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Aussies warned over new nbn scam

Aussies have been warned against a new nbn scam targeting businesses and residents. Last year, about 1,800 Australians lost more than $1.2 million to scammers pretending to be nbn employees in a remote access scam. Now, they have found a new way to scam unsuspecting businesses and residents by pretending to be employees and getting people to hand over their personal details and money in areas where actual nbn employees are working. The opportunistic scammers have been randomly knocking on doors or cold calling homes in areas where nbn technicians are installing new fibre. A few people have already been duped, with nbn impersonators calling customers claiming they need money to pay for new internet hardware or postage costs. Scammers have also offered to inspect people's homes for a nbn fibre upgrade and took their bank account details in the process. Other impersonators have called customers saying they would show up a few days later, despite having no prior appointment booked. Scammers have also impersonated staff, and used the presence of actual nbn vehicles on the street as proof of their authenticity. “These impersonators are also asking residents for payment to test their services or secure upgrades and repair works in the future,” nbn Local head Chris Cusack said. “In taking the payment these people are then skimming banking and card details to extract more money afterwards. “We are asking residents to be extra-vigilant against scams, especially while legitimate nbn work is underway.” Nbn has advised that their technicians would always contact people to ensure they were aware of visits before their appointments, and inform them of where they will be doing fibre upgrades. They also send their customers texts to confirm or cancel the appointment, and let them know when they are on their way. Nbn technicians never ask for payment for an appointment, postage costs, hardware costs, or access to any devices. Approved technicians and workers all carry identification cards, and the nbn Local head suggested that customers should always request to see the card before providing access to their residence. “Do not share your bank or personal details with an unsolicited caller or with people who door knock claiming to be from nbn trying to sell you an nbn service or seeking payment for related services,” Cusack said. “If you get contacted like this, please close your door, or hang up the phone and report it to the ACCC’s Scam watch.” Images: news.com.au

Legal

Why does my internet connection feel slow and jumpy, even when my internet speed is high?

<div> <div class="copy"> Of the 8.2 million homes and businesses active on Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) in July 2021, 77% are now <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/about-nbn-co/updates/dashboard-july-2021" target="_blank">reported</a> to be on a broadband plan that delivers speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps). This is plenty to accommodate a typical household’s needs for video streaming (Netflix high-definition resolution, for instance, uses about 3Mbps and ultra-high definition about 12Mbps), video conferencing (2-3Mbps), gaming (less than 1Mbps) and general web browsing. So why do we still experience video freeze, game lag spikes, and teleconference stutters? The problem is not speed, but other factors such as latency and loss, which are unrelated to speed. For more than three decades we have been conditioned to think of broadband in terms of Mbps. This made sense when we had dial-up internet, over which web pages took many seconds to load, and when DSL lines could not support more than one video stream at a time. But once speeds approach 100Mbps and beyond, studies from the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.broadband-forum.org/an-economic-argument-for-moving-away-from-mbps" target="_blank">Broadband Forum</a> and others show that further increases are largely imperceptible to users. Yet Australian consumers fear being caught short on broadband speed. More than half a million Australians moved to plans delivering <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/record-number-of-australians-move-to-very-high-speed-nbn-plans" target="_blank">more than 250Mbps</a> in the March 2021 quarter. Indeed, we have collectively bought about 410 terabits per second (Tbps) on our speed plans, while actual usage peaks at 23Tbps. This suggests we collectively use less than 6% of the speed we pay for!<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/cybersecurity-war-online/" target="_blank"></a> In contrast to our need for speed, our online time has grown tremendously. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the average Australian household <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Internet%20Activity%20Report%20%28December%202020%29.pdf" target="_blank">consumed 355 gigabytes of data in December 2020</a>, a 59% increase on the year before. Our internet usage is like a marathon runner gradually adding more and more miles to their training distances, rather than a sprinter reaching higher and higher top speeds. It therefore makes little sense to judge our multi-hour marathon of video streaming, gaming and teleconferencing by running a connection speed test which is a 5-10 second sprint. <h2>What do we really need from broadband?</h2> So what do we need from our broadband for a good streaming, gaming or conferencing experience? A connection that offers low and relatively constant latency (the time taken to move data packets from the server to your house) and loss (the proportion of data packets that are lost in transit). These factors in turn depend on how well your internet service provider (ISP) has engineered and tuned its network. To reduce latency, your ISP can deploy local caches that store a copy of the videos you want to watch, and local game servers to host your favourite e-sport titles, thereby reducing the need for long-haul transport. They can also provide good routing paths to servers, thereby avoiding poor-quality or congested links. To manage loss, ISPs “shape” their traffic by temporarily holding packets in buffers to smooth out transient load spikes. But there’s a natural trade-off here: too much smoothing holds packets back, leading to latency spikes that cause missed gunshots in games and stutters in conferences. Too little smoothing, on the other hand, causes buffers to overflow and packets to be lost, which puts the brakes on downloads. ISPs therefore have to tune their network to balance performance across the various applications. But with the ACCC’s <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/internet-landline-services/broadband-performance-data" target="_blank">Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) Program</a> predominantly focused on speed-testing, and with a 1% margin separating the top three ISPs all keen to claim the top spot, we are inadvertently incentivising ISPs to optimise their network for speed, rather than for other factors. This is a detrimental outcome for users, because we don’t really have quite the need for speed we think we do. <h2>How can we do better?</h2> An alternative approach is possible. With advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it is now becoming possible to analyse network traffic streams to assess users’ experience in an application-aware manner. For example, AI engines trained on the pattern of video “chunk” fetches of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www2.ee.unsw.edu.au/%7Evijay/pubs/conf/19tma.pdf" target="_blank">on-demand streams</a> such as Netflix, and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www2.ee.unsw.edu.au/%7Evijay/pubs/conf/21iwqos.pdf" target="_blank">live streams</a> such as Twitch, can infer whether they are playing at the best available resolution and without freeze. Similarly, AI engines can <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ausnog.net/sites/default/files/ausnog-2019/presentations/2.1_Vijay_Sivaraman_AusNOG2019.pdf" target="_blank">analyse traffic</a> throughout the various stages of games such as CounterStrike, Call of Duty or Dota2 to track issues such as lag spikes. And they can detect videoconferencing stutters and dropouts by analysing traffic on Zoom, Teams, and other platforms. Australia has made significant public investment into a national broadband infrastructure that is now well equipped to provide more-than-adequate speed to citizens, as long as it runs as efficiently as possible. Image credit: Shutterstock This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/computing/why-does-my-internet-connection-feel-slow-and-jumpy-even-when-my-internet-speed-is-high/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by The Conversation. </div> </div>

Technology

NBN tries to lure new customers with lower prices and faster speed

The company whose in charge of building the National Broadband Network has decided to open the door to cheaper and faster internet plans. It comes after abandoning an earlier and unpopular proposal that wanted to charge users more to stream videos. NBN Co called it a “Netflix tax” on streaming video that was using up capacity on the network, but due to the backlash from customers has quickly distanced itself from this plan. The NBN has indicated shifting its focus to maintaining reliable performance during peak periods as well as making higher speed tiers more affordable. “The majority of respondents in the first round of consultation highlighted streaming video as an important application driving the need for higher download speeds and more capacity inclusions,” NBN Co chief customer officer Brad Whitcomb said in a statement. Currently, NBN Co sells internet plans to retail service providers on a wholesale basis but providers have been complaining about the wholesale pricing is too high. A bundle that was offered earlier in the year that offered up to 50-megabit-per-second downloads and up to 20 mbps uploads surged in popularity once the NBN lowered the price to $45 a month. “A number of respondents stated that a discount to the entry level wholesale bundle would help them to maintain an affordable retail broadband plan in a market with uncapped data inclusions,” Mr Whitcomb said.

Technology

“Unacceptable”: Consumers rage as they’re left without phone or internet for days on end

Aussie users are fed up with the lack of service on their phones and internet services and have flooded Australia’s telco providers with nearly half a million complaints over just three months. The data was found in a new report done by the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s <a href="https://acma.gov.au/theACMA/telecommunications-complaints-handling">Telecommunications complaints handling report</a>. Telecommunications companies received 448,470 complaints between October and December last year. That number represents a 12.7 per cent increase in the amount of complaints made to telcos compared to the previous three months. The average time it took for telcos to resolve complaints ranged from one to 13 days, with an average time of six days, ACMA said. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) described the figures as disappointing. “When people buy a product or service, they rightly expect it to work as promised,” ACCAN chief executive Teresa Corbin said to <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2019/07/10/telco-consumer-complaints/">The New Daily</a>. “It’s simply unacceptable for the millions of Australians who are connected to essential communications services to be left waiting for days on end without the service they have paid for. “Consumers should have a right to reliability.” RMIT university professor in network engineering Mark Gregory said that the figures show that Aussie consumers are being let down. “The number of faults and service interruptions experienced by Australian consumers remains far higher than what is reasonable and reflects the need for the telecommunications industry to do more to provide consumers with an improved experience,” Dr Gregory said. Many complaints tend to be related to the NBN. Dr Gregory said that the government’s “failure” to roll out fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) is “costing consumers more and this operations and maintenance cost is expected to grow over time, making FTTP a far cheaper and more reliable technology in the short term,” Dr Gregory said. However, a spokesman for the NBN said that the firm has made “significant investments to work with the telco industry to improve customer experience and we are starting to see the early signs of that”. “But we are quickly learning how to improve our processes and customer experience, as acknowledged in the ACMA report which noted the rate of FTTC complaints over the September to December quarters fell 33 per cent”.

Technology

Are you part of the ‘Grantech’ revolution?

Forget age old stereotypes, the numbers are showing those of us with a few years of experience under our belts are embracing new technology like never before. In fact, there is such a strong movement that it has been given a name …. ‘Grantech’. That age old generation gap is quickly closing as grandparents Australia wide are keeping up with their kids and grandkids when it comes to new technology. Mobiles and tablet use A reported 96% of Australians aged 50+ own a mobile phone and a whopping 90% of those aged 70+ also own a mobile. Benefits comes in many forms with 78% saying it makes them feel safer having a mobile at hand and 72% say it makes them feel more connected to their families. In Australia, smartphone users in this age group have increased by 28% over the past 12 months and are clocked as the fastest growing sector. There has also been a 46% increase over the past year for those aged 65+ regarding tablet use. New research from nbn also reveals the ‘Grantech’ generation are fast on the heels of their grandkids. In fact, older Australian’s are officially some of the fastest growing tech users in the country. Forget the stereotype. We are the ones who are quickly embracing fast broadband and smart devices. The study also shows grandparents are increasingly embracing the internet and video apps to keep in touch with family and friends. Tech savvy grandparents It isn’t surprising that internet use is high with 76% of Aussie grandparents saying they use the internet to connect with their children, 72% staying in touch with other family members and 59% staying connected with grandchildren online. A massive 90% use email to stay in touch with their children, more than half are on Facebook and 35% of tech savvy grandparents use video calling apps such as FaceTime or Skype to keep in-touch with grandkids. This technology burst has proved to be useful with helping lots of us feel more connected and helping us stay in touch with loved ones. A whopping 84% of grandparents stay in touch with family and friends via the internet weekly. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uHkg3G-0Cro" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> 16.4 million Australian’s online every month Mike Farley CEO of WYZA agrees there are a huge amount of tech savvy Australian’s over 50’s with over 100,000 subscribers on www.WYZA and monthly visitors of over 250,000. "The most active visitors are aged 50 to 71 with 24% of them aged 65+. Females represent 56.5% of the audience and 43.5% are male. Our readers are very engaged in everything from travel, finance, insurance, healthcare, entertainment, leisure, retirement properties and special issues for baby boomers. Every month a staggering 16.4 million Australians are online according to Nielsen online ratings and the boomers (50+) make up the largest online demographic 37.4%,” adds Farley. How do you use technology to stay in touch with loved ones? Join our conversation below… Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/wyza-life/are-you-part-of-the-%E2%80%98grantech%E2%80%99-revolution.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Technology

The free NBN upgrade that could save you $120

Many Aussie households are unaware that they are eligible for an NBN upgrade and those with standard (25Mbps) plans could save an average of $120 a year according to <a href="http://clickmeterlink.com/9SAVER_WO_BROADBAND?utm_source=9SAVER&utm_medium=WEB&utm_campaign=WHISTLEOUT_BROADBAND_NATIONAL" target="_blank">whistleout.com.au</a>. Last year, NBN changed its wholesaling pricing, making the 50-speed plan the same price as the standard plan. Whistleout.com.au said, “We would strongly recommend that any NBN users currently on a 25 plan contact their provider to request a free upgrade to [a 50 Mbps speed], since 50 plans are now being sold at 25 prices. Some carriers are already offering this, but if you don’t ask you might not get it.” Trevor from <a href="https://www.9saver.com.au/telco-broadband/1918/how-to-request-an-nbn-upgrade-and-save-up-to-120" target="_blank">9Saver</a> has shared a template letter that those who are on the Standard NBN 25Mbps plan can use to secure their free upgrade: "Dear Internet Service Provider Given NBN Co is now charging internet service providers the same for NBN 50 plans as it is for NBN 25 plans, I would like to request an upgrade to the higher speed. If my internet service provider is paying the same for a higher-speed connection, then as an existing customer I should receive the same deal. I would prefer not to enter a long-term contract because NBN pricing is likely to change again in April so I want to keep my options open. Yours Sincerely, Your name here Account # your account number here" Have you upgraded your NBN plan for free? Let us know in the comments below.

Technology

Can you spot the mistake in the NBN's latest ad?

To say the National Broadband Network has been a <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/technology/2017/11/telstra-to-refund-42000-customers-for-slow-nbn-speeds/" target="_blank">bit of a hard sell to the common Australian</a> would be the understatement of the century. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, a new advertisement has led to the NBN becoming the laughing stock of tech experts. Can you see what the problem with this ad is? <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/NBN_Australia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBN_Australia</a> if you want to make people feel like they are getting the future how about not using stock photos showing a PS3 controller when the Sony PS4 came out in 2013... The controller shown came out in 2006. <a href="https://t.co/hkVVohWfIZ">pic.twitter.com/hkVVohWfIZ</a> — Scott Rhodie (@ScottRhodie) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottRhodie/status/948341463699476480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote> The advertisement, which was lampooned by Twitter user Scott Rhodie on Tuesday, plays up the NBN’s capacity to facilitate online gaming, but the stock image features a girl using the controller from a console that is quite outdated. “Hey @NBN_Australia if you want to make people feel like they are getting the future how about not using stock photos showing a PS3 controller when the Sony PS4 came out in 2013...the controller shown came out in 2006,” Rhodie wrote. Mr Rhodie noted the girls were holding a “PS1 controller with the cable photoshopped out and a mini-USB rather than a micro-USB added.” “Which puts the date of the controller around 1995 - over 20 years ago!” “Ha! Now that I know it's photoshopped, even the USB port seems to be way too big and not quite right,” another Twitter user chimed in. “So that young girl... could now theoretically have a daughter that age.” The NBN has been coming under increasing scrutiny, with costs, available speeds and roll out delays leading to frustrations for thousands of users around Australia. What are your thoughts? Do you think people are being too harsh? Or should the NBN lift its game. Let us know in the comments section, we’d love to hear from you. Hero image credit: Twitter / Scott Rhodie‏

Technology

Good news for Optus customers! You could be set for a refund

Things keep going from bad to worse for the troubled National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout, with yet another telco announcing it will refund customers after failing to meet promised internet speeds. Just over a month after <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/technology/2017/11/telstra-to-refund-42000-customers-for-slow-nbn-speeds/" target="_blank">Telstra announced it would issue compensation to 42,000 customers</a> for slow NBN speeds, Optus has announced it will also be refunding almost 9,000 customers for failing to provide the service it promised. Yesterday, the Aussie telco announced it would offer compensation to those who purchased its NBN services between September 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017 after an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). “Optus is the second major internet provider we have taken action against for selling broadband speeds they could not deliver to their customers,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said of the “concerning” trend in the industry. As a result of the findings, Optus has provided a court-enforceable undertaking to the ACCC outlining how it plans to compensate its customers. The telco will also be made to check in with customers within a month of connecting new customers to the NBN to ensure they are getting the speeds they paid for. “This undertaking is yet another step towards an industry standard of providing accurate information to consumers about the speeds they can achieve in real-world conditions, and ensuring that consumers get what they pay for," Sims explained. “We are continuing to investigate other retail service providers selling NBN broadband plans, and will take enforcement action if we consider that they are not delivering on their promises to customers.” Affected customers will be contacted by Optus on or before March 2, 2018.

Money & Banking

The expensive but convenient alternative to the NBN

Rod Tucker is a Laureate Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne, in the University of Melbourne’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Will Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) face damaging competition from the upcoming 5G network? NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/slug-mobile-internet-connections-or-pay-us-more-nbn-chief-bill-morrow-warns-20171022-gz5p87.html" target="_blank">thinks so</a>. This week, he even floated the idea of a levy on mobile broadband services, although Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-turnbull-says-the-nbn-was-a-mistake-and-may-never-make-money-20171022-gz63yo.html" target="_blank">quickly rejected</a> the idea. NBN Co is clearly going to have to compete with mobile broadband on an equal footing. This latest episode in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/nbn-127" target="_blank">NBN saga</a> raises the question of exactly what 5G will offer broadband customers, and how it will sit alongside the fixed NBN network. To understand how 5G could compare with the NBN, let’s examine the key differences and similarities between mobile networks and fixed-line broadband. What is 5G? 5G stands for “<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-5g-38489" target="_blank">5th generation mobile</a>”. It builds upon today’s 4G mobile network technology, but promises to offer higher peak connection speeds and lower latency, or time delays. 5G’s higher connection speeds will be possible thanks to improved radio technologies, increased allocations of radio spectrum, and by using many more antenna sites or base stations than today’s networks. Each antenna will serve a smaller area, or cell. The technical details of 5G are currently under negotiation in international standards bodies. 5G networks should be available in Australia by 2020, although regulatory changes <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/article/australia-facing-urgency-on-5g-spectrum-bands-amta/" target="_blank">are still needed</a>. Connections on 5G In a mobile network, the user’s device (typically a smart phone) communicates with a nearby wireless base station via a radio link. All users connected to that base station share its available data capacity. Australia’s mobile network typically provides <a href="https://opensignal.com/reports/2017/02/global-state-of-the-mobile-network" target="_blank">download speeds</a> of around 20 Mb/s. But the actual speed of connection for an individual decreases as the number of users increases. This effect is known as contention. Anyone who has tried to upload a photo to Facebook from the Melbourne Cricket Ground will have experienced this. The maximum download speed of 5G networks could be more than 1 Gb/s. But in practice, it will <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-5g-38489" target="_blank">likely provide</a> download speeds around 100 Mb/s or higher. Because of contention and the high cost of the infrastructure, mobile network operators also impose significant data download limits for 4G. It is not yet clear what level of data caps will apply in 5G networks. Connections on the NBN In a fixed-line network like the NBN, the user typically connects to the local telephone exchange via optical fibre. Directly, in the case of fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), or by copper wiring and then fibre, in fibre-to-the-node (FTTN). An important difference between the NBN and a mobile network is that on the NBN, there is virtually no contention on the data path between the user and the telephone exchange. In other words, the user’s experience is almost independent of how many other users are online. But, as highlighted in the recent public debate around the NBN, some users <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-it-comes-to-the-nbn-we-keep-having-the-same-conversations-over-and-over-85078" target="_blank">have complained</a> that NBN speeds decrease at peak usage times. Importantly, this is not a fundamental issue of the NBN technology. Rather, it is caused by artificial throttling thanks to the NBN Co’s Connectivity Virtual Circuit (CVC) charges, and/or by contention in the retail service provider’s network. Retail service providers like TPG pay CVC charges to NBN Co to gain bandwidth into the NBN. These charges are <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-01/telcos-cry-foul-over-controversial-nbn-charge-for-bandwidth/8762404" target="_blank">currently quite high</a>, and this has allegedly encouraged some service providers to skimp on bandwidth, leading to contention. A restructuring of the wholesale model as well as providing adequate bandwidth in NBN Co’s transit network <a href="https://www.telecomtimes.com.au/single-post/2017/09/06/How-to-fix-the-NBN-pricing-model-Rod-Tucker-John-de-Ridder" target="_blank">could easily eliminate</a> artificial throttling. The amount of data allowed by retailers per month is also generally much higher on the NBN than in mobile networks. It is often unlimited. This will always be a key difference between the NBN and 5G. Don’t forget, 5G needs backhaul In wireless networks, the connection between the base stations and internet is known as backhaul. Today’s 4G networks often use microwave links for backhaul, but in 5G networks where the quantity of data to be transferred will be higher, the backhaul will necessarily be optical fibre. In the US and elsewhere, a number of broadband service providers <a href="http://www.fiercetelecom.com/telecom/report-2b-to-be-spent-5g-backhaul-by-2022-ng-pon2-to-dominate" target="_blank">are planning</a> to build 5G backhaul networks using passive optical network (PON) technology. This is the type used in the NBN’s FTTP sections. In fact, this could be a new revenue opportunity for NBN Co. It could encourage the company to move back to FTTP in certain high-population density areas where large numbers of small-cell 5G base stations are required. So, will 5G Compete with the NBN? There is a great deal of excitement about the opportunities 5G will provide. But its full capacity will only be achieved through very large investments in infrastructure. Like today’s 4G network, large data downloads for video streaming and other bandwidth-hungry applications will likely be more expensive using 5G than using the NBN. In addition, future upgrades to the FTTP sections of the NBN <a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/industry/gpon-vs-ng-pon2.html" target="_blank">will accommodate</a> download speeds as high as 10 Gb/s, which will not be achievable with 5G. Unfortunately, those customers served by FTTN will not enjoy these higher speeds because of the limitations of the copper connections between the node and the premises. 5G will provide convenient broadband access for some internet users. But as the demand for ultra-high-definition video streaming and new applications such as virtual reality grow, the NBN will remain the network of choice for most customers, especially those with FTTP services. What are your thoughts? Written by Rob Tucker. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/5g-will-be-a-convenient-but-expensive-alternative-to-the-nbn-86216" target="_blank">The Conversation.</a> <img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/86216/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/>

Technology

Telstra ad sparks outrage – can you spot what’s wrong?

Just one week after Telstra announced it would be <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/technology/2017/11/telstra-to-refund-42000-customers-for-slow-nbn-speeds/" target="_blank">refunding 42,000 customers</a> after failing to provide the promised NBN speeds, the Aussie telco is making headlines once again for all the wrong reasons. The company has come under fire after a photo of its new ad at Perth’s Telstra Business Centre was posted to social media. Can you spot what’s wrong? <img width="600" height="1017" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45943/46659db800000578-5087867-a_sign_of_things_to_come_telstra_has_sparked_outrage_over_simple-a-10_1510824425757_600x1017.jpg" alt="46659DB800000578-5087867-A_sign _of _things _to _come _Telstra _has _sparked _outrage _over _simple -a -10_1510824425757" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Residents of the Western Australian capital were outraged to see a number of mistakes in the list of NBN rollout suburbs. <img width="600" height="1020" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45942/46659dc400000578-5087867-it_seems_the_suburb_daglish_in_perth_s_inner_west_has_been_missp-a-6_1510824425559_600x1020.jpg" alt="46659DC400000578-5087867-It _seems _the _suburb _Daglish _in _Perth _s _inner _west _has _been _missp -a -6_1510824425559" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> The inner west suburb of Daglish has been misspelled as “Gaglish” and Nedlands has been listed twice, leading Facebook users to jokingly ponder if it means the suburb will get speeds twice as fast. “Gaglish lol,” one person wrote. “No wonder they can’t get NBN right. They can’t even spell.” Another joked, “Does that mean Nedlands NBN will be twice as fast or twice as rubbish?" In response, a Telstra spokesperson told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5087867/Telstra-spelling-mistakes-NBN-sign-Perth.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> it was a simple mistake. “The sign was a case of human error on behalf of the Eastern States promotion company that originally produced the banner, and failings to double check the finished product.” The banner has since been removed and will be replaced with correct signage.

Technology

Telstra to refund 42,000 customers for slow NBN speeds

Telstra will refund 42,000 customers who experienced slow National Broadband Network speeds, following an investigation by the consumer watchdog. The telco has admitted it breached consumer law by promising NBN speeds that it was not capable of delivering. They have offered remedies to customers who purchased internet services through both Telstra and Belong brands between September 2015 and November this year. “All businesses have a responsibility to ensure that claims about the performance of their products or services are accurate,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said today “This is particularly important in cases where consumers sign long-term contracts to acquire a service. Telecommunications contracts are typically 12-24 months in duration and this can represent a serious financial commitment.” “Our investigation revealed many of Telstra’s FTTN and FTTB customers could not receive the maximum speed of their plan. Even worse, many of these customers could not receive the maximum speed of a lower-speed plan “In essence, people were paying more to get higher speeds that they just weren’t able to get.” In addition to refunds, Telstra will allow people affected to change their internet plans, or leave their contracts without paying a fee. The ACCC said that the telco had come forward to notify the watchdog of its problems, but warned that it was an industry-wide problem. “We are pleased that Telstra proactively reported this serious problem to the ACCC and has co-operated in creating a remediation plan for affected customers,” Mr Sims said. “However, we are mindful this is not just a Telstra problem; it is an industry problem where consumers are often not getting the speeds they are paying for.” “We will continue to investigate other retail service providers selling broadband plans over the NBN and take enforcement action where appropriate. “As we’ve said previously, we expect RSPs [retail service providers] to provide consumers with accurate information upfront about the internet speeds they can expect to receive, and then deliver on those promises.” “The ACCC is keen to separate out two issues affecting customers’ broadband speeds. First, and the subject of today’s action, is the situation where the connection is not capable of delivering the speed that has been sold.” “Telstra has undertaken that, where it advertises or otherwise represents to potential customers that they will receive a particular speed, it will, within four weeks of connecting a new service, check each customer’s attainable speed. If it is below the advertised speed, Telstra will notify the customer and offer remedies.” Telstra executive for Consumers and Small Business, Vicki Brady, said the telco had taken the industry lead in proactively providing refunds for disgruntled NBN customers. “Providing a great customer experience is our number one priority and that includes giving customers as much choice as possible as they connect to an NBN service,” Ms Brady said. “As it is not possible to accurately determine what speed the nbn can deliver to a customer prior to connection, we have been reviewing the speeds of customers who take up a speed boost on their FTTN or FTTB nbn services after connection. We have been undertaking this review since May 2017 and, where we identify they cannot attain the benefit of the speed boost, we have been contacting them to provide refunds.” Telstra said it will contact customers affected over the coming weeks. If your Telstra customer with concerns, contact the <a href="https://www.telstra.com.au/">telco directly.</a>

Technology

The surprising things in your home that could be wrecking your Wi-Fi connection

We’ve all become so addicted to Wi-Fi these days, it’s gotten to the point where a slow internet connection is almost completely unbearable. And while you can fork over a mint to get your hands on the “best” plan, there are many things you’re doing around the house day-to-day that could be dramatically slowing your connection. And it all comes down to the placement of your router. Something as simple as placing your router near an electronic device like a TV, fish tank or event Christmas tree lights can result in a dramatic drop in speeds. The reason this is the case is that every day electrical objects all emit signals that can interfere with that of your Wi-Fi connection, restricting your potential speed. “We are increasingly reliant on the internet for so many aspects of our lives and it's therefore so important that we can trust in the reliability of our service,” said Meredith Sharples, director at Post Office Telecoms. “However, the public told us they suffer from a slow internet connection, have had their connection drop at random times and experience a poor Wi-Fi connection in certain rooms. “We also learned that many are not aware of the simple steps they can take to ensure their home is optimised to receive the best broadband connections possible.” Ways to increase your Wi-Fi speed: <ul> <li>Place router away from other electronic devices</li> <li>Ensure the Wi-Fi router is plugged into your master socket</li> <li>Protect your router with a password</li> <li>Use the latest version of your internet browser</li> </ul> Are you happy with your Wi-Fi connection?

Technology

Why the NBN is great news for senior Aussies

Tech expert Angus Kidman explains how the National Broadband Network could be great news for Australian seniors. The rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) has been controversial, with frequent claims of delays, overspending and pork barrelling. However, if you step past the political mudslinging and design compromises, the project does offer most Australians the opportunity to experience a faster and more reliable internet connection. The NBN is being built to replace the ageing copper telephone network. This was originally designed to deliver voice calls, not internet services. In most areas, the NBN will use a mixture of optic fibre and some copper to deliver connections into buildings. In remote regions, fixed wireless and satellite technologies will be used. <a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/nbn-hits-3-million-now-the-hard-work-starts-again.html" target="_blank">More than 3 million premises</a> are now NBN-enabled. You can find out when your address is due to be connected by <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/nbn-tracker" target="_blank">checking an NBN tracker service.</a> You won't have any choice about which technology is rolled out at your address, and 18 months after the NBN has arrived in your area, the existing network will be switched off. That means you'll need to choose an NBN plan unless you're happy to live with nothing except a mobile phone. Being forced to switch might seem like an inconvenience, but it's also an opportunity. Here are three reasons why the move to the NBN is good news: You'll have a much wider choice of providers The current broadband network design in Australia often means that you have little or no choice about which company you sign up with. Under the NBN model, a wide range of providers compete for your business. The connections they can offer to your home are identical, but you can choose based on price, availability of local service, or any other factor that's important to you. For that reason, it's worth taking the time to compare different plans when the NBN arrives in your area, rather than just sticking with your existing phone company ‑ you may well be able to score a better deal. You'll easily be able to switch The fact that the underlying network isn't controlled by a single provider means that it's much easier to jump ship if you're not happy with the customer service. For that reason, I'd caution against signing up for a long-term contract, as that will lock you in. Consider a 12-month contract or a month-to-month deal. You'll have faster speeds (if you want them) NBN connections offer a variety of speeds. Most Australians are opting for a 25/5 speed, which is faster than most existing broadband. If you only use the Internet very occasionally for email, you can settle for the "basic" 12/1 speed, which is similar to most current services. If <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/2017/06/6-best-netflix-shows/" target="_blank">you're addicted to streaming TV</a> and online chats with the family, you can choose a faster 50/20 or 100/40 plan. Higher speeds cost more, but most providers will let you switch to a higher "speed tier" if you find your connection too slow. No technology is perfect, and there will be complaints about NBN services, just as there are issues with the existing broadband network every time it rains! Nonetheless, provided you shop around carefully, the NBN presents a definite opportunity to get a better internet connection and pay less for it. Are you excited about the roll out of the NBN, or still a little wary? Angus Kidman is a tech expert for comparison site <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/" target="_blank">finder.com.au</a>.

Technology

75-year-old great-grandmother dies after Telstra NBN phone didn’t work

Great-grandmother Merl Roberts, 75, tragically passed away after her newly-installed Telstra NBN phone failed to work. Merl, who lived alone and had a history of heart and lung conditions, attempted to call for help using her Oricom emergency bracelet, only to find the new landline wasn’t working. Tragically, the Peak Hill resident had called Telstra to send a technician to help fix the issue, which she had been experiencing since its installation in June, three times before the fall. Nobody showed up. “It’s frustrating because it was preventable,” Merl’s son Quentin told Today Tonight. “It’s frustrating that we live in a society and we can’t get a phone fixed within three weeks for a 75-year-old old lady. We don’t know the time frame, how long she was unconscious.” In response, Telstra issued a statement to the Channel 9 program, saying they were “deeply saddened” by the incident. “We recognise Mrs Roberts faced an unacceptable delay to having her phone service repaired,” a spokesperson said. “We are treating this situation very seriously and we're undertaking a detailed investigation into how the repair was managed.” Meanwhile, NBN Co have advised owners of medical bracelets to register their details on the <a href="http://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/information-for-home/device-compatibility/medical-alarm-register.html" target="_blank">Medical Alarm Register</a>. Image credit: Today Tonight.

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