Broadband - Wireless - Latest Articles

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  Telstra unveils T[Life] Melbourne

  Telstra has thrown the covers off three new stores in Melbourne including the company's largest retail outlet located in the heart of Melbourne's CBD.

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  Vodafone: No 'dollar-a-day' broadband for Aussies

  Vodafone New Zealand has launched a new "dollar-a-day" mobile broadband service, but the carrier's Australian office has told users not to hold their breath for a similar deal here.

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  ISPs: Govt porn filters 'could cripple internet'

  Broadband providers Internode and iiNet have hit out against the Federal government's ISP-level content filtering initiative — a scheme that could cripple Australia's high-speed internet access, according to one exec.

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  Conroy gives rural ISPs guidance on bush broadband

  Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy has issued a new set of guidelines for ISPs servicing rural and regional Australia, on the back of the Federal government's decision to extend the Australian Broadband Guarantee as part of last Tuesday's budget.

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  ISP filtering to get Fed govt subsidy: Budget 08

  ISPs will be granted a one-off government subsidy towards the cost of installing filtering technology as part of the Rudd government's AU$125.8 million cybersafety plan.

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  Rural broadband guarantee extended till 2012

  The government has extended its subsidy to help rural Australians establish a broadband connection by four years.

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  Broadband network big ticket item in budget

  Senator Conroy says the proposed national broadband network will rival the Snowy Mountains hydro scheme in terms of scale and significance.

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  Sydney's free Wi-Fi plans scrapped

  The NSW government has scrapped plans to offer free Wi-Fi in Sydney, citing spiralling costs and overseas failures for killing the project.

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  Conroy kills $1bn OPEL rural broadband contract

  The federal government has cancelled the contract for Optus and Elders to build a WiMAX broadband network, the companies say.

More news »

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  Photos: T[Life] Melbourne

  Telstra's new T[Life] store in Melbourne is glossy and enormous, and those south-of-the-border should count themselves lucky. Everyone else we bring you a virtual walk through.

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  Photos: Annoying hardware, a rogues' gallery

  Hardware may be less 'in your face' than software, but it can still ruin your day. We've listed our main bugbears: let us know if you agree.

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  Getting Steamed: digital distribution for games isn't there yet

  Online distribution should be world-wide, and yet we're still thinking inside old market models.

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  Around the world in.... WiMax

  WiMax, the controversial long range wireless broadband technology, is set to spread across rural Australia from next year -- but despite the outgoing Howard government's ambitious project, both fixed and mobile variants of the technology are already being deployed around the world.

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  Australian Federal Election 2007: a CNET.com.au guide

  This Saturday's federal election promises to be the most exciting in at least a decade. If you're undecided as to who to vote for or just can't wait until the first results dribble through, there's a plethora of ways to stay informed.

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  Photos: Australian broadband coverage

  With a fierce battle raging over Australia's broadband future and how bush users should be connected, regulators have weighed in to produce a state of nation report into the country's communications infrastructure and how well consumers are being served by their providers.

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  Mobile broadband cranks it up: HSDPA data cards compared

  High-speed mobile broadband has arrived! We compare Telstra's BigPond Wireless Next G service, Vodafone's HSDPA-enhanced 3G network and 3's new NetConnect ExpressCard.

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  Speed up your Web downloads

  When it comes to the Internet, speed is everything. Here are some top downloads that can help your Web speed blaze.

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  Best of CeBIT Australia 2006

  CeBIT Australia attracted around 30,000 people last week to its computer expo at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. Here are our top picks from what we saw and CNET.com.au's CeBIT 2006 People's Choice Award the best consumer product or service.

More features »

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  Oi!: 3's wire-free USB

  3 Mobile's HSDPA broadband modems have shrugged off the shackles of a wired connection and been given a sleek-looking makeover in the process.

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  Oi!: 3 bundles mobiles with broadband

  3 Mobile bundles capped mobile plans with mobile broadband and very nearly gives us what we want.

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  Oi!: Christmas Karma

  If you want to shop online for a socially responsible gift, try something new called Karma Currency, Australia's first charity gift voucher.

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  Oi!: Mardi Gras announces $10 parade webcast

  Instant toilet access, cheap drinks, no teetering on the top of a stack of upturned milk crates that you've just bought from an enterprising young chap at Hyde Park. Tempting way to watch Sydney's Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras parade?

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  Oi!: ReelTime movies: yours for keeps

  Universal and ReelTime have paired up to launch Australia's first download-to-own movie service.

More oi! »

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  Optus beefs up Wi-Fi hotspot coverage

  Optus has signed an agreement with Azure Wireless that will see customers of the Singapore Telecommunications-owned carrier gain access to an additional 450 WiFi hotspots.

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  Boxing Day launch for Unwired laptop card

  Sydney wireless carrier Unwired plans to start selling a long-awaited PCMCIA card version of its broadband modem for laptops on Boxing Day.

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  3 boosts Sydney mobile speeds

  Hutchison has upgraded the data speeds available through its 3 mobile network, in Sydney metropolitan areas.

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  Coonan talks tough on Telstra CDMA

  Communications Minister Senator Helen Coonan has again warned that Telstra must not jeopardise CDMA coverage to customers in regional and rural areas as the telco prepares to switch off the network in favour of its third generation mobile network.

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  Optus promises nationwide HSDPA by June

  The nation's number two telco Optus has pledged to upgrade the data speed of its entire third-generation (3G) national mobile network by the end of May 2007.

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  12Mbps wireless broadband for rural Oz: govt

  The government has revealed how its new plan will tackle broadband blackspots in both metropolitan and rural areas using WiMax.

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  New Wi-Fi distance record: 382 kilometers

  Researcher Ermanno Pietrosemoli has set what appears to be a new record for the longest communication link with Wi-Fi.

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  Coonan's 'equal opportunity' broadband

  The details of a scheme that promises the most far-flung Aussies a chance to get the same broadband as their city-dwelling cousins have been unveiled

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  City dwellers get Vodafone speed bump

  Vodafone has rolled out HSDPA -- a higher speed version of 3G -- to a slew of new metropolitan areas in Australia, but rural users will have to wait for the same privilege.

• Broadband Internet speed test

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  Telstra Next G Prepaid Broadband

  Telstra's prepaid wireless broadband offering is good for casual browsers or those who'd rather avoid dodgy Net cafes, but beware — there's a pricing sting to be considered.

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  3 Mobile Broadband USB Modem

  It's hard to say whether it's the hardware or the network at fault with 3's USB Mobile Broadband USB Modem. Either way, we're not impressed with what it offers.

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  3 NetConnect Mobile Broadband Card (HSDPA)

  3's NetConnect mobile broadband card combines HSDPA speeds, compatibility with ExpessCard and PC Card laptop slots and exceptional pricing plans into a magic mobility mix.

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  Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G HSDPA USB Modem

  Vodafone's compact USB modem boosts accessibility to the telco's high-speed 3G mobile network — but the speed can range from over 2Mbps to less than 300Kbps depending on your location.

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  BigPond Next G Wireless Broadband USB Mobile Card

  Telstra's Next G USB modem pushes the wireless broadband needle past 2Mbps, making it a better choice than its sibling PC Card in most (but not all) situations.

More reviews »

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  Telstra Next G Prepaid Broadband

  Telstra's prepaid wireless broadband offering is good for casual browsers or those who'd rather avoid dodgy Net cafes, but beware — there's a pricing sting to be considered.

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  3 Mobile Broadband USB Modem (HSDPA)

  It's hard to say whether it's the hardware or the network at fault with 3's USB Mobile Broadband USB Modem. Either way, we're not impressed with what it offers.

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  3 Mobile Internet NetConnect Card

  Those seeking a wireless "broadband anywhere" connection have another reliable option with the 3 Mobile Internet NetConnect Card, but the usual "subject to coverage area" caveats apply.

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  Telstra BigPond Wireless Broadband

  As long as you're a metropolitan broadband user, Telstra BigPond Wireless Broadband delivers well, but it can't be said to be an inexpensive broadband option.

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  Optus Wireless Connect

  Optus’ combo PC Card ticks every box on the wireless menu, including 3G, GPRS and Wi-Fi, to serve road warriors with a smorgasbord of connectivity.

More popular reviews »

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  Vodafone Mobile Connect

  Aggressive pricing, a slice of speed-boosting tech and a tempting 'unlimited' downloads plan puts Vodafone in pole position in the race for 3G datacard customers.

More editors' choice »