workshops.php ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* linux.conf.au 2010 Announces Three Funding Programmes! linux.conf.au 2010 Organisers are proud to announce three funding programmes! The three funding programmes - InternetNZ Oceania Programme, InternetNZ Kiwi Fellowship and Google Diversity Programme - have been created to assist those delegates contributing to the Open Source community who, without financial assistance, would not be able to attend LCA2010. http://www.lca2010.org.nz/media/news/89 Intel Says Europe Erred in Levying $1.4 Billion Fine [AP] The Intel Corporation, the computer chip maker, is claiming in court documents that European Union regulators made serious mistakes in levying a record fine of €1.06 billion (US$1.45 billion) last May on a charge of illegally restricting a competitor. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/technology/companies/16chip.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** France Télécom bosses to hold crisis talks over staff suicides The French government will hold a crisis meeting with the boss of France Télécom today as concern mounts over a spate of suicides among staff which unions have blamed on workplace stress. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/15/france-telecom-suicide nz: Joyce unveils ultra-fast broadband proposal Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce today released the details of the government's $1.5 billion ultra-fast broadband investment initiative. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597644 NZ Industry welcomes broadband plan User-focused ICT interest groups hailed the government's broadband announcement today, with one saying it represented a "fundamental" break from the past. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/036DAFA9DDAD6F5ECC257632007F19B2 http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/2870822/ http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/2870822/ Government finalises broadband investment proposal ICT minister Steven Joyce has finally released details of the government’s planned $1.5 billion broadband investment initiative, which broadly follows the outline of the government's original regional investment structure. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/B9DE9FBAF33A6A1ACC257632007699A6 NZ Govt details NZ$1.5Bn NBN roll-out The New Zealand Government today released the final details of its nationwide NZ$1.5 billion ultra-fast broadband roll-out, saying priority would be given to connecting schools, hospitals, health service providers and homes in new sub-divisions. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NZ-Govt-details-NZ-1-5Bn-NBN-roll-out/0,130061791,339298557,00.htm nz: Play ball, or we will overbuild networks, says government The final version of government’s $1.5bn “ultra-fast” broadband proposal has delivered a none-too-subtle warning to incumbent telcos that excessive charging or other non-competitive practices regarding access to their networks will not be tolerated. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/8D7D02A0F7DE3D09CC257633000A94EB User Groups welcome broadband proposal TUANZ and Internet NZ have both released statements welcoming the government’s final proposal for its $1.5 billion broadband rollout. http://www.telecommunicationsreview.co.nz/200909163483/user-groups-welcome-broadband-proposal.php Broadband door opens to Telecom [The Dominion Post] The Government reopened the door to Telecom taking part in its plan to roll out ultrafast broadband to millions of homes, businesses and schools, after chief executive Paul Reynolds yesterday complained it had been slammed shut. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/2872107/ http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/business/2872107/ http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/features/technology/2872556/ Telecom role unclear in govt broadband plan [NZPA] The government blueprint for managing its $1.5 billion investment in ultra-fast broadband released on Wednesday won much praise but left many people wondering what Telecom's role will be. http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/telecom-role-unclear-in-govt-broadband-plan-2994652 Telecom's fibre network dilemma Telecom faces carving off its retail division or ceding control of its investment if it joins with the Government in building an ultra-fast broadband network. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597775 Telecom could still get slice of $1.5b broadband plan Communications Minister Steven Joyce has left the door open for Telecom's Chorus division to buddy up with the government's new investment company to roll-out ultrafast broadband. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597703 Telecom, TelstraClear man the dark fibre barricades Buying or leasing optical fibre cables that are unlit – that is, without termination equipment and services such as Ethernet running over them – is an option that’s becoming increasingly popular overseas, as it provides an economical alternative to costlier, traditional telco-supplied circuits. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/F9AFAF6ACB8DBC36CC257632007970D6 NZ Telecom welcomes Telstra split The Australian government is pressuring Telstra into splitting into two separate businesses, leap-frogging New Zealand's May 2006 reforms of Telecom with its own more draconian approach to regulation. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/774C5DE9275211C4CC2576320073BEFD ICT industry welcomes government broadband plan : InternetNZ calls on Telecom to consider structural separation of Chorus User-focused ICT interest groups hailed the government's broadband announcement today, with one saying it represented a "fundamental" break from the past. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/036DAFA9DDAD6F5ECC257632007F19B2 Praise for NZ broadband rollout The Telecommunications Users Association is touting the new broadband initiative as the biggest and most fundamental change to the sector in 20 years. http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=163274 http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=105126 NZ govt unveils $1b fiber plan, warns Telecom NZ The New Zealand has government has unveiled details of its NZ$1.5 billion ($1.07 billion) high-speed broadband plan with a warning that incumbent Telecom NZ will need to structurally separate if it wants to take part. http://www.telecomasia.net/content/nz-govt-unveils-1b-fiber-plan-warns-telecom-nz Telstra break-up will be pain for telco and gain for consumers Stephen Conroy's radical reshaping of the telecommunications industry will not change the way Australians use their mobiles, surf the internet or watch pay-TV. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080215-5013404,00.html Stephen Conroy rings in a new era for telcos The Rudd government has given Telstra an ultimatum to split its wholesale and retail businesses or it will be forced to sell key assets and locked out of new broadband and mobile phone opportunities, in the biggest shake-up of the communications sector in a generation. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080618-601,00.html Telstra may benefit from Stephen Conroy's separation plan: comment by John Durie The morning after the Conroy bombshell has revealed that life will not nearly be as bad as the doomsayers had predicted. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26081480-5013408,00.html Government makes the right call on telco split: comment by Michelle Grattan The Federal Government is strong-arming Telstra into separating out its network and retail business, and Telstra is predictably squealing. But it's a mutually beneficial play, given Telstra's very limited options, and it should lead to more transparency and lower prices for consumers. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/government-makes-the-right-call-on-telco-split-20090915-fpok.html Ultimatum to Telstra carries $10m fines Telstra will face fines of $10 million if it fails to comply with tougher mandatory consumer protection standards under the Federal Government's proposed restructure. http://www.theage.com.au/business/ultimatum-to-telstra-carries-10m-fines-20090915-fpq3.html Telstra has to separate or lose out, analysts say Telstra could be deprived of a large revenue stream from mobile phones and broadband if it refuses to bow to the strongest form of separation proposed by the Federal Government. http://www.smh.com.au/business/telstra-has-to-separate-or-lose-out-analysts-say-20090915-fpqz.html http://www.theage.com.au/business/telstras-separation-anxiety-20090915-fppo.html NBN process already taking shape The Rudd government may be forcing the break-up of Telstra to help realise its national broadband network dream, but the first NBN rollout is already under way, bypassing Telstra. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080079-5013404,00.html Ground broken for network In A paddock between an oyster lease and Hobart Airport, the first cable trench of the national broadband network was dug yesterday. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/ground-broken-for-network-20090915-fppc.html Telstra toyed with the big split The Telstra reform package outlined yesterday not only rates as the most serious and beneficial micro-economic reform of the present government, but better still, it simply suggests a plan the company itself has long considered. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26078968-5013408,00.html Wipe-out: $2b lost on threats to Telstra The days of Telstra's stranglehold on the telecommunications market are numbered after the Rudd Government announced a dramatic shake-up that wiped nearly $2 billion off the value of the company's shares yesterday. http://www.smh.com.au/business/wipeout-2b-lost-on-threats-to-telstra-20090915-fpqt.html Telstra gets plenty of stick but no carrot: Comment The Rudd Government yesterday brought out that big stick again - the one it uses to make sure that Telstra remembers that when it comes to negotiating, the Government has the ultimate control. http://www.smh.com.au/business/telstra-gets-plenty-of-stick-but-no-carrot-20090915-fpr2.html The game's up for the old Telstra The Rudd Government has moved to break Telstra's stranglehold on Australian telecommunications, announcing a forced restructure that prompted investors to strip nearly $2 billion in value from the company's shares yesterday. http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-games-up-for-the-old-telstra-20090915-fpo4.html Conroy draws the line at Telstra's monopoly Telstra will face fines of $10 million if it fails to comply with tougher mandatory consumer protection standards under the Federal Government's proposal to restructure it. http://www.smh.com.au/business/conroy-draws-the-line-at-telstras-monopoly-20090915-fpqu.html Telco's break-up good for consumers, bad for shareholders The Government's decision to split Telstra may prove a boon to consumers but has incensed shareholders of the telecommunications company who had no inkling their investment would be cut in two when they acquired shares at privatisation. http://www.theage.com.au/business/telcos-breakup-good-for-consumers-bad-for-shareholders-20090915-fppp.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information on subscriptions to the domain name and/or general internet news please contact me. For archives of postings to the list, see http://lists.technewsreview.com.au/pipermail/technewsreview/. Also see http://GoldsteinReport.com/ for recent updates. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: [email protected] web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery __________________________________________________________________________________ Get more done like never before with Yahoo!7 Mail. Learn more: http://au.overview.mail.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ APPLe mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.apnic.net/mailman/listinfo/apple
