Telstra to confirm set-top box, cable upgrade

Nov 18, 2009 5:26 PM
Filed under Telco/ISP

Another pawn shuffles forward in NBN negotiations.

UPDATE: Telstra takes Melbourne cable network to 100mbps

Telstra has told the press it will today announce an upgrade to its cable broadband network and unveil a "new high definition set-top box".

Telstra's group managing directors, Michael Rocca, Holly Kramer and Glenice Maclellan will gather in Melbourne for an "important broadband announcement" and a preview of Telstra's "new high definition set top box," the company said in a statement to media yesterday afternoon.

In May of this year, Telstra announced it would upgrade all of its Melbourne cable network to speeds of 100 Megabits per second by Christmas.

"We can take it if we choose, at some point to 200 Megabit per second," said previous Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo in May.

Trujillo said the technology would "turn homes into digital hubs" for the consumption of high-definition films, video file sharing and video conferencing.

At the time Telstra had been waiting for the DOCSIS 3.0 technology that underpins the 100 Megabits per second upgrade to be successfully deployed in cable networks overseas before it committed to the investment in Melbourne.

Trujillo had also threatened to roll out the same high speed broadband technology in other capital cities, in response to Government plans to roll out a National Broadband Network (NBN).

The set top box, or T-box, will make it possible for Telstra customers to download and watch movies using Telstra sites such as BigPond movies, or watch BigPond's IPTV channels, including news and sport, all without running up any additional charges, reports news.com.au.

Will the "upgrade announcement to cable broadband by Telstra" take faster cable broadband to all capital cities? Tune into iTnews later today to find out.

Telstra to confirm set-top box, cable upgrade

30 comments in this discussion

"here we go again. Telstra giving better net to the only people in the country - people who live in capital cities - and the rest get screwed over again. How about upgrading the 1950's party phone ..."

By crysis

Tags

telstra, tbox, cable, 100mbps, broadband, settop, box, set top box, stb

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Comments: 30

sydneyla Nov 18, 2009 6:30 PM	Go Telstra. You good thing!
sputnik Nov 18, 2009 9:58 PM	And then we get people against the NBN, especially the pro-Telstra crowd, stating there is no demand for high speed broadband. I think this article shows otherwise.
bcmobile Nov 19, 2009 8:20 AM	Wow. All that digital content at 100Mbit/sec.... oh wait, it's all bigpong TV and movies. I'll pass.
JimboJones Nov 19, 2009 8:30 AM	"Go Telstra. You good thing!" are you serious or are you just taking the micky? No doubt being telstra they will charge an arm and a leg for the service.. I'm going to say some thing like $12618.00 p/m with a 200mb limit would not be far from it. I think it's a bit of a "too little, too late" here. Get out of home services and let the nbn take care of it and just focus on your mobile services..
curtism Nov 19, 2009 8:55 AM	The NBN is actually overkill. To meet the expectations of the NBN what we really need is reasonably fast broadband down and up that is rock-solid and always-on. 100Mb/s is nice but more than consumers need. We do however need faster upload speeds. I would be happy with say 30Mb/s download & 3Mb/s up. Businesses of course need faster upload speeds to enable new services. Consumers don't just need enough to do good videoconferencing and the like. If Telstra do this and increase monthly bandwidth limits then there are several million households that don't need the NBN.
Bob Nov 19, 2009 9:20 AM	There is demand for high speed broadband. All we need is the government to get out of the way and let Telstra do it. They did it for mobile in two years. The NBN is $43Billion that should go to things like water and roads because no one is going to invest in a 49% share of a white elephant.
MerariSchroeder Nov 19, 2009 9:39 AM	There is demand for affordable high speed broadband. The NBN is not affordable. There is demand for mobile broadband. The NBN is not mobile (except for rural parts). Yes Bob, I completely agree - there are more urgent matters at stake. Our future water, fuel and food supply. Who cares if we have a Terabit speed network in the future but no food or economy - we'll end up ripping it up and using it for Christmas decorations - maybe you could craft a fibre tree!
TelstraSpinMakesMeDizzy Nov 19, 2009 9:58 AM	Typical hypocrisy and double standards from Telstra. Thodey is out one minute saying the NBN will be a "hard sell" because there is no demand for high speed services and then the next minute he is talking about upgrading cable to handle high speeds and announcing a device that will require high speed connections to be well utilised. Its a sad case of history repeating. Telstra artificially crippled ADSL for years, claiming there was no demand for high speed services, but as soon as competitors started offering high speed services, they couldnt keep up with the demand. Australian consumers lost out for years so Telstra could protect its massive margins and gouge customers. The sooner there is massive change at Telstra the better.
TelstraSpinMakesMeDizzy Nov 19, 2009 10:01 AM	I didnt know the final prices had been released for the NBN Merari. What are they? There are lots who would lioke to know. YOu should tell Mr Thodey about the demand for high speed internet, because he claims there is none.
Bob Nov 19, 2009 11:05 AM	@Dizzy. What is high speed? If we are talking about Gb/S then the average farmer probably can manage without it. Next G up to 21Mb/S or BDSL 100Mb/s Ethernet is available. Telstra didn't cripple ADSL, it was always low end technology.
RL_1985 Nov 19, 2009 11:44 AM	Okay this is my first post here on ITNews. I decided to register here because I'm sick and tired of these ignorant Telstra Shareholders saying that we don't need high speed broadband. Well I for one am sick and tired of Australia being a laughing stock for the rest of the world! "There is demand for mobile broadband. The NBN is not mobile (except for rural parts)." Mobile broadband = high latency and shared connection: the more users on the network, the slower the speeds. And don't even think about using wireless for online gaming. 100Mbps / 10 users = 10Mbps Fibre to the home doesn't have this problem, so long as the government builds this network using the right technology. "There is demand for high speed broadband. All we need is the government to get out of the way and let Telstra do it." http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-business/optus-ceo-says-govts-nbn-will-be-viable-20091115-ig5q.html Quote: "David Thodey, the chief executive of Telstra, the country's biggest telecoms provider, said last month it would not be viable for his company to construct a national fibre to the home network. But Mr Thodey also said it could be worthwhile for the government, which has considerations other than commercial returns, to do so." Well what do you know? Apparently they can't. And why should they? Private companies like Telstra only care about their own interests, not the national interest. Bob, if you actually think that Telstra's gonna build this network, after what Thodey said about the demands for high speed broadband, then you must be more stupid than I thought. "100Mb/s Ethernet is available" Such lies, Bob. If 100Mb/s is available then why can't I get it? And the Telstra tower, which is 3km away from where I live, I bet it hasn't even been upgraded to 21Mb/s yet. And how many users can actually get 21Mb/s through Next G, huh? I'm sick and tired of this BS! WE NEED HIGH SPEED BROADBAND (100Mbps/10Mbps) AND WE NEED IT ASAP! And we're not going to let these $hareholder$ stand in our way!
JimboJones Nov 19, 2009 12:33 PM	Above poster aside, but what is your main objection to the NBN, Bob? "What is high speed? If we are talking about Gb/S then the average farmer probably can manage without it. " How do you know that? Are you a farmer? I am guessing by the use of your language you are not. – or let me guess you know one like everyone else on the interwebs. The idea is that it is infrastructure for the future, whilst as you put it, the 'average farmer' dose not need it, who is to say that with the rate tech is advancing in 5 years time he still doesn’t? The benefits to Aus as a whole are amazing. That is how it is being publicised to the average punter and that is how it is winning the public vote and then the real majority of Aus really don’t care that much. They just see Telstra charging the stupid amounts for ‘line rental’ with no real (visible) service back, so the majority see it also as a good thing.. Looking at the politics of it, the bill comes into the senate in the Dec sitting I think? I read it has provisional support from the independents (provided the outback gets an equiv. service or something of the like).. The bill will be past because the none of them want a DD over this. The Govt. in the end will win. History will show, Labour builds and Liberal spends and lets face it, Labour will win the next election - unless of course Rudd has some sort of scandal the likes of the real Watergate. I am assuming you are a Telstra Shareholder. Like I said before, Telstra should just bite the bullet, stop bashing its head against a wall and focus back on its mobile arm before it misses the boat - as Optus has announced that it is starting trials with the new 4g. You as a shareholder should be telling your company the same. No blog/forum or amount of posts from anyone will change people’s views on this. Nor am I looking to change yours, I am just going on that being a shareholder, instead of fighting the monster that is the Feds, you should be focusing on other areas that Telstra can win back some of that precious $ for its already ailing price.
voiceofreason Nov 19, 2009 12:54 PM	Ok I too decided to post here because I'm sick and tired of the pro-Telstra commentators (umm being polite) stating that we don't need high speed broadband or we have it already! I can't believe just a few days ago telstra came out saying they are not an IT company they are a phone co. Even telstra telstra cannot provide the support required. I say get out of the pond telstra and don't let the door hit your hypocritical butt on the way out!
Digger11 Nov 19, 2009 1:41 PM	Does Telstra's right hand have any idea what it's left hand is doing ???
mick09 Nov 19, 2009 2:07 PM	@digger11 - after 7 months, does Conroy's right hand know what his left hand is doing? Where is his Telstra legislation? What is his NBN? What will Conroy's 100 Mbps GPON network deliver? What will Conroy's 100 Mbps GPON network cost the users? What will Conroy's 100 Mbps GPON network cost the taxpayers? What will Telstra's 100 Mbps HFC network cost users and taxpayers? As for Telstra "ambushing" NBNCo - this upgrade was announced by Sol Trujillo in March 2009, when NBNCo was but a twinkle in Conroy's eye.
mick09 Nov 19, 2009 2:12 PM	@digger11 - sorry mate - Telstra has supplied the answers to some of my questions - just get me some response out of Conroy please. "Telstra had announced the upgrade - which uses DOCSIS 3.0 (Data Over Cable System Interface Specification) - in March, and had promised it would be completed before Christmas. The company said the upgrade cost less than the $300 million originally forecast. Almost one million homes in Melbourne are within the range of the HFC network should they wish to take up the service. No pricing details were released."
mick09 Nov 19, 2009 2:21 PM	@digger11 - three villages in Tasmania by June 2010 (total 5,000 homes) - the rest of Tasmania by ???? (total 200,000 homes) ? Cost ??
JimboJones Nov 19, 2009 4:03 PM	Where is his Telstra legislation? Getting ready for the senate What is his NBN? It is his 'National Broadband Network' What will Conroy's 100 Mbps GPON network deliver? PORN in HD!! Duh!!! what else is the interwebs used for? Same as what Telstras will!! What will Conroy's 100 Mbps GPON network cost the users? Same line as what telstra used there "No pricing details were released." What will Conroy's 100 Mbps GPON network cost the taxpayers? 43Bil What will Telstra's 100 Mbps HFC network cost users and taxpayers? For the taxpayers on it? "No pricing details were released.".. Knowing Telstra, 3247p/m fixed for 5gb on a 48mth contract... (provided theose people are paying tax) Sorry to be taking the micky out of you but some of the comments out of the Telstra fans have really become quite overwhelming. I am not sure who if anyone you are trying to convince. The spin machines on both sides are at work and dare I say, the Govt. one is a bit better.. Need to stop treating the 43 billion as a lot. Its not in the scale of things.. An article released today says the ATO has spent a Billion on it IT.. then almost another Billion on its Change Program.. Wonder how many other .gov agencies do that. If you want to get angry, get angry at that.. Go download the 'senates estimates' from every agenies homepage and find out how much some of thier 'contractors' get paid.. Dont get angrey over something that will directly or indirectly benifit everyone for many many many years to come.
mick09 Nov 19, 2009 4:39 PM	Ahhh JimboJimbo How many shopping (no, no sitting) days till Christmas? HIS "national broadband network" - from out of the mouths of babes comes the TRUTH. $43,000,000,000 for 8 million homes across Australia vs $300,000,000 for 1 million homes in Melbourne - some crazy maths here. I'm reassured you like the Government spin machine - any old tosh, any old tosh - does it pay you or do you pay it? Please don't talk of "benifits" - Rudd, Tanner and Conroy have all run a mile from any Cost Benefit Analysis - your benifits are your private business - be they in SD or HD. If you have 43Bil lying idle, why don't you put it up for your NBN - it couldn't be any worse than Conroy's NBN.
mick09 Nov 19, 2009 4:53 PM	I'm not an analyst, but that sort of extrapolates to Telstra HFC network supplying 100 Mbps to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne for a cool $1B. Hey man, that's $42B pocket money for the rest of Australia - free beer for Christmas!!
JimboJones Nov 19, 2009 5:32 PM	Wait, did I miss the article about when Telstra be rolling out this wonderful cable to rural and regional? Oh, this must be from a Telstra Shareholder who would prefer to see everyone on Telstras 'closed-network' on which Telstra will charge (read: Extort) people to be on.. No, of course, the 'open-access' model for NBN is a bad thing. Who likes competition these days?? sarcasm That leads me back to my comment before, the Telstra shareholders (or some, not fair to put them all in the same bucket) is starting to get sickening. I thought you are trying to win the public vote. If you are, you are doing it the wrong way and its coming off nothing short of greedy and foul. I'm still not sure what you are arguing about or whose minds you think you are going to change? On contrary to what you might think, I personally am not one of those people who would like to see Telstra "crash and burn".. I would prefer to see Telstra not try and take on the Juggernaut that is the Fed Govt head on (because inevitably it will loose), but instead put its negotiating gloves on sell off its assets and get on with business in its mobile arm and get cracking into that any really shake up that area... As for the home lines, just get out now before its too late..
RDEFCON1 Nov 19, 2009 5:48 PM	@RL_1985 Sorry RL... but you need to check your facts re: the nature of a wireless vs fixed technologies. In fact, all technologies are 'shared' media at some point - but wireless is less shared than HFC and GPON. In HSPA+, each user gets a dedicated radio channel capable of a certain speed. That user gets that channel to themselves and the bandwidth is dependent on the radio quality and the 'version' of HSPA+ being used. Once the traffic hits the base station, THEN they share the backhaul bandwidth back to the network control point. This is similar to DSL, where each user has dedicated bandwidth on the copper line back to the DSLAM and THEN the bandwidth is shared. By comparison, GPON and HFC are shared media. Everyone on a GPON or HFC segment shares the bandwidth out to the local node in the street, and then also shares the backhaul with other segments. If you want don't want any sharing, you need a direct P2P fibre network... but that's just insanity for a residential network. Your comment "Fibre to the home doesn't have this problem, so long as the government builds this network using the right technology" is accurate, but the government isn't and shouldn't use the 'right tehcnology' to guarantee 100Mbps to every premise. That would cost more than the already ludicrous $43bn for shared GPON fibre. I note from another article that Telstra has reached over 1million homes (about 10% of Australia) with an upgrade to HFC which cost <$300k. Goes to show visionary policy doesn't necessary equate to economically responsible or efficient decision-making.
Digger11 Nov 19, 2009 5:52 PM	Bring on NBN - we need to crush this Monopolistic Deceitful bunch once and for all.
zag Nov 19, 2009 6:12 PM	What you want the Government to be running the internet in Australia. Like they will run it properly or not screw people/companies over, could have blig running it, you know... have high costs, always running out of money then jacking up costs on everyone for the cash and when it's run out again just sell it to an overseas company, it'll be a great idea!!11
sydneyla Nov 19, 2009 6:17 PM	Digger 11 agree with you entirely. Crush the monopoly socialist Rudd NBN by letting Telstra freely compete with it.
RL_1985 Nov 20, 2009 12:12 AM	"I note from another article that Telstra has reached over 1million homes (about 10% of Australia) with an upgrade to HFC which cost <$300k. Goes to show visionary policy doesn't necessary equate to economically responsible or efficient decision-making." Well, I don't live in Melbourne, I live in the country. So where's my 100Mbps? We country people, we put the food on your table. We deserve high speed broadband as much as you do. That's why I support the NBN, a network that is upgradable to faster speeds (unless you can find a technology that delivers data faster than the speed of light) and may cover 90% of Australia, 80% more than Telstra's HFC cable, which could be outdated in 10 years. And when I mentioned the right technology, I was referring to direct fibre. Maybe I was a bit carried away in my previous comment, so I'll calm down now, but there's one more thing I want to mention. If it weren't for the government announcing a FTTP NBN, Telstra would've never upgraded its cable network to 100Mbps in the first place. Telstra never innovates or invests unless they are threatened to by competition or by the government.
mick09 Nov 21, 2009 4:59 PM	@RL_1985 - what do you mean by "country" - I thought that was the 10% not to get glass fibre. NBNCo is proposing GPON - that is not "direct fibre" by most people's definition - it is "shared fibre", probably 64 premises at a time. Glad you've calmed down - your last point is equally mistaken. Sol Trujillo announced the cable upgrade in March 2009, the Govt announced NBN Mk 2 in April 2009.
anonymous Nov 23, 2009 8:47 AM	We used to joke that the NSW government thought that "NSW" meant Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong (they still do), but now it seems that mick09 from Telstra thinks that Australia consists of the HFC parts of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. There have been some dismissive posts about farmers not needing broadband. In fact most farmers are bigger users of business technology than a lot of other people. Systems now being developed mean that by the time the NBN is finished, the rural sector will have at least the same speed and service needs as anybody else.
Desk Nov 23, 2009 8:52 AM	@ RL_1985 + mick09 You compare the $43billion cost for the NBN which most of which would go into actually laying the cable to a $300k upgrade of (and here's the key words) Telstra's ALREADY LAYED CABLE... The most expensive part of the NBN is the inital lay down, once it's in the ground the NBN would be costing roughly the same (scaled up of course) in price...
crysis Nov 23, 2009 9:20 AM	here we go again. Telstra giving better net to the only people in the country - people who live in capital cities - and the rest get screwed over again. How about upgrading the 1950's party phone lines that are still in some rural areas. One country road, ten houses, one phone line. If someone else is on the phone, the rest of the road has no phone service. It is not acceptable in 2009 to be able to hear the phone conversations of your neighbours when you pick up your phone to ring out. Get it right Telstra!