Editing Telecommunications in Australia (section)

== Internet ==
{{Main|Internet in Australia}}
[[File:Telstra internet pay phone 2012-12-06.jpg|thumb|Internet enabled [[payphone]], 2012]]
[[File:Sydney internet cafe - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Sydney [[internet café]], 2005]]
Permanent [[Internet access]] was first available in [[Australia]] to universities via [[AARNet]] in 1989.<ref name="rogerclarke.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/OzI04.html#8589 |title=Roger Clarke's 'The Internet in Australia' – 4.3 1985–1989 |publisher=Rogerclarke.com |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="AARNET - History">{{cite web |url=http://aarnet.edu.au/about-us/history.aspx |title=History |publisher=AARNET |access-date=13 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220175608/http://www.aarnet.edu.au/about-us/history.aspx |archive-date=20 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Hobbes' Internet Timeline">{{cite web|url=http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/ |title=Hobbes' Internet Timeline |publisher=Zakon.org |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref> The first commercial dial-up [[ISP|Internet Service Provider]] (ISP) appeared in capital cities soon after,<ref>[http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/OzI04.html#CIAP Origins and Nature of the Internet in Australia – Roger Clarke]. Published 29 January 2004</ref> and by the mid-1990s almost the entire country had a range of choices of dial-up ISPs.<ref>[http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/OzI04.html#9500 Origins and Nature of the Internet in Australia – Roger Clarke]. Published 29 January 2004</ref> Today, Internet access is available through a range of technologies, i.e. [[Hybrid Fibre Coaxial|hybrid fibre coaxial cable]], [[digital subscriber line]] (DSL), [[Integrated Services Digital Network]] (ISDN) and [[satellite Internet]]. The [[Government of Australia|Australian Government]], in partnership with the industrial sector, began rolling out a nationwide FTTP broadband network in July 2009.<ref>{{cite web | title = A separate company for a broadband network | work = Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy | date = 11 April 2008 | url = http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/0005/86072/Request_for_Proposals_-_DCON-08-18.doc | access-date = 5 December 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716072540/http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/0005/86072/Request_for_Proposals_-_DCON-08-18.doc | archive-date = 16 July 2011 }}</ref>

The .au domain ([[ccTLD]]) was delegated to Robert Elz of the Australian Computing Science Network ([[ACSNet]]) in March 1986.<ref>{{cite web|website=ICANN|publisher=Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers|title=ccTLD Agreement Signed with auDA|url=https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2001-10-25-en}}</ref> From then, universities connected one at a time to allow for the sending and receiving of email and for use newsgroup facilities. An earlier restricted IP-based network, linking academic institutions within Australia, known as [[ACSNet]], used the .oz domain. This domain was subsumed under .au to become .oz.au.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/OzI04.html#7584 |title=Roger Clarke's 'The Internet in Australia' – 4.2 1975–1984 |publisher=Rogerclarke.com |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref>

A permanent connection between [[AARNet]] and [[ARPANet]] was established in May 1989 by a satellite connection.<ref name="rogerclarke.com"/><ref name="AARNET - History"/><ref name="Hobbes' Internet Timeline"/>

In 1992 there were two competing commercial ISPs expanding to excess of 100 by June 1995 [Internet Australasia Magazine], attributing some fifth of all AARNet traffic.

The [[Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee|Vice Chancellors' Committee]] sold all commercial customers with Telstra leading the commercial push of the Internet into Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aarnet.edu.au/Content.aspx?p%3D103 |title=AARNET - About us - History |access-date=2008-01-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218005538/http://www.aarnet.edu.au/Content.aspx?p=103 |archive-date=18 February 2008 }} AARNet History</ref>

===Broadband access===
Broadband internet access is available in Australia using predominantly ADSL, plus cable, fibre, satellite and wireless technologies. Since July 2008 almost two thirds of Australian households have had internet access, with broadband connections outnumbering dial-up two to one.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24064928-12377,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922030543/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24064928-12377,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 September 2008 | title=Latest Stories From News.Com.Au}}</ref> According to the recent ABS statistics the non-dial-up services outnumber dial up services 3.6 to 1.

===xDSL===
In 2000, the first consumer [[ADSL]] services were made available via Telstra Bigpond, at speeds of 256/64&nbsp;kbit/s (downstream/upstream), 512/128&nbsp;kbit/s, and 1500/256&nbsp;kbit/s. Telstra chose to artificially limit all ADSL speeds to a maximum of 1500/256&nbsp;kbit/s. As ADSL required access to the telephone exchange and the copper line – which only Telstra had – this allowed Telstra to be dominant due to the expense of roll-out for other companies and Telstra's established customer base. Other ISPs followed suit soon after; reselling connections purchased wholesale from Telstra.<ref>[https://www.telstrawholesale.com.au/ Telstra Wholesale]</ref>

In response to Telstra's monopolisation of ADSL provision other carriers installed their own [[DSLAM]]s.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.xyzed.com.au/admin/uploads/pdf/00.09.04.pdf |title=First competitive DSL network opens for business |date=4 September 2000|access-date=2024-10-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120155819/http://www.xyzed.com.au/admin/uploads/pdf/00.09.04.pdf |archive-date=20 January 2016 }}</ref> [[Internode Systems|Internode]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.internode.on.net/about/news/20060920-coorongsolar.htm |title=Internode - News and Media - Internode Covers Coorong with Solar-Powered Broadband |access-date=2007-05-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106010305/http://www.internode.on.net/about/news/20060920-coorongsolar.htm |archive-date=6 January 2007 }}</ref>

The presence of non-Telstra DSLAMs allowed the service providers to control the speed of connection, and most offered "uncapped" speeds, allowing the customers to connect at whatever speed their copper pair would allow, up to 8&nbsp;Mbit/s. Ratification of [[ADSL2|ADSL2 and ADSL2+]] increased the maximum to 12&nbsp;Mbit/s, then 24&nbsp;Mbit/s. {{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

In November 2007 the first Naked DSL product was announced by [[iiNet]].<ref>[https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/iinet-keeps-raincoat-on-ready-to-expose-naked-dsl/ 'ZDnet iiNet keeps Raincoat on, ready to expose naked DSL'] Retrieved on 9 December 2008.</ref> Shortly after this other internet providers also started to provide DSL products without telephony service over copper, reducing line rental fees.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120722142541/http://www.cnet.com.au/broadband/adsl/0,239035934,339281360,00.htm?feed=pt_naked_dsl/ 'AAPT Promises Naked DSL by Christmas'] Retrieved on 9 December 2008</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/iiNet-leaps-out-and-exposes-naked-DSL/0,130061791,339283842,00.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116113231/http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/iiNet-leaps-out-and-exposes-naked-DSL/0,130061791,339283842,00.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 November 2007 |title=iiNet leaps out and exposes naked DSL |publisher=Zdnet.com.au |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref>

===Telstra FTTN===
Telstra proposed to upgrade to Fibre to the Node (FTTN) in 2006 but did not pursue the development because it would be required to share the network.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1708224.htm|title=Telstra scraps broadband network plan|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=7 August 2006}}</ref>

===Wireless broadband===
Wireless broadband in Australia is widespread, with many point-to-point fixed wireless broadband providers serving broadband-poor regional and rural areas, predominantly with [[Canopy (wireless)|Motorola Canopy]] and [[WiMAX]] technologies. Telstra's 2006 introduction of the "[[Next G]]" [[High Speed Packet Access|HSPA]] network (which reportedly covers 99% of the Australian population as of September 2008) with speeds advertised of being up to 14&nbsp;Mbit/s<ref>[http://my.bigpond.com/internetplans/broadband/wireless/overview/default.jsp 'example of Bigpond plan'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915142650/http://my.bigpond.com/internetplans/broadband/wireless/overview/default.jsp |date=15 September 2008 }} Retrieved on 25 September 2008.</ref> stimulated investment in wireless broadband by competitors Optus, Vodafone and Hutchison Telecommunications, who are presently expanding their HSPA networks to cover 96–98% of the Australian population.<ref>[https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/optus-extends-3g-mobile-to-rural-australia/ Znet Optus story] Retrieved on 25 September 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,22912481-5014109,00.html 'Vodafone news.com']  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102114131/http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0%2C25642%2C22912481-5014109%2C00.html |date=2 January 2008 }} Retrieved on 25 September 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,27753,24211218-462,00.html Hutchison Telecommunications news.com]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917035455/http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0%2C27753%2C24211218-462%2C00.html |date=17 September 2008 }} Retrieved on 25 September 2008.</ref>
{{Further|topic=the 1973 Australian telecommunications wireless carrier|Vertel}}

===Rural coverage===
{{see also|Universal service}}
Delivering competitive telecommunications services to regional and rural areas is a major issue, with Telstra having a [[Universal Service]] Obligation regarding telephony services. Government monies have been made available on a competitive basis to carriers to address broadband and mobile telephone blackspots and gaps in service provision.

===National Broadband Network===
{{Main|National Broadband Network}}
The National Broadband Network was initially a [[Fiber to the x|fibre-to-the-home]] [[open-access network]] in planning and trial operation in Australia by the federal government. The national broadband network aimed to provide up to 1000&nbsp;Mbit/s speeds and to connect to 93% of Australian households and businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-now-to-reach-93-of-population/ |title=NBN now to reach 93% of population – Communications – News |publisher=Zdnet.com.au |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref> This has since been revised under a Coalition government to a mixed-technology system relying largely on Australia's existing and largely depreciated copper networks. This revision aims for 50&nbsp;Mbit/s to 100&nbsp;Mbit/s, with consumer reports ranging from 1&nbsp;Mbit/s to 100&nbsp;Mbit/s. The government will hold a majority share (51%) in the network company, with the remainder being held by private firms.<ref>[http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Technology/2009/04/08/Tasmania_to_get_govt_broadband_first_319955.html BigPond News – NBN] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411113602/http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Technology/2009/04/08/Tasmania_to_get_govt_broadband_first_319955.html |date=11 April 2009 }}</ref> The Australian government had previously called for proposals to build a fibre-to-the-node  broadband network providing download speeds up to 100 and upload speeds up to 40 [[megabits per second]]. The government also utilises fixed wireless technology and satellite technology to provide fast broadband connection in rural area and very remote area. Fixed wireless provides speeds up to 50/20&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbnco.com.au/learn-about-the-nbn/network-technology/fibre-to-the-node-explained-fttn.html|website=NBN co.|title = Fibre to the Node Explained |access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref> Satellite technology uses two [[Sky Muster]] [[communication satellite]]s launched in 2015 and 2016 to provide fast broadband in very remote areas and offshore. It provides speeds up to 25/5&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Francis|first1=Hannah|title=Ten cool facts about NBN's forthcoming Sky Muster satellite service|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/ten-cool-facts-about-nbns-forthcoming-sky-muster-satellite-service-20160202-gmjpow.html|access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref>

The network will be the largest single infrastructure investment in Australia's history.<ref>{{cite news | last = Egan | first = Michael | title = A separate company for a broadband network | work = The Age | date = 5 September 2008 | url = http://business.theage.com.au/business/a-separate-company-for-a-broadband-network-20080904-49zt.html | access-date = 7 September 2008 | location=Melbourne}}</ref>