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Telecommunications in Australia refers tocommunication inAustralia through electronic means, using devices such astelephone,television,radio orcomputer, and services such as the telephony and broadband networks. Telecommunications have always been important in Australia given the "tyranny of distance" with a dispersed population. Governments have driven telecommunication development and have a key role in its regulation.
Prior toFederation of Australia in 1901, each of the six Australian colonies had its own telephony communications network.[1] The Australian networks were government assets operating under colonial legislation modelled on that of Britain. The UKTelegraph Act 1868 for example empowered the Postmaster-General to "acquire, maintain and work electric telegraphs" and foreshadowed the 1870 nationalisation of competing British telegraph companies.
Australia's first telephone service, connecting theMelbourne andSouth Melbourne offices of Robison Brothers, a Melbourne engineering firm, was launched in 1879.[2] The privateMelbourne Telephone Exchange Company opened Australia's first telephone exchange in August 1880. Around 7,757 calls were handled in 1884.[2]
The nature of the networks meant that regulation in Australia was undemanding: network personnel were government employees or agents, legislation was enhanced on an incremental basis and restrictions could be achieved through infrastructure. All the colonies ran their telegraph networks at a deficit through investment in infrastructure and subsidisation of regional access, generally with bipartisan support.[3]
Government-operated post office and telegraph networks – the largest parts of the bureaucracy – were combined into a single department in each colony on the model of the UK Post Office:South Australia in 1869,Victoria in 1870,Queensland in 1880 andNew South Wales in 1893.[citation needed]
At Federation, the colonial networks (staff, switches, wires, handsets, buildings etc.) were transferred to the CommonwealthPostmaster-General's Department responsible for domestic postal, telephone and, telegraph services becoming the responsibility of the first Postmaster-General (PMG), a federal. With 16,000 staff (and assets of over £6 million) the PMG accounted for 80% of the new federal bureaucracy.[citation needed]
Public phones were available in a handful of post offices. Subscriber telephones were initially restricted to major businesses, government agencies, institutions and wealthier residences. Eight million telegrams were sent that year over 43,000 miles of line.[citation needed]
There were around 33,000 phones across Australia, with 7,502 telephone subscribers in innerSydney and 4,800 in theMelbourne central business district.[citation needed]
Overseas cable links to Australia remained in private hands, reflecting the realities of imperial politics, demands on the new government's resources, and perceptions of its responsibilities.[citation needed]
A trunk line between Melbourne (headquarters of the PMG Department) and Sydney was established in 1907, with extension toAdelaide in 1914,Brisbane in 1923,Perth in 1930 andHobart in 1935.[citation needed]
On 12 July 1906 the first Australian wireless overseas messages were sent betweenPoint Lonsdale, Victoria andDevonport, Tasmania.[4] Australia and New Zealand ratified the 1906 Berlin Radio-telegraph Convention in 1907. The PMG department became responsible for some international shortwave services, particularly from the 1920s and for a new Coastal Radio Service in 1911, with the first of a network of stations operational in February 1912.[citation needed]
TheSydney–Melbourne co-axial cable was officially opened on 9 April 1962.[5]The coaxial cable infrastructure supported the introduction ofsubscriber trunk dialling between the cities[6] and live television link-ups. After its commissioning in April 1962 the cable carried telegraph and telephone traffic.[7] It also provided the first inter-city television transmission in Australia, allowing simultaneous television broadcasting in Melbourne and Sydney for the first time.[8]
Optus was formed as AUSSAT, a government owned corporation, in 1981. It was privatized later in the 1980s under theHawke Labor government.Telstra (previously known as Telecom), another government owned asset, was also privatized in 1997 under theHoward Liberal government.
Australia developed its own radio broadcasting system, through its own engineers, manufacturers, retailers, newspapers, entertainment services, and news agencies. Initially hobbyists and amateurs were dominant, however with theCommonwealth Government setting up the first radio system, and business interests becoming increasingly involved, hobbyists and amateurs were marginalised. TheAustralian Labor Party was especially interested in radio because it allowed them to bypass the newspapers, which were mostly controlled by their opposition. Both parties agreed on the need for a national system, and in 1932 set up theAustralian Broadcasting Commission was set up as a government agency largely separate from political interference.[citation needed]
The first commercial broadcasters, originally known as "B" class stations were on the air as early as 1925. Many were sponsored bynewspapers in Australia,[9] bytheatrical interests, byamateur radio enthusiasts and radio retailers, and by retailers generally.[10] Almost all Australians were within reach of a station by the 1930s, and the number of stations remained relatively stable through the post-war era. However, in the 1970s, the Labor government under Prime MinisterGough Whitlam commenced a broadcasting renaissance so that by the 1990s there were 50 different radio services available for groups based on tastes, languages, religion, or geography.[11] The broadcasting system was largely deregulated in 1992, except that there were limits on foreign ownership and on monopolistic control. By 2000, 99 percent of Australians owned at least one television set, and averaged 20 hours a week watching it.[12]
As early as 1929, two Melbourne commercial radio stations,3UZ and3DB were conducting experimental mechanical television broadcasts – these were conducted in the early hours of the morning, after the radio stations had officially closed down. In 1934 Dr Val McDowall[13] at amateur station 4CM Brisbane[14] conducted experiments in electronic television.
Television broadcasting officially began in Sydney and Melbourne just prior to theMelbourne Olympic Games in November/December 1956 and then phased in at other capital cities, and then into rural markets. Many forms of entertainment, particularly drama and variety, proved more suited to television than radio, so the actors and producers migrated there.
It now includes a broad range of public, commercial, community, subscription, narrowcast, and amateur stations across the country. Colour television in thePAL 625-line format went to a full-time basis in 1975. Subscription television, on theGalaxy platform, began in 1995. Digital terrestrial television was introduced in 2001.[15]
Australia moved from PAL 625 toDVB-T on 10 December 2013.[citation needed]
Subscription television, whetherFoxtel orNetflix type services, has become more important and is one factor driving demand for theNational Broadband Network.[citation needed]
Prior to the government opening telecommunications to multi player competition the PMG (and later Telecom Australia) operated avertically integrated system, providing theCore network,backhaul, ancillary networks and a range of services to end users.[citation needed]
With opening telecommunications to multi provider competition the government required Telstra to sell wholesale access to its core facilities and networks.[citation needed]
In the 2000s, larger ISPs began taking over more of the delivery infrastructure themselves by taking advantage of regulated access to theunconditioned local loop. As well as significantly reducing costs, it gave the service providers complete control of their own service networks, other than thecopper pair (phone line from the exchange to the customer).[16]
Telstra in 2006 proposed replacing its copper network with an optical fibre node network with the drop connection into end user premises being the existing copper cable. They abandoned this as under competition policy they would be required to open their network to competing carriers on a wholesale basis.[citation needed]
Further options were explored with thefirst Rudd government deciding to set up aNational Broadband Network using Fibre to the Premises as the main carrier network, supported by satellite and wireless to remote areas.[17]
After the election of theAbbott government in 2013 a Multi Technological Mix was implemented, replacing FTTP where development was yet to start with Fibre to the Node and also repurposing the Telstra and Optushybrid fibre-coaxial networks.[18]
In the late 1990s,Telstra andOptus rolled-out separatecable Internet services, focusing on the east coast.[citation needed]
TheOverseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC) was established by Australia in August 1946 with responsibility for all international telecommunications services into, through and out of Australia.[19]
In 1981 Aussat Pty Ltd was established as a GBE to operate domestic satellite telecommunication and broadcasting services. Aussat's charter restricted it from acting as a competitor to Telecom, including a prohibition on interconnecting public switched traffic with Telecom's network.[20]
Proposals for a merger of Aussat and OTC (thereby permitting national delivery of telecommunication services in competition with Telecom) were rejected in favor of disposal of the satellite operator to a non-government entity that would be allowed to compete with Telecom[21]
Satellites are used to provide telecommunications services in very remote areas. These are primarily theOptus satellites C1 D1 and D2.[22]
There are also a number ofsatellite earth stations, which provide access points into the Australian networks:[citation needed]
Due to Australia's large size, sparse population, and relative remoteness to other countries, a significant amount of infrastructure is required for Internet communications. The vast majority of Australia's international telecommunications transit capacity is sourced from undersea severalfibre-optic cables to Asia and the US:[citation needed]
ThePostmaster-General's Department regulated telecommunications and operated telephone and related communications within Australia over the copper telephony network from federation up to 22 December 1975,[24] replaced by thePostal and Telecommunications Department.
In mid-1975 the department was disaggregated by theWhitlam government into the twoGovernment Business Enterprises: theAustralian Telecommunications Commission (trading as Telecom Australia) and the Australian Postal Commission (trading asAustralia Post) with a newPostal and Telecommunications Department.[25] The change was intended to take account of the increase in the functions of the department to include all electronic media matters which had previously been the responsibility of theDepartment of the Media.[25]
The 1982 Davidson Inquiry regarding private sector involvement in delivery of existing/proposed telecommunications services recommended ending Telecom Australia's monopoly.[26]
In June 1991, legislation was passed allowing duopoly competition with Telstra, Optus Communications became Australia's second general telecommunications carrier.[27] It was guaranteed access to Telecom's existing infrastructure on reasonable terms - meant to ensure its viability. Other players were prevented from entering the general telephone market until 1997.[citation needed]
Telecom Australia changed its name toTelstra in 1995 and has since been privatised. It faced growing competition in market niches such as long distance corporate voice and data services. Telstra was progressively privatised (33.3% 1997, 16.6% 1999, 33.3% 2006, with 17% transferred to theFuture Fund.[28]
Numbers of licensed telecommunications carriers grew from: ~20 controlling facilities in Australia at 1998 (with several hundred entities providing services using those facilities toend users); to 99 at 2002.[citation needed]
ThePostmaster-General's Department regulated telecommunications and operated telephone and related communications within Australia over the copper telephony network from federation up to 22 December 1975,[24] replaced by thePostal and Telecommunications Department.
On 1 July 2005, theAustralian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) brought together theAustralian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) and the Australian Communications Authority (ACA).[29]
On 31 December 2007,Stephen Conroy announced the federal government's intention to censor "inappropriate material" from the Internet.[30][31] Under the proposed system any Australian who subscribes to anISP would receive a "clean" version of the Internet. The Federal Government's stated aim is to protect children from accessing violent and pornographic websites. This plan was later abandoned and the Australian government continues to only block websites that violate online laws.[citation needed]
PermanentInternet access was first available inAustralia to universities viaAARNet in 1989.[32][33][34] The first commercial dial-upInternet Service Provider (ISP) appeared in capital cities soon after,[35] and by the mid-1990s almost the entire country had a range of choices of dial-up ISPs.[36] Today, Internet access is available through a range of technologies, i.e.hybrid fibre coaxial cable,digital subscriber line (DSL),Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) andsatellite Internet. TheAustralian Government, in partnership with the industrial sector, began rolling out a nationwide FTTP broadband network in July 2009.[37]
The .au domain (ccTLD) was delegated to Robert Elz of the Australian Computing Science Network (ACSNet) in March 1986.[38] From then, universities connected one at a time to allow for the sending and receiving of email and for use newsgroup facilities. An earlier restricted IP-based network, linking academic institutions within Australia, known asACSNet, used the .oz domain. This domain was subsumed under .au to become .oz.au.[39]
A permanent connection betweenAARNet andARPANet was established in May 1989 by a satellite connection.[32][33][34]
In 1992 there were two competing commercial ISPs expanding to excess of 100 by June 1995 [Internet Australasia Magazine], attributing some fifth of all AARNet traffic.
TheVice Chancellors' Committee sold all commercial customers with Telstra leading the commercial push of the Internet into Australia.[40]
Broadband internet access is available in Australia using predominantly ADSL, plus cable, fibre, satellite and wireless technologies. Since July 2008 almost two thirds of Australian households have had internet access, with broadband connections outnumbering dial-up two to one.[41] According to the recent ABS statistics the non-dial-up services outnumber dial up services 3.6 to 1.[citation needed]
In 2000, the first consumerADSL services were made available via Telstra Bigpond, at speeds of 256/64 kbit/s (downstream/upstream), 512/128 kbit/s, and 1500/256 kbit/s. Telstra chose to artificially limit all ADSL speeds to a maximum of 1500/256 kbit/s. As ADSL required access to the telephone exchange and the copper line – which only Telstra had – this allowed Telstra to be dominant due to the expense of roll-out for other companies and Telstra's established customer base. Other ISPs followed suit soon after; reselling connections purchased wholesale from Telstra.[42]
In response to Telstra's monopolisation of ADSL provision other carriers installed their ownDSLAMs.[43]Internode[44]
The presence of non-Telstra DSLAMs allowed the service providers to control the speed of connection, and most offered "uncapped" speeds, allowing the customers to connect at whatever speed their copper pair would allow, up to 8 Mbit/s. Ratification ofADSL2 and ADSL2+ increased the maximum to 12 Mbit/s, then 24 Mbit/s.[citation needed]
In November 2007 the first Naked DSL product was announced byiiNet.[45] Shortly after this other internet providers also started to provide DSL products without telephony service over copper, reducing line rental fees.[46][47]
Telstra proposed to upgrade to Fibre to the Node (FTTN) in 2006 but did not pursue the development because it would be required to share the network.[48]
Wireless broadband in Australia is widespread, with many point-to-point fixed wireless broadband providers serving broadband-poor regional and rural areas, predominantly withMotorola Canopy andWiMAX technologies. Telstra's 2006 introduction of the "Next G"HSPA network (which reportedly covers 99% of the Australian population as of September 2008) with speeds advertised of being up to 14 Mbit/s[49] stimulated investment in wireless broadband by competitors Optus, Vodafone and Hutchison Telecommunications, who are presently expanding their HSPA networks to cover 96–98% of the Australian population.[50][51][52]
Delivering competitive telecommunications services to regional and rural areas is a major issue, with Telstra having aUniversal Service Obligation regarding telephony services. Government monies have been made available on a competitive basis to carriers to address broadband and mobile telephone blackspots and gaps in service provision.[citation needed]
The National Broadband Network was initially afibre-to-the-homeopen-access network in planning and trial operation in Australia by the federal government. The national broadband network aimed to provide up to 1000 Mbit/s speeds and to connect to 93% of Australian households and businesses.[53] This has since been revised under a Coalition government to a mixed-technology system relying largely on Australia's existing and largely depreciated copper networks. This revision aims for 50 Mbit/s to 100 Mbit/s, with consumer reports ranging from 1 Mbit/s to 100 Mbit/s. The government will hold a majority share (51%) in the network company, with the remainder being held by private firms.[54] The Australian government had previously called for proposals to build a fibre-to-the-node broadband network providing download speeds up to 100 and upload speeds up to 40megabits per second. The government also utilises fixed wireless technology and satellite technology to provide fast broadband connection in rural area and very remote area. Fixed wireless provides speeds up to 50/20 Mbit/s.[55] Satellite technology uses twoSky Mustercommunication satellites launched in 2015 and 2016 to provide fast broadband in very remote areas and offshore. It provides speeds up to 25/5 Mbit/s.[56]
The network will be the largest single infrastructure investment in Australia's history.[57]
On 8 November 2023 at around 04:00AEDT, all Optus services, including wireless phone, internet, and mobile, stopped working. This led to over 10 million people and over 400,000 businesses without services provided by the telco. The outage lasted from 9-13 hours, with mobile coverage being the first thing restored.[58]
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