Broadband Guide Blog

The debate on the National broadband Network heats up....

iTWire - Telstra delivers NBN ultimatum

Have you been caught by 'Phishing' fraud lately? Phishing is a term used for a type of fraud that targets users passwords and login details by acting as a fake website which has been elaborately set up in order to collect personal information from you.

A recent Symantec Internet Security Threat Report conducted over the second half of 2007 has found 87,963 'phishing hosts' running rampant during that period. This figure has increased by 167% since the early part of 2007.

"We're starting to see the area mature significantly," said Symantec Australia managing director Craig Scroggie.

"People are employing programmers dedicated to the production of those threats,"

"Russia was implicated in the widespread distribution of malicious code over the last couple of years. That dropped off in 2007" "But they have recently re-emerged in China."

Read more at theage.com.au

The government is considering introducing new guidelines in order to control, and make social media network entities such as MySpace, Facebook & Bebo safer for users.

When you have close to 200 million members covering these respective social networking portals, it's imperative that safe and protective measures be introduced. Hence the Australian Communications and Media Authority recommendations which appear to be aimed at the younger generation that suggest 'default private profiles be introduced for users under 18', and 'increasing the reporting mechanisms for bullying/anti-social behaviour'.

"The guidelines aim to ensure the online social networking experience remains a positive one by providing good practice recommendations to online social networking providers to assist them in providing proper protections for their users," said Chapman.

Read more at smarthouse.com.au

No it's not the TV screen, it's the Internet screen. Hang on a sec, maybe it's both?

Australian's are dumping Television as their preferred form of home entertainment in favour for the Internet. A recent report by Nielsen Online shows the average Internet use at 13.7 hours per week online, that's .4 of an hour up on time spent in front of the TV at 13.3 hours per week.

So why is this trend occurring? Nielsen analyst Tony Marlow suggests that we've reached a point of Media Saturation where it may be difficult to go beyond two or three activities at any one time. However, industry group Free TV Australia disagrees by saying that the online sector is struggling to find a robust measurement of Internet usage.

The unprecedented decrease in time spent in front of the TV was a warning sign that Australians might have reached the feared "media saturation point", at which they were unable to simultaneously conduct any more activities, posing new challenges for marketing companies.

"In 2007, according to the official source for Australian metro ratings, OzTAM, Australians watched, on average, over three hours and 32 minutes of television a day, or 24.5 hours per week,"

Read the entire article at news.com.au

For many people on tight budgets saving money is of vital importance especially if you need to meet monthly house, car or boat repayments. A few dollars here and there can really make a difference and Broadband Internet (including home phone, mobile phone, VoIP & Pay TV) is an area where significant savings can be made. Let's explore some of the following key factors that may assist you with saving some $$$ while checking out cheap Broadband Internet Products, bargains, special offers, discounts and deals.

Know your Product
It definitely helps to know your product. What I mean by this is 'What type of Broadband do you require and how much do you intend to use it'. There's no point in purchasing a Broadband product that you will not make full use of. Firstly, why pay more for a very fast connection if you're not going to take advantage of it, if a slower speed is cheaper and will suit your requirements? Or, why pay more for a plan with a huge usage limit that you'll barely touch? But hang on you say, 'but how do I know how much speed and usage I'll need?'  Here's two pointers that may assist you.

Start off Small:
Typical terms and conditions with most Broadband Providers allow customers to change their contract options. Some fees usually apply when requesting a Usage Limit downgrade (ex. dropping from 20GB plan per month to 10GB), or when requesting a Speed drop (ex. ADSL 8000kbps to ADSL 1500kbps).  Obviously, larger usage limits and fast connection speeds are more expensive. A 512kbps or 1500kbps speed with 2GB usage limit is a great starting point. It's generally more than enough for those that only occasionally check emails, surf a couple of websites and perform banking online. If this type of set up is not suiting your needs, you can always upgrade to another speed/usage limit at the start of you're next billing period (usually for fee). Important to note: ADSL2+ and Cable Broadband use different technologies and upgrading from ADSL to ADSL2+ or Cable may not be directly available. You will first need to check with your Provider.

Research:
You're obviously on the Internet reading this article now, so why don't you head across to our Broadband Help section where you can view some useful conversion tables. The link below will relocate you to a list of three tables that include a 'Download Usage Guide' with approximated download usage figures. Furthermore, you could also use a search engine like 'Google' to find other useful comparison tables and facts. http://broadbandguide.com.au/broadbandhelp/broadbandhelp/21-Broadband-Conversion-Tables 

Broadband Bundles
Bundling Broadband with products such as Home Phone, Mobile Phone, Pay TV and VoIP services can greatly reduce you're monthly costs. Providers who offer 1, 2 or more of these services will usually give a set discount or multiple discounts according to how many products are bundled with your Broadband service. On the surface, monthly fees will appear as being reduced, however you will need to crunch all the call rates, line rental fees and start up fees among other hidden charges to really iron out the overall monthly saving, if any?

Cheap Broadband Plans
Cheap Broadband is not necessarily the best value for money Broadband, and although many cheap Broadband Plans can be exceptional value all round, its recommended that you do your research into the product. Attributes that you should consider scrutinizing prior to signing your life away are: 

Network & Routing Quality:
ISP's need to peer with one another to exchange your data over their networks. The Internet backbone is made up from a number of interconnected routes which carry data across the world. Smaller ISP's (such as a regional ISP) will either resell products through a larger ISP network or connect to  larger Providers who in turn may connect to a larger network backbone. Much routing occurs on the Internet which can greatly affect Broadband quality. Routing Protocols, Switches, Configurations, Network loads and the expertise of Network administrators can mean the difference between a good Internet Network and average Internet Network. Much like most services, cheap Broadband can have it's pros and cons. Research your Provider's network where possible.

Terms and Conditions:
The T & C's (fine print) of a Broadband Product is an area where the overall expense and savings can really be calculated. A typical Provider will give you a 'minimum monthly spend' over the contract period of time in these notes. Other fees and charges can also be located in the T & C's or usually elsewhere on the site. Key factors to consider here are:

Is there a cap for exceeding your limit?
Some Providers may shape (slow) your connection speed if your monthly usage limit is reached early and excess data is used. Generally shaping means that you don't have to pay extra,otherwise you may be charged. Ex. 10 cents for every MB used thereafter. This may, or may not be capped at a certain excess limit. Therefore 1GB over your limit could amount to an extra $100 on your monthly bill. Some Providers may cap you at a certain excess limit, charge you for this, then shape you. Ex. Once 500MB cap is reached and is charged at $XX, your speed will be reduced thereafter with no additional fees being charged. A cheap plan could be just that, but what about the hidden fees and conditions? 'Shaping' is generally the safer option to take if available.

Early contract termination or relocation fees
As this suggest, if you need to cancel your contract early for any reason, what will an early cancellation fee cost you? This could in fact amount to the total remaining monthly charges or a % of such. Same with relocating, how much will an ISP charge you to do this? Make enquiries.

Fees and charges all vary from Provider to Provider and the costs involved may even change you're opinion on a 'cheap plans' in some cases. Speak to your intended Provider's sales team and find out all there is to know about additional 'hidden' charges before making any assumption on cheap Broadband plans.

Broadband Special Offers, Discounts and Internet Deals
Finally, the special offers and discounts that ISP's use to lure customers to their products.

Common deals and discounts are 'free hardware' (modems/routers), free installation, free monthly fees (eg. 1, 2, 3 or 4 months free), Bundling Discounts (as discussed), lower call rates, half price offers etc.. etc.. Most of these deals and discounts are obviously used to promote and encourage  the customer to sign up to a Broadband Product.  Most are pretty much self explanatory too. Free monthly charges are a little bit tricky as most innocent consumers think their first 2 or 3 months will be free. Ah haa! Well think again cause some Providers may give you the 1st month free, then the 6th month free followed by the 12th month free when advertising '3 free months'. Again, look out for the contract terms and what you're getting locked into. Sure a few free months can substantially lower your overall costs, but what is the compromise? Most Providers will try and entice the customer into locking into a 24mth contract by dangling juicy deals, discounts, and offers over their heads. Locking you in means you may have to pay a significant amount of money if you should decide to leave early for whatever the reason. Weigh up the costs involved in  a 6, 12 and 24month contract. Will it pay to sign up over a longer period?

Do you're research, surf around, google search terms. Make a list and call your prospective Providers to enquire. After all, it's what their sales and support help desks are there for.

Cheap Broadband at Broadband Guide
Broadband Bundles at Broadband Guide 

Many Australians are still in the dark when it comes to the Internet Security term 'Phishing', and what it actually represents. According to a recent article on Phishing, only 7% out of 30% who said they knew what Phishing meant were in fact correct.

The Galaxy survey, commissioned by eBay, found one in three Australian internet users believed people had to be "dumb" to fall for a phishing scam, but 72 per cent of respondents were engaging in risky online behaviour.

The survey of 647 internet users found seven out of 10 were at risk of becoming phishing victims.

Read the entire article at AustralianIT.com.au

Phishing in Brief
In computing, phishing is a criminal activity where phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. eBay and PayPal are two of the most targeted companies, and online banks are also common targets.

Read up on the Facts, Methods and Dangers of Phishing at Wikipedia by clicking here.

Online computer video games and Broadband go hand in hand, well almost. Depending on what type of online video game you intend to play, could in turn preference your Broadband connection choice. In the case of Halo 3, a fast, robust and stable connection should be a gamer's highest priority. Halo's genre comes in under the action packed 'First Person Shooter' (FPS) category which typically relies on very fast Broadband for a high quality gaming experience.

Developed by Bungie Studios, published by Microsoft and due for release on the 25th September 2007,  Halo 3 is on the verge of making Entertainment history as sales are expected to break the $300 million mark at the end trading on the first day of release. In Australia alone, 42,000 copies have already been pre-ordered, and with an RRP of $99.95 each I'll let you do the calculations.

When Halo 2 came on the market in 2004 it racked up $US125 million in sales in the first 24 hours of its release in North America.

"We love the fun of it, and we're going to make it as entertaining for our customers as possible," Mr Harker said. Microsoft will also be releasing a special Xbox 360 Halo 3 games console to coincide with the launch as part of its battle with the popular Nintendo Wii gaming system.

Broadband Guide has Gaming Plans suitable for Halo 3 type online games which feature high download limits and very fast Internet connections. You can check out the entire list of Online Gaming Plans by visiting our Broadband Gaming section.

Read the whole article at TheAge.com.au

Seeking a high usage Broadband Plan for BitTorrent and heavy downloading? Broadband Guide has you covered with a large selection of Broadband Plans suitable for extreme downloading. If you're new to Broadband and want to download huge files but aren't exactly sure about how much data you'll require for various files, then you should check out our knowledge base which has an article on Data Conversion Tables. It will not only help give you a broader understanding of data volume amounts for files such as MP3's (music tracks) & Movies, however there's also further information on Broadband speed conversions as well.

In order to download larger type files from the Internet, peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing programs and protocols such as 'eMule' and the more popular 'BitTorrent' are required. These forms of downloading software distribute large amounts of files through a method where the recipient supplies and receives segments of data simultaneously. This method was introduced to combat redundancy issues, regulate fairness, reduce costs and to lift the independance off the orignal file provider. eMule is similar to BitTorrent as it too is a peer-to-peer file sharing application and is free to use (less the data usage costs of course).

Before rushing out and downloading BitTorrent and eMule applications, I feel obliged to inform you that although these types of file sharing software applications are legal, copyrighted (Pirated) material has been known to circulate through the file hosting servers, therefore be aware of the file you are downloading and be sure that it's not copyrighted material.

View Broadband Plans suitable for BitTorrent type downloading right here at Broadband Guide.
Find out more on Downloading, FAQ's & Conversion Tables @ Broadband Guide Help

Handy Moving House links:
http://broadbandguide.com.au/moving-house
http://broadbandguide.com.au/broadband-bundle/

High speed Broadband access is not the only market expected to flourish over the next few years. The Gaming Industry, driven beyond the demand from hardcore gamers, is expected to grow by more than 50% over the next 4 years says Game publisher 'Ubisoft'.

Originally it was the 'Multiplayer' aspect of PC games that drove the online segment of gaming in the early part of the decade. Now it's the Console market with Xbox 360, Playstation 3 (PS3), Wii and many other compact gaming platforms driving the growth of Game sales. In regards to Broadband many of the Consoles Games, much like PC Games, are now able to access the Internet and play online.

Playing PC, Console or handheld Games in a single player (local format) mode, or on the Internet (Multiplayer) is fast becoming a mainstream revolution for entertainment inside your home or beyond. Many Broadband Plans at Broadband Guide cater for Online Gaming as well as other general Internet uses. Although there are different Broadband requirements (and types) for various games, a good starting point for appropriate Gaming Broadband would be either an ADSL, ADSL2/2+ or Cable Type connection on a speed that's at least 512Kbps or above (higher recommended).

"There are so many new customers to the business; this is going to grow the market tremendously. I expect the market to grow by 50 per cent in the next four years," Ubisoft chief executive Yves Guillemot said.

casual games business was "extremely profitable" and helped to finance the initially costly development of games for next-generation consoles - Sony's PlayStation3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360.

"There are 150 million gamers worldwide, but 2 billion people are ready to play," 

Search for Online Gaming Broadband Plans by clicking here.
Online Gaming at Broadband Guide

Read the entire AustralianIT article by clicking here.

Recent statistics suggest that High Speed Broadband Internet is rapidly increasing in popularity. But how fast is fast enough, what are we using it for now, and perhaps more to the point, what will Broadband be used for in tomorrow's future?

Quality
Freeing up your time is of the highest importance now days and very fast Broadband Internet equates to very fast data transfers which can save you time. If time is money from a business point of view, then very fast data transmissions could save or make business lots of $$. How about from a residential point of view then? The convenience of Broadband Internet makes everyday tasks like Internet Banking, Emailing, Downloading, Online Shopping & Web Browsing operations much faster, thus more accessible. This is not too mention the advantages that high speed Broadband has with Triple Play (Internet, TV & Telephone) services. Very Fast Broadband has also witnessed the emergence and popularity of streaming video and music content. This type of Internet activity usually involves large files, and in order to achieve maximum resolution and clarity, file sizes are reflected by the quality of such. Generally speaking, high quality content will take longer to download as file sizes will be much larger. Streaming various types of media may not be accessible for those who are using slower Dial-up or Broadband connections.

Speed 
In regards to Broadband Speed, Australia is lagging behind other over seas developed countries who can obtain speeds in excess of 4 or 5 times our highest limit. Currently the maximum achievable speeds available in Australia to most metro households is about 20Mbps. To effectively catch up with the rest of the world, speeds of 50Mbps or possibly 100Mbps plus would need to be achieved. Now hang on a minute you might say, why do we need speeds that are so fast? Firstly, Investing in high speed Broadband Network infrastructure is far from cheap, try 5 Billion plus dollars for a fibre to the node (FTTN) network. Some experts suggest that a faster fibre to the home / premises (FTTH or FTTP) network may cost 20+ billion dollars. It's not cheap, therefore it's something you want to get right first time around and it's also something that could be upgraded down the track - opposed to replaced. Secondly, We can guess, but we don't exactly know what the future will hold with high speed Broadband. What we do know is that new products and services are constantly becoming available with faster Broadband speeds, therefore why not roll out a network that has the fastest Broadband technology available.  

Let's take a look at some of the current advantages of fast Broadband.

Time Efficiency & Convenience
Internet Banking accessibility
Download Larger Files faster
Faster Web Page Browsing & Page loading times
Stream high quality Video & Music content
Access Emails & Email Attachments faster
Browse and purchase Shopping online more efficiently
Enhance Communication (Discussion Boards, Forums, Chat Rooms, Voice Chat & Video Conferencing)
Online Gaming & Entertainment accessibility

Future Advantages
Whether it's Cable, ADSL, Wireless, Satellite or another form of Broadband Technology; At work, home or play;  Broadband has, and will continue to revolutionize the world we live in by combining existing and emerging technologies together. Here are some probable examples of how high speed Broadband may shape our future.

Communication & Entertainment - High Quality Video & Voice services will require robust Broadband connectivity in order to deliver high definition/quality Video on Demand, Internet Protocol TV & Voice services across the Internet. 

Health, Education & Consultations - Video Calls from your Home to a GP, Institution or Financial service in which diagnosis, tuition, advice, transactions and monitoring can be performed. Ideal services for remote and densely populated areas along with high risk patients.

Tele-Working/Community - Using Telecommunications to work from home could also alleviate travel congestion and reduce pollution. - Consider the positive impact on the environment - Savings on emissions and energy efficiency.

Automated Home Services & 'Smart Appliances' - Lighting, Climate, Video Intercom/Phone, Home Entertainment, Alarm Systems, Fridges, Ovens plus much much more all operating through Broadband Technology.

There's no doubt that Broadband technology is re-inventing the wheel and proof of this impact is already emerging in many various shapes and forms. The question is, when and will some of these new products and services become reality and readily available, and what exactly will they be? If the current delay of Broadband development in Australia continues to be slowed by bureaucratic processes and hesitation shown by the current liberal government, well the wait might be sometime yet.

Forthright  Telstra chief executive ‘Sol Trujillo’ last month threatened that Telstra would pull out of the tender process to build a new Australian FTTN high speed Broadband network.  It now appears that Telstra have done an ‘about face’ with Chairman Don Macgauchie saying they have not withdrawn, but the possibility to do so still remains.  

"TELSTRA has no immediate plans to pull out of a government tender process to build a high-speed broadband network, chairman Don Mcgauchie said."

 Read the entire article here at Australian IT
 

Australian Telco giant ‘Primus’ has commenced a roll-out of 100 additional DSLAMs (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers). Over the next 6 months  Primus intends to expand its Australian Broadband network by a whopping 50%! They are yet to introduce ADSL2+ speeds to their Broadband list so their DSLAM network roll-out will be highly anticipated. 

News of the expansion comes as a big surprise considering the Government’s future intentions on implementing a Fibre-to-the-Node network.  The potential new FTTN network may supersede many Primus ADSL ports thus making them unnecessary.  However, Primus Australia CEO 'Mr Ravi Bhatia' has suggested that the demand for high speed Broadband is extremely high and the roll-out will only strengthen Primus as one of Australia's leading telecommunication operators.
 

“This deployment will increase our network reach by over 50%. This expansion of Primus infrastructure has been driven purely and simply by customer demand. Moreover, our infrastructure ownership allows us to guarantee quality and reliability to our customers”

“This investment is a vote of confidence in fair and balanced competition policy and regulatory environment in the Australian telecommunications market. Our new investment solidifies Primus’s position as one of the leading infrastructure based operators in Australia”

  
You can check out all the current Primus Broadband Plans right here at Broadband Guide.

Regards,

The Broadband Guide Team 

You can receive Internet Access almost immediately, along with extensive information on Broadband right now with our free to use service. No need to wait any longer or spend countless hours researching Internet Service Providers or Plans when everything can be explained in simple to understand English right here at Broadband Guide or by speaking to a consultant. 

Start saving on your Broadband Internet service when you Bundle one or more Home Phone, Mobile, VoIP or Pay TV (Foxtel/Digital TV) services with your Broadband Provider. Did you know that many ISPs offer a variety of discounts, deals, extras or cheaper fees when combining your Broadband Internet service into a Bundled package? Well they do and it can save you a significant amount of money just from rolling over a couple of your home or business services into one! Whether you're new to Broadband or seeking to switch Broadband services, a Bundled Package can generally be obtained with relative ease by calling your prospective Provider.

Combining two or more services is generally referred to as 'Bundle' although it is not uncommon to use the term 'Package'. Various Internet Service Providers on the Broadband Guide site offer discounted monthly fees when an additional service is taken with your Broadband Internet Product.  These discounts typically offer a reduced monthly Broadband fee, however some Providers may grant additional discounts or bonuses such as extra usage limits, phone calls, sms texts, or cap deals. Furthermore, reductions or special offers on free installation, hardware, or transfers when bundling may also apply.

When browsing products on the Broadband Guide site, Bundle Options are shown in the form of a small logo (e.g. Telephone, TV, Mobile Phone, VoIP). Adjacent to these logos is an adjoining Check Box that indicates availability and by checking the box, it confirms that you wish to select this service also. Search return results will show what additional Bundling options are available in conjunction to the respective Broadband Internet Plan by allowing you to 'check' and 'uncheck' a Bundle Option. Once you have established a suitable Plan and Bundled Option, further details and pricing can be located by clicking the 'MORE INFO' button located right next to the Bundle Options. Here you can view vital information regarding plan options by alternating the additional Bundle Options check boxes, and or, selecting various contract lengths. Prices and information will instantly change according to the selections you make.

Broadband Provider contact phone numbers are located in the MORE INFO section of all plans. So if you're unclear on any of the information provided and would like further details, or to simply sign up to a Bundled Broadband Service right there and then, call the affiliated phone number and you're almost done!

Search for Broadband Internet Plans with Bundle Options by clicking here.

Good Luck! 

Regards,

Broadband Guide

Useful Broadband Bundle Links:
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) at Broadband Guide
Broadband Bundles at Broadband Guide
Broadband Bundle Plans & Packages at Broadband Guide