Australia sees 211-day average approval time for new mobile towers
AUSTRALIA 01:17

Australia sees 211-day average approval time for new mobile towers

Delays in planning approvals remain a significant barrier to improving mobile coverage across Australia, according to recent analysis cited by industry representatives. The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) analysed 477 development applications for mobile towers and found that the average approval timeframe for new facilities was 211 days. The analysis also identified council requirements that add compliance burdens without what the industry considers a commensurate public benefit.

Optus, Ericsson and FrontierSI trial 5G Advanced positioning for emergency services
AUSTRALIA 01:11

Optus, Ericsson and FrontierSI trial 5G Advanced positioning for emergency services

Optus, Ericsson and FrontierSI have completed a public safety proof-of-concept on the Optus 5G Standalone network, demonstrating centimetre-level positioning for emergency response operations on a live commercial network. The trial paired a first responder vehicle with an autonomously tracking drone, using 5G Advanced Global Navigation Satellite System Real-Time Kinematic positioning correction data and a dedicated public safety network slice. 

TPG waives call and roaming charges for customers affected by Middle East war
AUSTRALIA 00:52

TPG waives call and roaming charges for customers affected by Middle East war

TPG Telecom has introduced temporary support measures for customers seeking to contact family and friends in the Middle East following recent events in the region. From 8:00am AEDT on 3 March, Vodafone postpaid mobile customers are able to make free standard international voice calls from Australia to selected destinations in the Middle East. Customers located in those destinations can also make standard voice calls back to Australia at no charge. The calls will not be deducted from included plan minutes an

PNG province sets out AI-led digital govt plan with PNG DataCo and Oracle
PAPUA NEW GUINEA 00:45

PNG province sets out AI-led digital govt plan with PNG DataCo and Oracle

Papua New Guinea's Morobe provincial government has outlined plans to become what it describes as the Pacific's first fully AI-enabled sub-national administration, under a proposed partnership with PNG DataCo and Oracle. The initiative, known as the Morobe Digital Government Project – MMU, would see PNG DataCo and Oracle act as technology and solutions partners, delivering a cloud-based platform to support the province's digital transformation. 

InternetNZ survey highlights unequal online experiences across nation
NEW ZEALAND 00:42

InternetNZ survey highlights unequal online experiences across nation

New research from InternetNZ indicates that online experiences in New Zealand vary significantly across different communities, with higher reported levels of harm and concern among Maori, Pacific peoples and people with disabilities. The findings come from Internet Insights 2025, an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ as a measure of internet use and attitudes. The study, conducted by Verian between 25 November and 8 December 2025, surveyed 1,003 New Zealanders aged over 18, with a reported margin of e

Optus completes 800GE Sydney-Perth trial with dual-path failover
AUSTRALIA 3 MRT

Optus completes 800GE Sydney-Perth trial with dual-path failover

Optus has completed a trial of 800 Gigabit Ethernet optical transport services between Sydney and Perth, combining subsea and terrestrial routes with automatic failover across its production network. The trial used the Nokia 1830 Photonic Service Switch platform with the PSE-6 optical engine to deliver 800GE transmission over approximately 4,700 kilometres. Traffic was configured to fail over automatically between the Indigo Central subsea cable and a terrestrial fibre route, creating a dual-path architectu

NZ operators join GSMA Open Gateway to develop fraud prevention APIs
NEW ZEALAND 3 MRT

NZ operators join GSMA Open Gateway to develop fraud prevention APIs

Spark New Zealand, One New Zealand and 2degrees have signed the GSMA Open Gateway MoU, committing to collaborate on the development of standardised network application programming interfaces (APIs), including tools aimed at tackling fraud and scams. Announced at MWC 2026, the three operators said their initial focus will be on APIs such as Number Verification and SIM Swap, designed to help businesses detect and prevent fraud in real time.

TenPeaks launches with 23 MW capacity and NZD 3 bln pipeline
NEW ZEALAND 2 MRT

TenPeaks launches with 23 MW capacity and NZD 3 bln pipeline

New Zealand data centre operator TenPeaks has launched with 23 MW of operating IT capacity across 11 facilities and a development pipeline of more than 130 MW, representing over NZD 3 billion in projected investment and an estimated NZD 6 billion including customer IT infrastructure. The business was established in January 2026 following its carve-out from operator Spark and positions itself as a national data centre owner, operator and developer supporting demand for cloud, artificial intelligence and digi

Lyttelton Port deploys private 5G with 2degrees and Ericsson
NEW ZEALAND 2 MRT

Lyttelton Port deploys private 5G with 2degrees and Ericsson

Lyttelton Port Company has deployed a private 5G network delivered by New Zealand operator 2degrees and Ericsson to support digital operations and improve resilience at its South Island facilities. The port handled 434,000 containers in FY2025, alongside bulk, cruise and fuel activities. The companies said the site's volcanic terrain and stacked containers created coverage challenges for conventional connectivity. The private 5G network, implemented on site by 2degrees using Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Sol

Telstra shows AI-enabled self-healing capability in multivendor trial
AUSTRALIA 2 MRT

Telstra shows AI-enabled self-healing capability in multivendor trial

Telstra has demonstrated an AI-enabled self-healing network capability in collaboration with Red Hat, Dell Technologies and Cisco, as part of its move towards more autonomous network operations. The proof-of-concept was carried out in a live telco cloud environment and involved the autonomous detection and resolution of an unplanned infrastructure outage. According to Telstra, the system shifted critical network applications to healthy hardware within minutes, compared with what it said would typically take

2degrees partners Bunnings to keep tradespeople connected
NEW ZEALAND 2 MRT

2degrees partners Bunnings to keep tradespeople connected

New Zealand operator 2degrees has joined forces with DIY chain Bunnings Trade to launch a new, exclusive partnership designed to help tradespeople stay connected. 2degrees is now officially the exclusive telco and energy partner for Bunnings Trade PowerPass, which provides registered trade professionals and business owners with exclusive trade pricing, support and tools, and access to a suite of partner benefits. Now, PowerPass members will be able to access discounted mobile, broadband and electricity serv

Telstra and AFL to trial optical tracking system at Marvel Stadium
AUSTRALIA 2 MRT

Telstra and AFL to trial optical tracking system at Marvel Stadium

Telstra and the Australian Football League (AFL) have announced a two-year partnership with Champion Data to trial optical tracking technology at Marvel Stadium, marking an expansion of data capture capabilities at the venue. More than 40 cameras will be installed as part of the trial, creating a system designed to collect and process live match data. The technology is intended to support five areas: fan engagement, performance analytics, coaching, officiating and medical applications.

AUSTRALIA 27 FEB

Optus to increase workforce despite 200–300 job cuts, Senate hears

Optus chief executive Stephen Rue has told a Senate inquiry that the operator will increase its overall headcount over the next 12 months, despite confirming that between 200 and 300 roles are currently under consultation, with total staff numbers expected to rise from about 6,800 to around 7,500. Appearing before the Environment and Communications References Committee on 26 February, Rue was questioned by senators about recently reported job cuts and whether they conflicted with the company's efforts to re

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 27 FEB

PNG regulator issues test permits for OneWeb as Starlink remains prohibited

Papua New Guinea's National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) has issued four test permits to enable the supply of low Earth orbit satellite broadband services in Papua New Guinea, authorising the use of the Eutelsat OneWeb constellation. According to a public notice, test permits have been granted to TEPNG, Speedcast, Lightspeed and Telikom PNG. The regulator said the licensees are authorised to supply services using the LEO satellite network operated by Eutelsat OneWeb.

NEW ZEALAND 27 FEB

NZ regulator to investigate whether mobile colocation should remain regulated

New Zealand's Commerce Commission has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to investigate whether mobile colocation should be removed from the list of regulated services under the Telecommunications Act. The decision marks the first step in a formal review process that must begin within 15 working days. The Commission said market conditions have changed significantly since the last review in 2021, driven by the sale of passive mobile tower assets by Spark, One NZ and 2degrees to independent tower com

AUSTRALIA 27 FEB

Macquarie reports 22nd consecutive half of EBITDA growth

Australian service provider Macquarie Technology Group has reported its 22nd consecutive half of EBITDA growth, with earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rising 3 percent to AUD 57.9 million for the six months ended 31 December 2025. The company said 95 percent of its revenue across data centres, cloud, cyber security, government and telecoms services is derived from contracted monthly recurring revenue. Operating cash flow for the half was AUD 42.2 million, representing cash convers

AUSTRALIA 27 FEB

TPG Telecom reports mobile-led revenue growth for FY25

TPG Telecom has reported higher service revenue and earnings for the year ended 31 December 2025, driven primarily by mobile subscriber growth and cost discipline. Service revenue rose 2.2 percent to AUD 4.18 billion. Mobile service revenue increased 4.2 percent to AUD 2.42 billion, supported by net growth of 228,000 mobile subscribers following the launch of a regional mobile network sharing agreement in January 2025. 

AUSTRALIA 26 FEB

NextDC lifts contracted capacity 137% in 1H26

Australian-based pan-Asian data centre developer and operator NextDC reported net revenue of AUD 189.2 million for the half-year ended 31 December 2025, up 13% from AUD 167.8 million a year earlier, while total revenue increased 13 percent to AUD 231.8 million. Underlying EBITDA rose 9 percent to AUD 115.3 million, compared with AUD 105.4 million in 1H25. Net loss after tax narrowed by 8 percent to AUD 39.4 million. Contracted utilisation increased by 240.5 MW over the 12 months to 416.6 MW (up 137%), with

AUSTRALIA 26 FEB

Australian operators outline Samsung Galaxy S26 launch offers

Australia's three mobile network operators have detailed launch promotions for Samsung's Galaxy S26 range, combining handset discounts, trade-in credits and bundled wearable offers across 12-, 24- and 36-month repayment plans. Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom's Vodafone are each offering up to AUD 700 off the recommended retail price on selected Galaxy S26 devices for customers taking eligible repayment plans. 

AUSTRALIA 26 FEB

AusAlert cell broadcast system to begin national testing in 2026

The Australian government has announced that its new national cell broadcast emergency messaging system will be known as AusAlert and will begin testing this year, with full operational readiness expected by October 2026 ahead of the 2026-27 high-risk weather season. AusAlert will use cell broadcast technology to enable authorities, including state and territory governments, to send geographically targeted emergency messages to compatible mobile devices with an accuracy of up to 160 metres. The government s

AUSTRALIA 26 FEB

Swoop reports 41% revenue growth in first half of FY26

Australian operator Swoop reported revenue of AUD 64.1 million for the first half of FY26 (up 41% YoY) driven by organic growth across its core services. Revenue from internet, data and mobile services increased by 27 percent to AUD 56.1 million. The company recorded underlying EBITDA of AUD 6.5 million for the period, supported by sales across its NBN and mobile products. Over the past 12 months, Swoop said it had tripled its NBN market share.

AUSTRALIA 26 FEB

eSafety launches evaluation of Australia's social media age law

Australia's eSafety Commissioner has begun a comprehensive evaluation of the country's social media minimum age requirement, described as a world-first measure placing new obligations on platforms. The study will examine how the minimum age is being implemented in practice and assess both intended and unintended impacts on children, young people and families. It will follow more than 4,000 children and families over a period of more than two years using surveys of young people aged 10 to 16 and their parent

NEW ZEALAND 25 FEB

Spark to block 4G handsets unable to make 111 calls ahead of 3G shutdown

Spark New Zealand will block around 300 mobile phones from its network when its 3G service is switched off on 31 March, after identifying that the devices will be unable to make emergency 111 calls once 3G is withdrawn. The affected handsets can make standard voice calls, send text messages and access data over 4G, but have not been configured by their manufacturers to support emergency calling over 4G. As a result, they would be unable to connect to 111 after the 3G shutdown.

AUSTRALIA 25 FEB

Optus to cut around 200 roles amid transformation

Optus is cutting around 200 roles as part of what it describes as an organisation-wide transformation, following a year marked by a major triple zero outage and an AUD 100 million penalty for predatory sales practices. The operator would not confirm a breakdown of affected roles, but a source familiar with the matter told the Sydney Morning Herald about 200 positions are subject to consultation, which began on 24 February. Some employees may be redeployed following the process.

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