Rupert Murdoch’s burgeoning media empire was dealt a new blow today, forced to abandon its bid for jewel in the crown British broadcaster BSkyB.
Oonagh Reidy
Bada Bing! Samsung To Topple iPhone AND Nokia In Phones Race: Analyst
Galaxy II creator about to give rivals the run around, analysts suggest.
 Click to enlarge |
Sales of its smartphones, which includes the much adored 1.2Ghz Galaxy S II smartphone, could hit 18-21 million during the most recent quarter, analyst Neil Mawston, from Strategy Analytics believes.
The figures, if realised, means Samsung will pip arch smartphone rivals including iPhone, BlackBerry and previous number one Nokia to the post, as top phone maker in the world.
And, it would confirm its status as the top Google Android carrier, toppling Sensation rival HTC and LG.
Another important point also to note is the new Galaxy S II has yet to be released in the United States (it was released in Oz in May), which is sure to catapult the handset further towards stratospheric sales.
Last week, Samsung said it would be released there in August, although were coy about the precise date.
However, “Samsung stands a reasonable chance of capturing the top spot on a quarterly basis if it can continue expanding its Android portfolio across high-growth markets like China and Brazil, ” says Mawston.
Last week, Apple released figures for Q2, revealing record breaking 20.34 million sales of of its cult iPhone – 142 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.
“Samsung and Apple will be at similar levels in smartphones by the end of the year,” he believes.
However, the release of iPhone 5, expected to hit in September could slow Samsung’s success.
Finnish brand Nokia, predicted to record 16.7 million handsets sales for the same period, has been playing catch up to its high end rivals, and is now hoping its recent $1 billion deal with Microsoft will give it the edge in future.
Korean maker Samsung is also looking to oar in on Nokia’s low end phone market, and plans to release a new Bada model later this year, its head of Samsung’s mobiles, J.K. Shin said last week.
The giant could hold 20 per cent of this market by the end of the year, compared to Nokia’s 26% share, the analyst suggests.
And he could be right. On a recent trip to Europe, I noticed Samsung had the cheapest low end phone on the market in at least one country, out-pricing the much loved Euro brand Nokia.
Samsung are due to release earnings results for its most recent quarter later this week July 29.
Samsung previously said that sales target for mobiles this year is 300 million handsets, 60m of which is said to to be smartphones and is believed to have sold 3 million Galaxy S II to date – which was also the fastest selling device in history in its native S Korea.
Read Is The Galaxy SII The Best Ever Android Phone? Review Here
CONFIRMED: Turnbull To Turf NBN Board Out
Cut off their heads!
Incumbent Comms Minister and chief National Broadband Network-hater Malcolm Turnbull has indeed asked the entire board of NBN Co to resign, his office has confirmed.
The confirmation comes after reports, yesterday, indicated Turnbull had asked for almost all seven member board resignations, including Chair Siobhan McKenna who was appointed in just March, last.
McKenna’s current term was due to expire in August 2015.
Dr Kerry Schott, a Non Executive Director of NBN Co. is believed to be the only member board that will be kept on by Turnbull.
Read: All Out: Entire NBN Board Resigns?
A decision on the future of the NBN Co. board could be made as early as next week when parliament reconvenes.
The NBN Co. is currently in caretaker mode following the change in government, but it now appears certain a major shake up of management, along with other core aspects of the broadband rollout, service provision and budget, is in the offing.
Turnbull has expressed a lack of confidence in the NBN Co. board – all Labour appointees – in charge with rolling out the $43bn fibre board band network, nationally.
He was critical of the “deficiency” of experience of the board members “who has either run or built or been responsible for building or managing a large telecommunications network”.
Most recently NBN widened fibre services to parts of the Illawarra, NSW.
Telstra Has Another Crack At Stimulating Landline Use With Pretty Smart Phone
Its 100 years since the first connected telephone call in OZ.
But despite the ascension of personal smartphones, Aussies still have an appetite for the good ol’ home phones, say Telstra who claim its latest fixed line evolution ‘T Hub 2’ will have you highly entertained.
The T-Hub 2 available from tomorrow is a “smartphone for your home” in the guise of a cordless handset and a 7″ tablet which runs off Android 2.3.
The 7-inch touchscreen Wi-Fi tablet sits in a charging cradle with stereo speakers, and is really a multimedia tablet exclusively for home use that doubles into a wireless speaker phone.
The ultra mobile tab can be used easily in any room in the house, and comes with a slew of preloaded Google apps (Gmail, Play,YouTube) as well as Yellow and Whhite Pages search, Tune In Internet radio, games and entertainment including Big Pond News, Sport (both unmetered).
 Click to enlarge |
It also has Google Search Voice meaning you can summon any info – from a recipe to what’s on TV tonight by just speaking to it.
Oh and it has high quality voice calling, which Telstra say home phone users desire more than anything, along with the ability to manage contacts, and access to applications.
When the T Hub 2 rings you can answer via speakerphone, giving it that Skype feel we are all familiar with, meaning you can talk to the whole family when ringing home.
Telstra customers still make 30 million phone calls a month from their home phone, despite the invasion of smartphones.
And handily, you can also sync T Hub with your iPhone or Android phone contacts, meaning you instantly have email addresses and other info on the device.
The combined home phone and tablet T Hub 2 is a global bench mark, say Telstra, as there is nothing else in the world like it.
T Hub launched pre iPad in 2010 and has sold 300,000 so far. Its “the next step” in Telstra ‘connected home strategy’ aiming to connect up the matrix of devices in a typical Aussie home.
T Hub 2 connects to and controls T Box and all DLNA ready devices ( PC, TV, DVD player) meaning you can share content across all devices.
So if you’ve just downloaded a cool video from T Hub via YouTube app, you can watch it your big TV screen.
Looks wide, T Hub part deux sports a curved design and is similar to any Android tab but is a big step up from the original Hub.
“As the next step in our connected home strategy, T-Hub 2 caters to what modern households need in a home phone, offering a smarter way to make calls, manage contacts and access handy internet services like live weather updates and social networking sites.
T-Hub 2 was trialled by more than 300 customers during development, and feedback was positive, says Telstra.
You can also have numerous handsets (up to 5) Price wise, T Hub 2 can be bought for for $360 outright for BigPond customers or purchased as part of a Telstra T-Bundle for $15 a month over 24 months.
T-Hub 2 will be compatible with the NBN.
T-Bundle customers also get unlimited voice calls (national) from their home phone to up to four Telstra mobiles on a single bill, as well as unlimited local calls on most T-Bundle plans.
www.telstra.com/thub
Facebook Grab Gowalla In Race Against Google+
Location, Location: The Social network has nabbed location experts Gowalla as it looks to build its ‘check in’ ops against Google and Four Square.
FINALLY! Telstra Seals $11B NBN Deal
Telstra has finalised agreements with NBN Co and the government regarding the NBN rollout, it announced today.
 Click to enlarge |
The ‘Definitive Agreements’ with the company charged with the National Broadband Network rollout, NBN Co, and the government are expected to provide Telstra approximately $11 billion (post-tax) net present value over the long term, Telstra CEO David Thodey confirmed.
Telstra shareholders approved the proposed split up of the company and NBN deal, which will see it surrender its copper network, infrastructure, pits and ducts, at its AGM last year and some major new investments by the telco is expected following the huge cash windfall.
“The agreements are expected to also contribute to free cashflow generated in the medium term, provide us with greater financial flexibility and a stronger balance sheet, and help to offset the decline in free cashflow expected as customers migrate onto the NBN,” Thodey said.
This confirmation comes as the competition watchdog, ACCC, gave final approval to Telstra’s revised draft of its Structural Separation Undertaking, which outlines the break up of its retail and wholesale divisions during the rollout of NBN, last week.
The break up of Australia’s largest telco is to be completed by July 1 2018.
Mr Thodey confirmed the Structural Separation Undertaking (SSU), had also now come into force.
“Compared with other realistically available options this outcome should deliver a better overall financial outcome, a more stable regulatory environment and greater strategic flexibility, enabling Telstra to maintain a strong focus on our key areas of growth,” Mr Thodey said.
The government will fork out $190 million to Telstra under the Information Campaign and Migration Deed, expected later this year and will be amortised over three years as ‘Other Income’ on its balance sheet as costs are accrued.
The payment is outside Telstra’s guidance for fiscal year 2012.
Telstra will retain ownership of its Hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network and its 50% share in FOXTEL, it also confirmed.
This followed three years of complex and prolonged negotiations, with ACCC, Government, NBN Co, while rivals including Optus voiced their concern over Telstra $11 deal with NBN and its proposed break up.
Thodey said he was “pleased” with the positive outcome.
Last week, Telstra revealed its NBN high speed broadband pricing, which starts at $49 for 50GB and is available in NBN test areas in NSW, QLD, Victoria and Tas and SA.
Optus Secret Cloud Tests
Telco to expand network capacity at big events with cloud technology.
No. 2 telco Optus is hooking up with Connectum to test cloud technology to deliver more network “core capacity”, Optus’ MD of Networks, Guenther Ottendorfer, revealed to media yesterday.
The telco is to engage in testing on the cloud technology which would help Optus increase its network capacity at major events like New Years, the Melbourne Cup or the AFL Grand Final, Ottendorfer said.
California-based Connectum helps carriers connect mobile devices via an elastic cloud infrastructure.
The Telco will be making a formal announcement over the next few days.
Optus revealed its grand plans for 3G+ and 4G network‘s yesterday and confirmed it will be expanding its fledgling 4G LTE service to Canberra and South Australia next year.
LG: We’re ‘Droid No. 3 OZ
Not bad LG, but you’re still no Samsung.
 |
LG says it has sold 15 million Optimus L phones, and claims to be the No. 2 smartphone brand for Aussie ‘pre-paid’ customers and No. 3 Android player off the back of its L3, L5, L7 handsets, launched last year.
Samsung is the No. 1 Android vendor followed by HTC in Australia.
LG says it sold an Optimus L smartphone globally every second over the past two months, propelling sales to over 15 million, globally.
However, recent figures from Gartner show LG has a long way to go before it makes it into the smartphone top 10 makers, although is No. 5 mobile phone vendor globally.
“The launch of the first range of L Series devices (L2 Dual Sim, L3, L5, L7 and L9) has delivered fantastic growth for the local business” said Jonathan Banks, Head of Mobile, LG Australia.
The Koreans have made no secret of the fact it is eagerly looking to enlarge its share of the smartphone market and will soon launch Optimus G II.
LG’s Optimus G ‘superphone’ will be revealed to Australia media next month a spokesperson told SmartHouse today, and will go on sale soon in Telstra only, but no date is earmarked yet. However, it is likely the next round of LG smartphones will have a wider reach locally.
LG has also increase its smartphone reputation with Google Nexus 4 which is selling like hot cakes, made in conjunction with the Android creator, Google.
Read: Telstra Nabs LG “Superphone” OZ
Building on this momentum, LG says will unveil the new gen L series at Mobile World Congress later this month promising with better design and features.
“The success of the Optimus L Series globally confirms our belief that there is a market for well-balanced smartphones that represent unique consumer tastes,” said Banks.
“The new Optimus L SeriesII expands upon the design philosophy of the original series so we’re confident that LG will have another hit on its hands. ”
The Optimus L3, Optimus L5 and Optimus L7 all have a a slim unibody and feature smart LED lighting around the home button.
Stacked Up: Telstra Unleash IPV6 To Web
Telco has kicked off IPV 6 for business users meaning they wont run out of Internet addresses (on IP v 4) – predicted to happen in the next few years.
 Click to enlarge |
Telstra is now providing business and wholesale customers with Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) connectivity – the next generation of newer, longer web addresses.
The service will be available to all other Telstra broadband users “over time,” it confirmed.
This will help overcome the impending shortage of current IPv4 addresses globally, the Telco said today.
Telstra’s internet backbone is now fully “dual-stacked” meaning users can connect with IPv4, the existing system, or IPv6, for the first time.
Customers that choose to opt-in to IPv6, will have access to the global IPv6 internet, including connectivity to multiple providers, but shouldn’t notice any difference in the change over, Telstra insist.
Being dual stacked gives customers the current reliability of IPv4 as they commence the transition to IPv6, says Director Transport and Routing, David Robertson.
“Currently IPv4 offers 32 bits for an internet address, with IPv6 an internet address has 128 bits. This means that with IPv4 there were about 4 billion internet addresses, with IPv6 there are more internet addresses than grains of sand on the planet.”
“The deployment of IPv6 into the network is an on-going program of work, and we’ll make this available for other networks such as DSL and our wireless networks over time.
“By dual stacking IPv4 and IPv6 in our network, customers can opt into IPv6 in their own time, and according to the lifecycle upgrade of their existing equipment.
Most customers won’t notice the change to IPv6, he added.
Telstra will be working with customers who have expressed an interest in moving to IPv6 to help them through the transition but will need to opt-out if they wish to continue using IPv4.
“In coming years we expect that IPv6 will become the norm,” declared Robertson.
Its ON: Telstra “Treble Play” Foxtel + IPTV+ Internet
The bundles are here. Yes folks Telstra have pressed the ‘on’ button on Internet, IPTV and phone bundles, commonplace in the UK.
Tipped for some time, Telstra finally launch “entertainer bundles” with 11 Foxtel channels (on T-Box), BigPond broadband, unlimited calls on home phone.
And there also a bundle if you want wireless broadband (500MB), but you can add more Internet data packs.
11 Foxtel channels shown on Telstra’s T-Box include SkyNews, FOX8, Cartoon Network, Discovery but you also get all the free to air channels like Seven and Nine, and bundlers can rent 6000+ BigPond Movies and TV shows via Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), as Telstra go hard on pushing Foxtel content, which it owns 50% of.
 |
The home phone comes with discounted international call rates on all plans and family calls benefit for regular numbers dialled.
Just last week, the blue telco revealed it would be screening its own sports show called the Clubhouse via IPTV.
Telstra Entertainer Bundle customers can also add Foxtel Sports and Movies and Premium Drama package for the latest TV series “Express from the US” including cult series Game of Thrones.
Priced for the bundles kick off at $115 per month for 2 year contract, which comes with 100GB data, phone and TV channels, the $135 pack comes with a 200GB data and 500MB mobile broadband, and the top end pack costs $155 with a massive 500GB Internet allowance.
But it will cost more if can add on extras like the data packs, more TV channels.
You can buy Telstra’s T-Hub 2 smart home phone that looks like a tablet for a reduced price.
There’s an essential packages at $80 where you can bundle and the phone but no T Box.
“Our customers have flocked to our great value bundles, and told us entertainment and mobility were the features they most wanted to see added. These take centre stage in our new offerings,” said Telstra Director Broadband Bundles and Devices John Chambers .
“The inclusion of the Foxtel on T-Box “Get Started? pack along with access to more than 6000 movies and TV episodes to rent through BigPond Movies, places the Telstra Entertainer Bundles ahead of the pack.
“Packaging premium IPTV content with all the great broadband and home phone benefits traditionally offered by a Telstra bundle provides a ready-made entertainment experience straight out of the box.”