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Martin Kovacs

NBN Aims To Encourage Retailers With New Pricing

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NBN will introduce a new discount model for its connectivity virtual circuit (CVC) charge, which it states is designed to encourage greater CVC capacity per end-user.Planned to be introduced in June, NBN states that the model, known as dimension-based discount (DBD), responds to Australian consumers’ rapid increase in data consumption, aiming “to reward retailers with a discount (determined at an industry level) for delivering a better customer experience through the better allocation of CVC to end-users”.

“We know more bandwidth can mean a better broadband experience for homes and businesses, so we are excited to evolve our CVC pricing model for our retailers,” NBN CEO Bill Morrow commented.

“The broadband market is changing and consumption continues to boom. We have seen average usage on the NBN network increase from 75 gigabytes in February 2015 to 125 gigabytes today.

“We know increased usage has presented challenges to our retailers, and we have consulted with them on a new CVC pricing model that creates greater flexibility and opportunity for the industry – acknowledging that broadband use is expanding.”

The model calculates the average CVC bandwidth assigned by all retailers to all end-users on the NBN network at an industry level, with the more CVC bandwidth provisioned per end-user, the bigger the discount available to the industry, calculated on a quarterly basis.

It will be available equally to all NBN wholesale customers, with NBN stating it “aims to encourage retail providers to deliver a higher quality service”.

NBN states it is intended for the model to remain in place for up to two years, with it to be reviewed on an ongoing basis in conjunction with customers.

“The model aims to encourage our retail providers to better dimension their network, and help retailers to provide a better broadband experience for homes and businesses,” Morrow commented.

“We do not plan to stop here. We see the DBD model evolving further and ideally being applied directly to each retailer rather than an industry level. We will continue to evolve it in close consultation with our customers.”

ACCC:Wants Broadband Performance Monitoring

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has completed a pilot broadband performance monitoring and reporting program, finding that such a program could be readily established in Australia, however a decision on proceeding with a future program is yet to be made.With the ACCC today announcing completion of the program, ACCC chairman Rod Sims has commented on the benefits such a program could deliver to consumers.

“The ACCC believes a broadband performance monitoring and reporting program would promote competition and consumer outcomes by providing transparency over the quality of broadband services,” Sims stated.

“As the NBN rollout progresses, providing transparency over the performance of the monopoly network provider will be particularly important as retail service providers (RSPs) will be dependent on NBN Co for the underlying network capability.

“In this regard, visibility over any network-based performance issues would help identify whether any bottleneck issues in the network are attributable to RSPs or the network provider.”

Sims additionally noted that it is important for consumers to have information on how different broadband products perform at their disposal when choosing the option best for them.

“A broadband performance monitoring and reporting program can be designed to increase the available information about service performance, and thereby encourage RSPs to compete on the basis of service quality, not simply price,” he commented.

The ACCC’s pilot program – carried out by SamKnows, which operates similar broadband performance monitoring programs internationally, and Comdate – involved testing the home fixed-line broadband connections of approximately 90 Melbourne-based volunteers on various technologies over a three-month period.

A hardware probe was placed on volunteers’ home connections, with the probe running a series of network performance tests. The metrics tested included download/upload speeds, web browsing time, latency, packet loss, video streaming, jitter and DNS resolution, against which a range of results were observed.

The ACCC noted that there was “a noticeable trend in deteriorating performance during peak use periods, particularly in relation to download speeds”.

“The ACCC is greatly encouraged by the results of the pilot program, however a decision to proceed with a future program has not been made and any finalised program would involve further stakeholder consultation,” Sims commented.

“Similar broadband monitoring programs have been established in the United Kingdom (2008), United States of America (2010), Singapore (2011), and more recently, Canada. Such programs have led to improved transparency of information and increased performance-based competition for broadband services.”

The report can be found here.

Passwords To Avoid: 2015’s Worst Passwords Revealed

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SplashData has released the 2015 edition of its annual Worst Passwords List, with “123456” and “password” again taking out honours with the top two positions.The two passwords have been a fixture of the list since its inception in 2011, ranking annual favourites – “demonstrating how people’s choices for passwords remain consistently risky”.

SplashData’s fifth annual report, compiled from more than 2 million leaked passwords during the year, sees new and longer passwords making their debut, however, given their simplicity, their extra length is “virtually worthless as a security measure”.

These passwords include “1234567890”, “1qaz2wsx” (the first two columns of main keys on a standard keyboard), and “qwertyuiop” (the top row of keys on a standard keyboard), which  all appear in the top 25 list for the first time.

“We have seen an effort by many people to be more secure by adding characters to passwords, but if these longer passwords are based on simple patterns they will put you in just as much risk of having your identity stolen by hackers,” Morgan Slain, SplashData CEO, commented.

“As we see on the list, using common sports and pop culture terms is also a bad idea. We hope that with more publicity about how risky it is to use weak passwords, more people will take steps to strengthen their passwords and, most importantly, use different passwords for different websites.”

SplashData’s top 25 worst passwords of 2015 are:

1. 123456 (unchanged)
2. password (unchanged)
3. 12345678 (up 1)
4. qwerty (up 1)
5. 12345 (down 2)
6. 123456789 (unchanged)
7. football (up 3)
8. 1234 (down 1)
9. 1234567 (up 2)
10. baseball (down 2)
11. welcome (new)
12. 1234567890 (new)
13. abc123 (up 1)
14. 111111 (up 1)
15. 1qaz2wsx (new)
16. dragon (down 7)
17. master (up 2)
18. monkey (down 6)
19. letmein (down 6)
20. login (new)
21. princess (new)
22. qwertyuiop (new)
23. solo (new)
24. passw0rd (new)
25. starwars (new)

Vodafone Offers Discounts For Small Business Customers

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Vodafone has today unveiled discounts tailored for small business customers, with the telco providing up to a 50 per cent discount on access fees for customers on selected Red Business Grow plans.New and existing business customers who sign up for 24 months with the $70 Red Business Grow plan or above with between five and nine connections will save 25 per cent on access fees for up to 24 months, while customers on plans with at least 10 connections will save 50 per cent on access fees for up to 24 months.

The offer is available for customers who connect or upgrade before September 30, 2015.

Vodafone Ready Business plans include infinite standard national talk and text messages, with data inclusions varying from plan to plan.

“A Ready Business has the power to thrive today and prepare for tomorrow, and our Ready Business plans have been designed to support small businesses both today and in the future,” Vodafone Enterprise Business Unit executive general manager Stuart Kelly commented. “This means you can expect enhanced coverage, fast 4G speeds and great value that travels with you.

“We realise that small businesses employ almost half of the Australians working in the private sector, so it’s important that these businesses and their employees are mobilised and getting the best possible value for their money.”

Vodafone is also offering small business customers a network satisfaction guarantee.

“To start our relationship on the right foot, we offer new customers a network ‘happiness’ guarantee: if customers aren’t happy in the first 30 days, they can cancel their contract and only pay for what they’ve used,” Kelly stated.

Millennials On The Move: Business Faces Challenge To Retain Workers

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When it comes to employment outlook, millennials don’t plan to stick around over the long term, according to Deloitte’s Millennial Survey 2016.Deloitte interviewed 300 Australians as part of its survey across 29 countries, with 46 per cent stating that they expect to leave their current employer in the next two years, up from 44 per cent globally.

Over the longer term, only 19 per cent stated that they expect to stay with their current employer for more than five years, compared with 27 per cent globally.

Deloitte states that, born after 1982, millennials will comprise 75 per cent of the global workforce by 2025.

“The 7,700 tertiary educated and employed millennials (aged up to 31) we interviewed globally place great importance on working for an organisation with innovative leaders who offer meaningful work, opportunities for professional development and a good work-life balance,” David Hill, Deloitte Australia chief operating officer, commented.

“They also want their leaders to listen and consider their views. In my experience we have a lot to learn from these bright, young future leaders. The best leaders value their ideas and energy. Those who don’t are likely to find their millennial workers quickly looking elsewhere.”

The survey found that 69 per cent of Australian millennials who are likely to leave their employer in the next two years are unhappy with how their leadership skills are being developed, with the most loyal employees being those who feel that: support/training is on offer for those wishing to take on leadership roles, and that younger employees are actively encouraged to aim for leadership roles.

Meanwhile, millennials “are guided by strong personal values at all stages of their careers”.

“While 73 per cent of millennials believe business has a positive impact on society, they still want businesses to focus more on people (employees, customers and society), products and purpose – and less on profits,” Deloitte sustainability services partner Paul Dobson commented.

“More than three quarters (83 per cent) of the next generation of Australian leaders say business success should be measured by more than financial performance.”

Dobson noted that 73 per cent rated having satisfied/loyal customers as the next most important measure of business success, followed by 69 per cent stating the quality of a company’s products and services, and 67 per cent stating the company being a great place to work.

“For the most loyal millennials a sense of corporate purpose is incredibly important, with 95 per cent of those who remain with their employer more than five years saying it keeps them satisfied,” he commented.

Hill noted that millennials in the workplace “are more independent and more likely to put their personal values ahead of organisational goals” than their generational predecessors.

“They are redefining professional success and proactively managing their careers, and it would appear their values do not change dramatically as they progress professionally, which will have a significant impact on business and society in the future,” he stated.

Vodafone Ramps Up Competition With New Money-Back Network Guarantee

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Vodafone is ramping up competition in the mobile sector, introducing a new money-back network guarantee.Having first introduced a network guarantee in 2012, Vodafone’s revised guarantee now comes with a money-back offer.

Vodafone is taking up the competition to rival telcos such as Telstra, with Telstra this year having suffered a series of network issues.

With the offer being launched today, Vodafone chief marketing officer Loo Fun Chee noted OpenSignal’s recent State of Mobile Networks: Australia (June 2016) report found that “Vodafone now ties with Australia’s largest telco in 4G network availability”.

Under its new 30 Day Network Satisfaction Guarantee, Vodafone states that “if a new postpaid customer is not satisfied with Vodafone’s network within the first 30 days, they can cancel their contract, no questions asked”.

“Vodafone will also refund any monthly access fees and monthly handset instalments paid by the customer as long as the equipment and device are returned to a Vodafone store within 10 days of making the claim,” Vodafone states.

Vodafone is also offering new customers signing up to selected 12 or 24-month phone plans one month of unlimited data to use within Australia.

“As smartphones have become an essential tool in our everyday lives, we believe consumers deserve assurance that they’ll have a great network experience where they live, work and play,” Vodafone chief marketing officer Loo Fun Chee commented.

“And if they don’t, they should be able to walk away no questions asked. We know this is a pain point for consumers and businesses, and one we are committed to addressing.”

Chee stated that Vodafone is so confident in its network, that it guarantees “customers satisfaction with its performance”.

“We want Australians to know they no longer have to settle for a network that doesn’t work for them,” Chee stated.

“Our new guarantee is an invitation for Australians who may be feeling unsatisfied with their current provider to experience everything Vodafone has to offer.”

The 30 Day Network Satisfaction Guarantee is also available for business customers with up to nine connections.

“Some of our competitors have offered network guarantees before, but Vodafone is the only carrier to continue to offer this type of guarantee today,” Vodafone executive general manager of enterprise Stuart Kelly commented.

“No longer does your business need to settle for a telco that may not meet your requirements and leaves you dissatisfied. We invite you to try the Vodafone network today.”

Further information can be found here.

IoT Group Signs Distribution Agreement With The Product Group

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IoT Group subsidiary OK IoT Group has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Steven Kayalicos from The Product Group for Australasia.The Product Group will be the exclusive distributor for IoT Group’s line of products under the agreement, including its ROAM-e flying selfie.

The ROAM-e allows users to take selfies and stream live video, with its “Follow Me” functionality using facial recognition technology, developed by IoT Group.

“The ROAM-e is the world’s first flying selfie stick, which uses actual facial recognition to follow me or you,” Simon Kantor, IoT Group executive director and founder, commented. “It’s compatible with current iOS and Android devices.

“It’s modelled on the size of a 600 ml bottle of water, and is designed to be portable, light and easy to carry, which means you can take it anywhere and use it any time.”

IoT Group has advised that 2 million ordinary class shares will be issued to The Product Group in lieu of payment of establishment fees and marketing expenses, while the distribution agreement may be expanded in the future with additional products and territories.

“Initial discussions with the major Australian retailers indicate a very strong demand for ROAM-e,” Kayalicos, The Product Group managing director, commented.

“IoT Group is ahead of the curve and they have a solid roadmap of innovative mass market products.”

Telstra Has Eye On 5G Goal

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Telstra is looking ahead to 5G, revealing at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that its first 5G trial will take place at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.Telstra Operations group managing director of networks Mike Wright has advised via a blog post that the telco’s partnership with Ericsson will see it use the trial as a step towards its 5G roll-out.

“Our experiences with the trial will help move us even closer to our goal of rolling out a full-scale 5G service on Telstra’s mobile network in Australia,” Wright wrote.

Recent 5G trials conducted at Ericsson’s labs in Sweden had demonstrated “speeds of more than 11 Gbps in a complex, real-world, indoor setting”.

While the push is on to 5G, in the more immediate future Telstra’s mobile network is set to “be enabled to support 1 Gbps speeds in select sites across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane CBDs in anticipation of a new device which will support these speeds being released later in 2016”.

Telstra is also set to launch Voice over Wi-Fi in the first half of the year, which works by handing mobile phone calls between its 4G and home broadband service, while later in the year the next-gen video calling service Video over LTE (ViLTE) is slated for release.

ViLTE, an extension of Telstra’s VoLTE service, “will allow customers with compatible mobiles to make high-quality video calls”, as they would a regular call.

“Customers will be able to switch between their voice and video mid-call and setup video calls with groups too,” Wright wrote. “Initially it will be available for Telstra customers making calls within Australia on ViLTE-compatible handsets.”

Orchestration To Build Enterprise Cyber-Resilience

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Enterprises will employ systems that proactively plan and automatically respond to cyber-events, utilising orchestration and automation, in the evolution of next-gen cybersecurity, according to ABI Research.ABI states that “security policy orchestration sits at the core of the transition from static defense to agile and adaptive response”, forecasting it will reach US$1 billion in its global revenues by 2020.

“Orchestration is an evolutionary step toward organisational cyber-resiliency, a conceptual architecture for maintaining business functions and operations despite adverse cyber-conditions,” ABI research director Michela Menting commented.

“While orchestration platforms are relatively new in the market, their focus on automating management and change is crucial for the future enterprise faced with myriads of expanding digital opportunities: BYOD, cloud adoption and the IoT.”

ABI states that “security policies act as the language for controlling autonomic systems”, with orchestration platforms “the ideal medium for them to do so”.

“The security policy orchestration market is striving to simplify the complex management of next-generation network security through automation,” ABI notes.

Entrenched network security companies are increasingly offering orchestration for their product base, with ABI noting that FireEye, ForeScout, Tufin and Tripwire are among the companies involved in the space, along with newer firms, such as Phantom, “investing in the market from a unique orchestration perspective”.

“With enterprises facing expansion into new technology domains and increasingly advanced threat scenarios, orchestration will transform cybersecurity into an autonomic and truly dynamic discipline,” Menting stated.

NBN Plan Reveals Growing FTTN Footprint

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NBN Co has today released its Corporate Plan 2017, revealing decreasing hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) distribution and a growing fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) footprint.NBN Co states that its multi-technology mix rollout is on track for completion by 2020, with the distribution of technologies showing a variance from that laid out in last year’s corporate plan.

Last year’s plan forecast that 4 million premises would be connected by HFC, with this year’s plan forecasting a base case of 2.8 million (2.5-3.2 million), with fibre-to-the premises (FTTP) also having declined from last year’s forecast of 2.4 million to a base case of 2 million (2-2.5 million) premises.

FTTN (including fibre-to-the-basement and fibre-to-the-distribution point) is forecast for a base case of 6.1 million (5.1-6.5 million) premises, growing from 4.5 million last year.

NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow, meanwhile, has stated that NBN Co projects a decrease in the top end of its peak funding range.

“We have strengthened our relationships with our partners, finalised contracts to the end of the build, and improved data quality,” Morrow stated. “These factors have enabled NBN to minimise many of the uncertainties and cost assumptions in the business.

“This has led to a projected decrease in the top end of the peak funding range, now $46-54 billion, down from $46-56 billion in the 2016 Corporate Plan.”

This year’s plan continues to support a peak funding base case forecast of $49 billion.

NBN Co’s Corporate Plan 2017 also reveals steep growth in forecast revenue through to 2020 in line with growth in premises activated, with NBN Co forecasting revenue of $5 billion by 2020, compared to $421 million this year.

NBN Co recently released its full-year results, showing that 1.1 million homes and businesses now have an active NBN service, with the number of premises able to order an NBN service at 2.9 million.