There is little doubt that technology has changed the lives of many Australians over recent years, and as technology has become more advanced most Australians have been able to enjoy greater freedom and convenience both at home and at work. From the cell phone and the laptop to broadband services and smart phones…these are all technologies that many people could not imagine being without these days.

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association has recently highlighted just how much technology such as mobile broadband and smart phones has changed the way in which we live and work. It has changed the way that we communicate – with many people finding that they can avoid talking to people yet still get their message across to them simply with the click of a button! It has also changed the way in which we work, with many people now being able to work from home more and enjoy greater flexibility with work.

Chris Althaus, the chief executive of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, referred to how smart phones had changed peoples’ lives. He said: ”They are your personal epicentre … the dominant personal management advice. Smartphones are by far and away the dominant device in terms of sales … statistics suggest that about 85 per cent of all new handsets are able to access the net.”

He also referred to the ‘explosion’ in apps that had stemmed from the popularity of mobile broadband, pointing out that Australians tend to use more apps than consumers in the United States or the UK.

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of technology giant Apple, brought innovative products to Australia and the rest of the world, with a range of technological masterpieces such as the globally popular iPhone and more recently the iPad series. For mobile broadband users and those keen to get online using portable devices, Jobs and his company have led the way over recent years, inspiring many others on the way and creating a new era in technology, with other technology giants keeping close tabs on what Apple was doing and swiftly following suit.

It is unsurprising therefore that the death of Jobs, who was aged just fifty six, has sent such shockwaves through the world of technology and beyond. Apple, of course, will be devastated by the news. The company said that his “brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”

President Barack Obama said that the world had ‘lost a visionary’ with the death of Steve, adding: “Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.”

It was in 2004 when Jobs announced that he had pancreatic cancer but even over recent years he has worked hard to bring new and exciting products to Australian consumers and those in many other countries around the world. His family said that he passed away peacefully and that they were with him at the end. They said: “In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family.”

Source – BBC

According to the recent June 2011 Internet Activity Report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) the uptake and use of wireless mobile broadband had overtaken DSL fixed line connections. However, another report has branded these figures misleading, adding that they have harmed the NBN debate.

Whilst the report seemed to indicate the mobile broadband was now more commonly used than DSL fixed line broadband, another report said that this information is not accurate. One of the claims made in the ABS report was that “the number of consumers using some form of wireless service for their broadband, excluding mobile handsets, has surpassed the number using copper line ADSL for the first time.”

However, some officials have said that the figures on the ABS report relate to a combination of both business and casual broadband users and because of this they are not accurate. This is because businesses are naturally more likely to have more mobile broadband connections for their employees whereas they will still only require one fixed line connection.

Because of their apparent inaccuracy these figures have been attributed to ‘muddying the waters’ when it comes to the NBN debate. Some officials have said that the ABS report should have taken a different approach to measuring broadband connections amongst households, as the inclusion of business use resulted in unrealistic spikes in mobile broadband connection figures.

Source – ZDNet

There is no doubt that mobile internet has provided many Australians with increased flexibility, ease and convenience, enabling them to get online wherever and whenever they need to. A choice of mobile internet providers along with a variety of devices that allow for mobile internet use means that consumers have everything that they need at their fingertips to enjoy mobile broadband on the go.

It appears that the convenience and flexibility of mobile internet is something that Australians are loving, with recent reports suggesting that this has become the method of choice for many Australians who want to access the Internet. It has been reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that for the first time in Australia mobile internet connections have exceeded DSL connections.

ABS Assistant Director Andrew Puljic said: ”Mobile wireless internet connections now exceed Digital Subscriber Line connections in Australia for the first time.” He said that mobile wireless services now accounted for forty four percent of Internet user whereas DSL accounted for forty one percent of Internet use.

However, according to a spokesman for Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy, DSL connections still see greater use. He said: ”Ninety-three per cent of data downloaded is over fixed line connections with less than 7 per cent over wireless connections. This is up from 91 per cent at the end of December 2010.”

Do you use mobile broadband more than DSL?

Source – Canberra Times

It has recently been announced that Wave C*nnect is launching its 3G mobile broadband service in Australia, with the service set to be offered as part of a bundle, which will be delivered with a range of Toshiba devices that come with embedded 3G modems as well as preloaded SIM cards.

A few notebook models have been selected as part of the deal but this is set to increase over the course of the year, so consumers who want instant connectivity will have a greater choice as time goes on. Officials from Wave C*nnect have said that the offers will provide increased convenience and ease for consumers, as there is no need to buy or use a dongle.

John Beveridge, CEO of Wave C*nnect, said: “Another key benefit for customers is that even though our data offering is bundled, this does not affect the price of the device: we do not insist on term commitment plans and our data plans are prepaid, so there are no nasty bill surprises. Customers can register the SIM online and then use a free trial data pack to test the service. After that, they are free to buy as much or as little data as they require – on fully flexible monthly rates.”

Of course, it is important for consumers to compare other deals on the market before committing to this or any other plan, and some consumers may be loathe to sign up to the deal based on assumptions that they will soon have access to the advanced 4G services with other providers.

Will you consider this offering from Wave C*nnect or are you holding out for 4G devices and networks?

Many Australians these days are looking for a good deal on their mobile internet and mobile phone services, with households and businesses trying to make cutbacks on their outgoings. According to recent reports this is something that the communications and broadband providers have picked up on, and are now offering increased value for money to customers.

It has been reported that consumers are now getting better pricing and mobile caps, greater data allowances, and increased benefits with their packages, including improved features on home handsets. This comes as communications providers look at new ways of increasing revenue in what is becoming a rapidly changing digital world in Australia.

Providers are aiming to give consumers more flexibility and freedom with their communications devices, as well as better value for money. Media companies are also joining in, and are looking at new digital channels as well as looking at directing existing channels to more devices. The data comes from the report ‘Changing business models in the Australian communications and media sectors: Challenges and response strategies’.

A spokesperson from the Australian Communications and Media Authority said: ‘Existing communications and media players are fighting to retain revenue, market share and audience numbers in the face of these changes and are responding with a wide range of initiatives. ACMA research suggests that innovative service delivery by the communications and media sectors on an increasing diversity of digital platforms and consumer devices is playing an important role in the Australian transition to a digital economy.’

Are you getting increased benefits or value for money from your provider? Let us know with your comments

Source – ACMA

In a recent announcement the wireless communications company Vividwireless has announced that it is making some minor improvements to its range of wireless broadband plans, which could see many customers enjoying additional benefits. The provider claims to operate the nation’s first 4G wireless broadband network.

The 4G service from Vividwireless is based on WiMAX technology as opposed to the 3G/HSDPA wireless networks that are used by other communications and network providers in Australia such as Optus and Telstra. Vividwireless initially launched its service in Perth. However, since then it has started offering services in areas such as Canberra, Adelaide, Canberra, and Brisbane.

As part of the improvements Vividwireless will be boosting its broadband download quotas for customers and bundling voice services into its plans, which could mean better value for money for customers. Officials from the company have said that the plans available now offer some of the best value for money available on the market, which is something that is very important to consumers in the current financial climate.

The company has said that several gigabytes of additional download quota has been added to its $35 and $49 monthly subscription plans. It has also abolished a plan that cost ninety nine dollars for 40GB of data, and has launched an alternative that costs just fifty five dollars a month for 15GB of data.

Will you benefit from the Vividwireless improvements? Let us know with your comments

Source – Delimiter

According to recent reports Australia is set to see a surge in the use of mobile internet and broadband, with a rising number of Australian consumers set to benefit from this technology. Both Australia and New Zealand have been highlighted as seeing a surge in mobile internet and broadband use, as advancements in this technology result in more and more people getting onboard.

According to analysts there will be around 1.6 million connections to the internet from mobile handsets over the course of the next twelve months, and this reflects an increase of around two hundred thousand compared to 2010. The number of people in New Zealand who access the internet via mobile broadband technology with their laptops is also set to surge by around thirty percent.

It is thought that this combination of increase mobile broadband and internet access will result in spending on this technology rising by around twenty eight percent, bringing the total spend to more than $300 million. The data was released by market research firm IDC, which also said that around forty percent of all mobile connections over the course of this year will be for Internet data.

Ericsson’s New Zealand marketing manager Warren Chaisatien said: “The popularity of tablet computing devices for enterprise and consumer applications will further drive mobile broadband growth in 2011 across Australia and New Zealand.”

Are you going to be joining the mobile internet revolution this year? Let us know with your comments

Source – NZ Herald

It has been reported that Australians can now enjoy access to the world’s fastest mobile broadband services, and this comes after the recent launch of the Telstra Ultimate USB Modem, which has been launched across Australia’s capital city as well as associated airports and more than one hundred regional centres.

The new Telstra Ultimate USB Modem is up to twice as fast as the company’s existing fastest Next G modem. It will offer typical download speeds that will range from 1.1Mbps to 20Mbps depending on the area. Two thousand devices were recently launched for Telstra business customers, and this comes prior to the widespread launch of the new modem later this year.

Telstra Business Group Managing Director, Deena Shiff said: “Australians are telling us they can’t afford to be tied to the desk all day and these new speeds mean they can now access mobile broadband at speeds typically reserved for the office.”

She added: “We have been deploying the high-speed capability in the network since December 2009 and now, with the launch of the new Ultimate USB Modem, these new speeds are available to customers across all capital city CBDs and associated airports, selected metropolitan areas and in more than 100 regional locations. These high-speed zones cover approximately 50 per cent of the Australian population and match the areas of highest customer demand and will make the frustration of waiting around for files to download a thing of the past. In other metropolitan and regional areas, the Telstra Ultimate USB Modem offers typical download speeds ranging from 550kbps up to 8Mbps, which is still significantly faster than Telstra’s mobile broadband competitors.”

Source – Telstra

It has been announced recently by the Australian communications and broadband giant Optus that it is launching a range of new mobile broadband cap plans that will give consumers more choice over how they use their data. The plans will come with different rates for peak and off peak usage, and will also come with increased data for off peak usage, no excess usage charges, and unlimited access to some sites such as Facebook.

Five Mobile Broadband Cap plans are included as part of the new range, and these are available on twenty four month contracts, which start at twenty dollars per month. With the most basic plan consumers can enjoy between 1GB and 2GB of data depending on whether the data is used at peak times of off peak.

Austin R. Bryan, Marketing Director of Optus Consumer said: “We’ve taken a new approach to our Mobile Broadband plan structure. For the first time Optus mobile broadband customers will have access to Cap plans that offer peak and off peak data amounts, with double the data available for use in off peak times.”

He added: “These new plans recognise the growing demand from our customers for mobile broadband services that offer flexibility, value and a quality network performance. We have continued to invest significantly in our network to support mobile broadband growth and improve customer experience. The Optus 3G dual band mobile network now reaches more than 96 per cent of the Australian population with over 600 mobile sites constructed in the last financial year alone.”

Source – Optus