Donal Curtin • May 22, 2017 •
We pay too much attention to bad stuff, so here’s some good news that has come out of the Commerce Commission’s latest annual report on the state of the telco markets (media release here, quick infographic here, whole thing here). Speeds are up. Congestion is down. Value for money is better. Prices generally compare well with other … Read More
John Nixon • Dec 10, 2012 •
Australia: The NBN is still a political “hot potato”, with its future and form intimately linked to the outcome of new Federal elections due to be held some time in 2013. Until then, Mike Quigley and his team forge ahead with true FTTH (Fibre to the Home). Should the right-wing Coalition win the elections, their communications spokesperson has … Read More
John Nixon • Sep 17, 2012 •
National Fibre Optic-based broadband networks are being installed right now in Australia and New Zealand. I read every day criticism about the slow progress, and even the overall justification of these two major projects. Typical of this is “Why the NBN could be a white elephant“, published by a … Read More
John Nixon • Jul 08, 2012 •
I was extremely pleased to join my colleagues, friends and clients recently at CommunicAsia in the new Marina Bay Sands conference centre in Singapore. This major event moved a year ago from the old expo centre near the airport to this brand-new complex near the island of Sentosa. The whole project was designed by … Read More
John Nixon • Dec 02, 2011 •
New Caledonia is an interesting, in fact fascinating place. I had the opportunity to live and work there for many years. Following the recent construction of two new processing plants, New Caledonia is now the second biggest producer of Nickel metal in the world, after Russia. The main island lies just two hours flying time North-East of Brisbane, and is … Read More
John Nixon • Sep 27, 2011 •
NASA moves from Radio to Laser Light for data transmission. We have often heard the argument that FTTH is really not needed now that G3 and G4 wireless technology is available. I’m sure I’ve mentioned previously that any radio (wireless) data transmission system will NEVER HAVE the bandwidth of a fibre network. The reason is simple. The amount of information … Read More
Grant Jacobs • Sep 04, 2011 •
New Zealander readers may wish to try comparing the costs and performance of broadband internet options using TellMe. You can also check the mobile phone or TV services. An internet speed test is also provided. (Other internet speed tests are available elsewhere on-line.) Press the big blue ‘Get Started’ button, select the service you want … Read More
John Nixon • Aug 25, 2011 •
A recent white paper describes an invention in the USA which is touted to increase greatly the bandwidth availability of wireless internet access. DiDo stands for “distributed input, distributed output”. The news was immediately grabbed by the media here in Australia, saying that it made the NBN (National Broadband Network) project redundant and a waste of taxpayer money. Read More
John Nixon • Jun 14, 2011 •
Having been involved in lighting fibre for some years now, it was interesting to find myself on the receiving end. After cancer surgery, I am in the middle of 25 sessions of radiotherapy. Another massive and impressive machine that carefully focuses a strong photon beam on to the affected area from several directions, hopefully destroying the remaining cancer cells. At … Read More
John Nixon • May 23, 2011 •
I apologise to my readers for my absence of several weeks. Landing in hospital for major surgery isn’t much fun, but it is great to be back at work again. Here are a few fibre-related items that I hope you find interesting: PON Manufacturers finding it Tough Some five years ago I completed a one week engineering course with Alloptic … Read More