Broadband services are something that many Australians rely on heavily for both home and business use, but which most are also keen to get value for money on, particularly in the current difficult financial climate. However, whilst the National Broadband Network that is being rolled our across Australia could benefit many consumers and businesses with regards to getting faster, more reliable broadband, one service provider has claimed that the pricing on the high speed internet service could become an issue.

According to Australian communications giant Telstra, the pricing strategy that is being adopted by the company that is heading up the NBN rollout, NBN Co, could result in higher prices for high speed internet services. The company wants the competition watchdog to look at whether the two tier pricing plan adopted by NBN Co should be changed as Internet Service Providers could face charges for a baseline connection as well as usage based fees.

Telstra has reportedly stated that the usage charge an ISP will pay to NBN Co for each of its customers on a 12-megabit a second service could increase from just one dollar each month to as much as fifty dollars per month by 2025. Telstra is concerned about unnecessarily high prices for customers and has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Over recent years there have been many advancements in technology that have helped to make peoples’ working lives easier, with many people able to work from home as a result of advancements such as faster broadband services. This has proven ideal for both companies and workers, with the more flexible arrangements benefiting both parties in a range of ways.

The federal government is now hoping to further boost and encourage home working in Australia through the National Broadband Network, with plans the host a National Telework week in November of this year. The government is keen to encourage both employers and workers to embrace the concept of home working, which should be made easier and more effective with the widespread rollout of the National Broadband Network.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said: “An increase in telework can lead to benefits across the economy… From big business through to individual workers.” He revealed that a number of partners would be involved with the telework event, including the Australian Human Resources Institute, Australian Industry Group, Australian Information Industry Association, the Australian Network for Disability, and Local Government Managers Australia.

Conroy added: “The NBN will allow Australians to interact more easily from home, with their workplaces and with clients, through high-definition multi-party video conferencing. They will be able to quickly transfer large files and use real-time collaborative business tools.”

Ensuring that everyone has access to adequate healthcare facilities and assistance is something that the Australian government is keen to address and it is believed that the Australian National Broadband Network will provide a real boost to this program, enabling more people in more places to benefit from enhanced healthcare facilities.

Uptake of the telehealth program has been growing steadily, as the government announced Medicare rebates for telehealth consultations six months ago. Patients are able to receive consultations, care and assistance via videoconferencing as part of the program, which can really benefit those that live in more remote areas, those with mobility issues and those who may have to be away for a period of time.

The National Broadband Network is expected to provide an enhanced platform when it comes to the telehealth program, which will enable more clinics, pharmacies and surgeries to get involved and will enable patients to enjoy an even greater range of services as part of the scheme.

Health minister, Tanya Plibersek, said: “The NBN Telehealth Pilot Program will provide to eligible participants in NBN early rollout areas a range of innovative services delivered through pilots funded under the program. These will include having health indicators monitored remotely – for instance, your doctor being able to take your blood pressure online while you are at home – or receiving medical consultations and healthy living support in the home.”

The release of the Ice Cream Sandwich firmware update could be as early as mid-February according to HTC source after an announcement by Andrew Volard, the Director of device management at Telstra saying that the new upgrade for the HTC Velocity was currently being tested.

It has also been indicated that early March should see the release of a Similar ICS firmware update for many of the other HTC devices that are available through Telstra, including the HTC Sensation.

The first half of 2012 should see around three to four new 4G-ready smartphones, two new 4G mobile broadband devices and a new 4G tablet according to Volard who spoke briefly about Telstra’s future roadmap plans.

He advised that the HTC Velocity “is the first in a large portfolio of products coming this year.”

The commercial launch of a 4G network took place near the end of last year and the new HTC Velocity with be the first smartphone in Australia to come with 4G capabilities, allowing it to take full advantage of Telstra’s new high-speed network. Connection speeds for the new 4G network are being advertised by Telstra as download speed as high as 40Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps, which is significantly higher than those available on its 3G network. There are currently 80 major regional areas that the new 4G service can be accessed as well as within 5km of all commercial business districts across Australia.

According to industry experts in the area of elderly care, broadband services are set to revolutionise elderly health care in regional centres in Victoria, which could ultimately help people to avoid having to go into nursing homes. This is according to officials from the Aged Care Association of Australia.

According to the ACAA chief executive Rod Young, older people are set to see real benefits in relation to improved broadband technology in the area. He said that measures such as the video link medical consultations, which have been launched this week in the area, would help elderly patients to maintain their independence and remain in their own homes in many cases.

Mr Young stated: “The National Broadband Network is moving aged care in to the future, changing the way patients can be treated. Bendigo and other regional areas are in the best position to take advantage of the technology. Remote monitoring and telehealth technologies will cut down people’s travel times and costs, and help sustain their independence.”

Minister for Ageing Mark Butler added: “Expanding telehealth services to older Australians still living in their own homes will help health professionals identify potential health problems earlier, reduce the need for older Australians to travel to receive treatment and increase access to healthcare services and specialists.”

With broadband services becoming more and more commonplace within the home in Australia, a rising number of people are now starting to shop online, enjoying the ease and convenience of this process whilst also being able to access a variety of great deals that they sometimes cannot get in bricks and mortar retailers. However, whilst online shopping provides many benefits it can also prove problematic in terms of scams and fraud.

It has been reported that one of the latest scams that has been doing the rounds involves fake shopping offers claiming to be from BigPond. This has prompted broadband and communications giant Telstra to issue a warning to internet customers providing them with some tips relating to online shopping.

The scam that has been in circulation involves a range of high value items that are being advertised on other online shopping sites but claiming to be BigPond items. Amongst the sites that these items are being advertised on are eBay and Gumtree and customers are asked to deposit cah directly into a bank account when looking to purchase these items.

An official from Telstra said: “This latest scam is among thousands of online shopping scams that are circulated every year and put customers at risk of fraud. Telstra urges people to be very wary of offers that claim to be from BigPond Shopping but are not hosted on a BigPond site.”

As many as 81 percent of SMBs are now using a website according to the latest research for the Council of Small Business of Australia and the Telstra Business, which compared to other research is quite a big increase. By 2012 it is expected that many more will be setting up online sites.

This research has proven that small businesses now consider the internet to be both a positive and a powerful tool according to Will Irving, the group managing director for Telstra business.

He advised “Adding new customers is the top priority for two-thirds of SMBs in 2012 and building a stronger Web presence can do just that. Social media has emerged as a prime growth area with just over one-in-five SMBs (21 per cent) now using it in their operations.”

Interacting with customers was one of the main reasons for small businesses going online with 74 percent saying this was why they set up a site, followed by 64 percent saying it was for promotional purposes and 38 percent for generating sales leads. The research also found that that the use of the web for direct sales using social media was something that an amazing 26 percent of business said was the reason they went online.

Mr Iving said “Six-in-ten business operators or owners are telling us they believe staff should not be able to access social media in the workplace.”

Even though around 25 percent of businesses still use print ads the use of online ads was now being employed by 19 percent of businesses, which is rapidly beating other marketing methods.

Many Australians are eager to be able to enjoy the benefits of 4G networks and devices, which will allow for greater speeds, greater reliability and a better overall mobile broadband experience. Well, for those that live in 4G coverage areas a new device will be available next week that can help to enhance their mobile broadband experience.

It has been confirmed that the new HTC Velocity 4G smart phone is headed to Telstra next week, enabling mobile internet users in 4G areas to enjoy surfing at speeds that are up to five times faster. Customers are already able to get online to place their pre-order for the phone and deliveries will start on 24^th January.

The typical download speeds that will be enjoyed by users of the phones in 4G areas will be between 2 and 40 Mbps, which is five times faster than the speeds that are available on even the fastest 3G handsets in the country. Typical upload speeds will be between 1 Mbps and 10 Mbps.

With the demand for 4G on the rise amongst both business and casual users who want to enjoy a more productive mobile internet experience, the number of 4G handsets and devices coming onto the market is likely to increase, offering consumers an increasingly wider choice of options.

When it comes to Internet access, remote communities in Australia are at a severe disadvantage compared to those in cities and urban areas. This is something that many officials now want to address and calls have now been raised for the National Broadband Network to be rolled out in these areas as soon as possible.

According to recent reports the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples is calling for the National Broadband Network to be rolled out in remote communities as a matter of priority. It has outlined its concerns in a submission to Arts Minister Simon Crean’s cultural policy review. In this submission the group states that emerging technology are “not inclusive of all communities, in particular those which are disadvantaged by poverty and remoteness”.

The submission also warned that if action was not taken by authorities to bring advanced technology to remote areas the bridge between these areas and the rest of Australia would be widened.

The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples has also said that it is vital that more people are able to get involved with the arts and culture and added that connection of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities “must be prioritised in the rollout of the National Broadband Network, and connection must provide a high-quality and reliable audio-visual experience”.

It has been reported that the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has been encouraging eligible households in Australia to apply for the Broadband Assistance Scheme. He has been encouraging households in Southern and Central NSW, the ACT and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Areas to consider applying for the scheme.

The minister also wants eligible households to benefit from the assistance available with regards to the switch to digital TV. Under the Household Assistance Scheme eligible households can benefit from the supply and installation of a High Definition set top box, advice on how the equipment is used and upgrades to things such as cabling and antennas.

Conroy said: “As part of the Government’s Digital Switchover, analog TV will be permanently switched off across Southern and Central NSW, ACT and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area on 5 June. I am pleased to announce the Household Assistance Scheme is currently open right across the switchover region to provide practical in-home support to eligible households in making the switch to digital TV.”

He added: “I encourage those eligible to access HAS now to ensure installation of digital TV equipment can be scheduled well in advance of switchover on 5 June. With digital TV already available in most areas of Australia there’s no reason to wait. Eligible households across Southern and Central NSW, the ACT and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area can now opt in to the HAS right now to start enjoying the 16 free-to-air channels available on digital.”

Source – Egovmonitor