Stories by Adam Bender

Vodafone building location-aware text alerts system

An SMS emergency warning system developed by Vodafone will let government and emergency services send text message alerts to customers on the Vodafone network, based on their location and proximity to danger.

Broadband competitors seek to level playing field with NBN

The NBN should heat up telco competition in a broadband market that has been dominated by Telstra, said Optus, Vodafone and iiNet officials on a panel at the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) conference in Sydney. However, they said the national network won’t resolve all inequities in the telco industry.

NBN won't close broadband gap, say advocates for rural communities

Even with the National Broadband Network (NBN), more work remains to bridge the digital divide between regional and metropolitan areas in Australia, said advocates for rural communities at the the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) conference in Sydney.

Bank customers want video services: Telstra

Video could be a competitive differentiator for financial institutions as banks increasingly use technology to gain an edge on rivals, according to a Telstra white paper published Wednesday. Telstra is seeking to sell network management and unified communications services to banks to handle technological challenges that come with a move to videoconferencing.

Telstra installs 1000th ADSL2+ 'Top Hat'

Telstra has passed the halfway point in a project to upgrade homes and businesses to ADSL2+ fixed broadband, the telco announced on its blog. The project, which Telstra calls “Top Hat,” places broadband boxes on top of the telco’s existing street-side cabinets.

Melbourne businesses to get Optus 4G 15 September

Optus will launch 4G services for Melbourne businesses and consumers on 15 September, the telco said, with its 4G network now open for Sydney, Perth and Newcastle consumers, following [[artnid: 432213|launches of 4G business services]] there.

Hitachi increases focus on big data, 'social innovation'

Hitachi is trying to expand beyond storage services to tackle emerging areas like big data and converged IT, according to Hitachi Data Systems CTO, Hu Yoshida. The change reflects a recent change in leadership in the larger company, Hitachi, Ltd., he said.

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