Telecoms news from Australia

Connsumer Rights Group Wants Warnings About the Cost of In-App Purchases

The Australian consumer body ACCAN is calling on the telecoms regulator to take action on apps that advertise as free but encourage or require in-app purchases to keep playing. ...more.

Australia Raises $2 Billion from Radio Spectrum Auction

Australia has completed its radio spectrum auction and all three bidders secured spectrum in the auction, resulting in total costs of nearly $2 billion, which was only slightly above the controversially high reserve prices. ...more.

Vodafone Australia Expected to Post Further Losses into 2014

Vodafone Australia is expected to post more losses before it can turn around its performance, the company's joint owner, Hutchison Telecoms has warned. ...more.

Australian Androids Admeasurement Advances Against Apple

Apple's iOS smartphones have continued to lose share to Android in terms of mobile advertising traffic in Australia, according to the ad agency, InMobi. ...more.

Telstra addresses data "bill shock" for roaming customers

Australia's Telstra has introduced an SMS alert system designed to minimise bill shock by keeping customers informed of how much data they are using whilst travelling overseas. ...more.

Australia's Telstra Signs Up 2.1 Million 4G Customers

Australia's Telstra says that it has signed up over 2.1 million customers onto its LTE based 4G network. ...more.

Huawei Bidding for $2.1 Billion Australian LTE Contract

Huawei is reported to be close to signing a deal that would see it take the bulk of an Australian upgrade contract worth around US$2.1 billion. ...more.

Australia's data and messaging revenues exceeds voice for the first time

The value of mobile data and messaging revenues has exceeded voice call revenues for the first time in Australia, ...more.

Australian Phone Company Severely Criticised by Judge over Sales Tactics

An Australian mobile service reseller, Excite Mobile has been found guilty by a Federal Court of engaging in what was called "false and misleading and unconscionable conduct in its provision of mobile phone services". ...more.

Vodafone Explores Alternative Backhaul Options for Rural Australian Coverage

Vodafone Australia says that it has started talks with the company deploying Australia's National Broadband Network to explore options for using its backhaul network for rural mobile broadband services. ...more.

Shrinking Performance Gap Between Australian Mobile Networks

As the wireless services industry grows increasingly competitive and 4G service becomes more prevalent, the gap in network quality performance between the highest- and lowest-ranked carriers has narrowed compared with 2012, ...more.

Moody's: Australia's spectrum auctions credit negative for Telstra, Optus

Moody's Investors Service says that the credit profiles of Telstra and SingTel Optus are likely to come under pressure from their participation in the spectrum auctions in Australia scheduled for April. ...more.

Australia Extends "Do Not Call" Registration Duration

The Australian Government has extended the period for numbers registered on the Do Not Call Register to eight years. ...more.

Vodafone Australia to Launch LTE Services in June

Vodafone Australia has outlined the company's plans to launch what it says could be the country's fastest LTE network in five major cities. ...more.

Australia's MVNOs gain a million customers in 3 years

The combined market share of MVNOs among Australian 14+ mobile phone users has grown for the 12th straight quarter, up from 8.4% in December 2009 to 13.5% at the end of 2012, ...more.

Australia's Optus Cutting Nearly 300 Jobs in Landline Division

Central to the change is a focus on landline services, the end of third party door-to-door sales, and efficiencies gained through alignment of IT systems and Network functions. ...more.

Ericsson Tests 1 Terabit per Second Transmission Down Optical Fiber

Ericsson says that it has carried out successful trial of its 1Tbps (terabit per second) optical transmission equipment over Telstra's fiber optic network in Australia. ...more.

SingTel Puts Australian Satellite fleet up for Sale

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) has confirmed that it is looking at a possible sale of the satellite operations at its Australian subsidiary, Optus. Any deal is expected to be worth more than US$1 billion. ...more.

Australian media tablet sales exceeded 2.4 million units in 2012

Following a stellar holiday period, the media tablet market in Australia continues to power on with more than 2.4 million units sold in 2012, according to a new study released by analyst firm Telsyte. ...more.

Fitch Affirms Australia's Telstra at IDR 'A'; Outlook Stable

Fitch said that the ratings reflect Telstra's leading market share in the fixed-wire and wireless communication markets as well as its prudent capital management strategy. ...more.