Half of Australian subscribers on at least 1.5Mbps: ACMA

By Ry Crozier on Jan 13, 2010 2:32 PM
Filed under Telco/ISP

Rack up 99,993 terabits of downloads in one quarter.

Over half of Australia's 8.4 million internet subscribers are now surfing at minimum peak speeds of 1.5 Mbps, according to a new report.

The Communications Report 2008-9 [PDF], released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority overnight, said that 30 percent of internet subscribers had a service with a download speed between 1.5 Mbps and 8 Mbps.

This was a 10 percent rise in the space of a year. The numbers could rise further this year as ISPs raised base ADSL speeds to 1.5 Mbps.

A further 21 percent of internet subscribers experienced download speeds between 8 Mbps and 24 Mbps, only slightly up on the previous year, the ACMA report said.

The report also repeated Australian Bureau of Statistics figures that showed internet downloads had grown by 80 percent "during the June quarter of 2009" compared to the same period the previous year.

Internet subscribers downloaded 99,993 terabits of data compared with 55,434 terabits in 2008, the report said.

Subscriber numbers grew from 7.23 million to 8.4 million from 2007-8 to 2008-9.

The ACMA also reported that 3G mobile and wireless broadband services grew by 162 percent in the reporting period.

Wireless broadband subscribers accounted for 25 percent of all internet subscribers at June 2009, up from 11 per cent at June 2008.

Half of Australian subscribers on at least 1.5Mbps: ACMA

5 comments in this discussion

"As Oldsniper says, the slow speeds are purely due to a marketing rort by Telstra. They used to do the same with differentiated 256 / 512 / 1500 speeds when the cost differential to Telstra was ..."

By Digger11

Tags

acma, communications, report, 15mbps, download, speeds, terabits, wireless

The Sea Shepherd's cyberwar

Google shapes as digital dividend dark horse

Small telcos cash out on ACMA reforms

Exclusive: NBN Co withholds fibre upgrade price

Breaking Stories

Bankwest credits IT for flat operating expenses

Conroy warns of cloud uncertainties

Hiring strategy vital to government IT transformation

Melbourne scientists ready 2013 bionic eye trial

ACCC declares Telstra wholesale pricing

Comments: 5

Oldsniper Jan 13, 2010 11:00 PM	Most people are on 1.5Mbit due to PRICE. The faster ADSL1 8Mbit and ADSL2+ speed are way to high when sourced thru Telstra Bigpond OR Telstra Wholesale. Which bullshit as both ADSL1 and ADSL2+ these days use the same ports, they ALL are ADSL2+ ports that are software limited to the ADSL1 speeds(where used). Basicly Telstra way overcharges the consumer for ADSL. The sooner Telstra is forced to split Wholesale and Network from its's Retail the sooner things WILL improve.
mordie71 Jan 14, 2010 7:36 AM	Another reason why it looks like we like only 1.5Mbit speed is becuase ALOT of us are trapped behind CMUX/RIM/pair gain teechnology that can only ever give us ADSL1 speeds - limited at up to 8mbs but are capped at a limit of about 3Mbit. Without ISAM or technologies to alllow VDSL or higher speeds alot of areas can't get ADSL2+ at all. Now lets not forget they ones stuck behind CMUX/RIM/pair gain who can't get even get a port for ADSL at all! ... I know I went trhough over a year of pain getting ADSL to my house. The thing is Telstra Wholesales (TW) doesn't want to fix the issues or give higher than 3Mbit speeds to us behind this technology even when you get a port and that's before the massive price difference.. Thanks to the fighthing over the NBN TW have not done enough to keep up with demand and keep current keep wotk up to date and random the customers to issues like the no ports at CMUX to try a push the idea that Telstra are the only ones won can fix it ... Well from what I've research during my 12 months of no port hell been stuck on 56K modem running at 36K speeds (yes 33-36K speeds on dailup due to limits from CMUX technology) I found the issue of no ports on these ADSL1 limited CMUX technology is widespread a bigger than you thing as ALL Metro areas in ALL states across Australia have massive areas of effected areas... It's become a joke considering we though the bush had issues with oardband and not the metro areas! The need to fix access issues and and speed before this charges... We ALL would faster network even though the ACMA thinks we just want 1.4Mbit it's just we are been restricted by price and technology!
Gilgamesh Jan 14, 2010 11:35 AM	"Over half of Australia's 8.4 million internet subscribers are now surfing at minimum peak speeds of 1.5 Mbps" And Telstra started off their ADSL by saying that nobody would ever want more than 256Kbps.
mordie71 Jan 14, 2010 11:47 AM	Gilgamesh writes: "And Telstra started off their ADSL by saying that nobody would ever want more than 256Kbps." Yeah and the Federal governments USO for the inerenet states the min speed required to be deiverable is 36K" ...that USO is still current and has not been amend at any point to follow current standards... what a joke ey?
Digger11 Jan 14, 2010 1:35 PM	As Oldsniper says, the slow speeds are purely due to a marketing rort by Telstra. They used to do the same with differentiated 256 / 512 / 1500 speeds when the cost differential to Telstra was precisely $0 !!!! They all ran on the same copper lines to the same port, Telstra just restricted the speed through their BRAS's why ? becasue they could. In most overseas countires (where a monopoly like Telstra is not allowed to price gouge) you pay for downloads only - speed is as fast as the line will go. Thank god for the NBN and the demise of Telstra.