Cops failed to act above the line with data, phone taps
A scathing ombudsman's review of police surveillance powers found state forces lacking in how they secretly accessed telecommunications data.
telecommunication service
Espionage and terror threats grow in dangerous era
From hostile foreign nations targeting diaspora communities to youth radicalised online, the top spy agency's annual threat assessment warns risks have grown.
‘More gaps, more drop-outs’: rise in complaints post-3G
Telcos have been urged to do better in rural Australia, with continued reports of poor mobile service and new black spots after the 3G mobile network closed.
Telstra hikes dividend, announces $750m share buy-back
Telstra says it made $1.1 billion in profit in the six months to December 31, up 7.1 per cent from the same period in 2023.
Telcos talk up 3G shut down amid ‘dire’ safety fears
Rural Australians have reported poor mobile service and new black spots after the 3G network closure, but the telcos say their coverage is steady or better.
Upgraded NBN could compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink
Australia must expand its network if it wants to compete with Elon Musk's offering and provide affordable, reliable internet to the regions, an expert says.
Brushes with death in the bush as digital gap persists
Towns have been left without power and mobile service during major disasters, with an independent review urging the government to bolster rural connectivity.
New routes to secure internet for Australia, Pacific
New cables will entrench Australia's role as a state-of-the-art connection point for large volumes of data in a global digital ecosystem, project partners say.
Teen social media ban a step closer despite concerns
A social media ban is looming for Australians aged under 16 after the measure to force restrictions on many platforms cleared its first hurdle in parliament.
Social media ban ‘significant risk’ to child’s rights
A blanket social media ban for Australians under 16 has been criticised for limiting rights and not having enough privacy safeguards for all users.
Warning Australians’ data at risk in social media ban
Global tech giant Meta and X owner Elon Musk warn the federal government's push to ban people younger than 16 from social media will affect all Australians.
$12m triple-zero fine over Optus outage
The nationwide Optus network outage in 2023 has cost the telco $12 million in fines for breaching triple zero rules, the industry regulator has announced.
Optus regrets ‘unacceptable’ conduct alleged by ACCC
Australia's second-largest telco says it failed to meet expectations after the consumer watchdog alleged "unconscionable conduct" against vulnerable customers.
Telcos to block phones that don’t link to triple zero
The 3G network switch-off will begin on Monday, with a new law enforcing the telcos to disconnect phones that cannot call the emergency line on 4G.
Calls to upgrade regional connectivity as 3G shuts down
Farmers are urging telcos to ensure the safety of rural Australians is not placed at risk as Telstra and Optus begin to turn off their 3G networks.
Telstra board to reflect on backlash over executive pay
A significant number of Telstra shareholders voted against the telco's remuneration report, in part because of issues related to its enterprise division.
Locked out of your business account? Log in and tell us
Small businesses are fighting with tech giants after being locked out of accounts or waiting for payment and want a reboot on how their complaints are handled.
Australia leads world in slaying social media ‘monster’
Australia will lead the world in cleaning up the mess that has made social media an urgent health crisis for children, a US expert says.
Hands off: Labor eyes privatisation fight over NBN
The federal opposition has been challenged to reveal its position on the future of the $51 billion NBN after Labor introduced laws to keep it publicly-owned.
Users still frustrated despite falling telco complaints
Telcos still have work to do to improve customer service with delays in fixing problems and service fees among the top complaints, the industry watchdog says.
Dating protection boost as apps swipe right for safety
Online romantics are being promised a safer dating experience as popular apps work to comply with a code of conduct put in place to better protect users.
Deepfake porn laws to target sharing of sexual images
Federal parliament is cracking down on the sharing of fake or digitally altered pornographic images without consent.
Telstra open to Foxtel Group sale, profit drops 12.8%
Telstra CEO Vicki Brady has cautioned that News Corp's decision making around selling Foxtel, of which the telco owns 35 per cent, was in its early stages.
Broadband speed boosts slow NBN Co’s path to profit
More copper connections have been replaced with faster fibre over the past year, NBN Co has revealed, but the broadband boost proved expensive.
Safety fears delay 3G closure, users urged to upgrade
Telstra and Optus have delayed the 3G closure to launch a massive public safety campaign, after fears phones, alarms and medical equipment could be cut off.
Urgent call to pass deepfake sexual image sharing laws
Laws that crack down on the creation and sharing of non-consensual sexual images, including digitally altered deepfakes, should pass with haste, senators say.
No guarantee of coverage for remote Australians post-3G
Farming families fear losing their access to health and education, as Telstra acknowledges some may lose connectivity in 3G closure.
Telcos to proceed with 3G closure despite inquiry fears
Threats to safety from the 3G mobile network shutdown are "too great to ignore", an inquiry warns, but Telstra and Optus are pressing ahead with their plans.
Remote doctors, medical devices affected by 3G closure
Critical devices from insulin pumps and pacemakers to security cameras and EFTPOS machines could be affected by the 3G shutdown, an inquiry has been told.
Fears of widespread disruption when 3G is switched off
Telcos and the government may not realise the potential extent of disruptions when 3G is switched off, with concerns across health, construction and farming.
Thousands of phone users not ready to hang up on 3G
More than 100,000 mobile phones won't connect to triple-zero after the 3G network shuts down, as telcos ramp up their efforts to contact affected customers.