TELECOMMUNICATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Optus hails EPL growth, sweats on Socceroos

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 13-Nov-17

Optus CEO Allen Lew has downplayed suggestions that it may allow customers of rival telcos to subscribe to its exclusive coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Lew says Optus is not yet ready to announce details of its World Cup packages. Optus will be hoping that the Socceroos win their upcoming qualifying match against Honduras, although Lew notes that the World Cup will be popular with many dual nationals in Australia. Soccer is a key element of the Optus Sport service.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED, FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, SOCCEROOS, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Telstra TV reboots streaming push

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari, Chris Griffith
The Australian – Page: 20 : 24-Oct-17

The new version of Telstra’s streaming video device provides access to free-to-air networks and their "catch-up" services, as well as subscription video-on-demand providers such as Netflix and Foxtel Now. Jo Pollard, Telstra’s head of media, says the Telstra TV2 device uses high efficiency video coding, so broadband speed limitations should not be an issue for users. Pollard adds that the proposal to merge Foxtel with Fox Sports will be a "net positive" for the telco, which will hold a 35 per cent stake in the merged entity.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, FOXTEL NOW, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, HAYU, BIGPOND MOVIES, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Majority happy with mobile phone service providers particularly Amaysim, Optus & Virgin

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Sep-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 77.1% of Australians aged 14+ who are mobile phone users were satisfied with their service provider over the year to July 2017. This is an improvement from 73.4% in 2014 but down marginally from 77.4% in 2016. Very little separates the satisfaction of the top five service providers, with Amaysim the leader on 81.6%, followed by Optus (79.0%), Virgin (78.4%), Telstra (76.3%) and Vodafone (76.0%). Amaysim was the biggest improver over the last 12 months, up 4.2% to 81.6%. The other two major providers to show improvement were Virgin (up 3.5%) and Optus (up 0.9%). Telstra showed a marginal decline (down 0.3%), while Vodafone was down 2.6%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, OPTUS MOBILE PTY LTD, VIRGIN MOBILE (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ALDIMOBILE

Telco nets 1million customers

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Original article by Michael Bailey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 29-Aug-17

Amaysim Australia has posted a 2016-17 net profit after tax of $A11.5 million, which is seven per cent lower than previously. Amaysim’s statutory earnings increased by 35 per cent to $A33.8 million, while its revenue rose by 29 per cent to $A326.7 million. Shareholders will receive a fully franked final dividend of $A0.051 per share. Amaysim shares closed up five per cent at $A1.75 on 28 August.

CORPORATES
AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, CLICK ENERGY, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, AUSBBS

Thousands to get refunds after NBN overcharging

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 21-Aug-17

Optus may look to refund customers who signed up for national broadband network (NBN) packages that offered internet speeds that could not be delivered. Telstra made a similar announcement in May, stating that almost 8,000 customers would get refunds. Optus has criticised the $A49 billion NBN project over the high cost of bandwidth, stating that this is making it difficult for it to offer high-speed internet access to some of its customers.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NBN CO LIMITED

NBN reality hits Telstra investors

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 18-Aug-17

Telstra has reported 2016-17 EBITDA of $A10.7 billion, up two per cent, while its profit from ongoing operations rose 1.1 per cent to $A3.9 billion. However, shares in the telco fell by 10.6 per cent on 17 August after it advised that dividend payments will be reduced in coming years, as it has to absorb higher costs in regard to the rollout of the national broadband network. Delian Entchev of Watermark Funds Management says Telstra should have changed its dividend payout ratio some time ago.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NBN CO LIMITED, WATERMARK FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUTOHOME INCORPORATED, CITI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Telcos refuse to guarantee speed

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 24-Jul-17

NBN Co is imposing high bandwidth charges on telcos, in order to provide the Federal Government with a sound return on the $A49 billion it has committed to the National Broadband Network project. The high charges mean telcos are not buying the required amount of bandwidth, resulting in very slow access times during high usage periods. As a result, telcos such as Telstra, Optus and TPG are refusing to promise that customers who sign for a specific NBN speed package will indeed be guaranteed to receive services at that speed.

CORPORATES
NBN CO LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, DODO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Optus to power National Geographic app

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 27 : 6-Jul-17

Optus has secured a deal to provide its postpaid mobile phone customers with exclusive content from National Geographic. The app will allow Optus customers to watch two live National Geographic TV channels and access the digital editions of its magazines. Ben White, the head of marketing and product at Optus, says the telco will also produce content in partnership with National Geographic. Customers will be able to view National Geographic content without any impact on their monthly data allowance. Optus has previously secured English Premier League rights.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, FOX NETWORK

Telstra to maintain Foxtel content

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Original article by Damon Kitney
The Australian – Page: 23 & 25 : 19-Jun-17

Some 748,000 Telstra customers now subscribe to Foxtel via the telco, and 75 per cent of its media revenue is generated by reselling the pay-TV service. Telstra chairman John Mullen says the telco is "very committed" to Foxtel, in which it has a 50 per cent stake, and he has stressed the importance of having access to Foxtel content. Meanwhile, Foxtel is set to directly compete with Telstra TV with the looming launch of a rival "puck" video streaming device.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, ROKU INCORPORATED

Telstra denies ‘ambush’ over massive job cuts

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 21 : 16-Jun-17

Telstra is to make 1,400 workers redundant, with the majority of the job losses understood to be occurring in New South Wales and Victoria. Telstra has refuted union claims that there was insufficient consultation about its actions, while Melissa Donnelly from the Community & Public Sector Union says that country areas could be especially impacted by the redundancies. She says it is hard to imagine that the job losses will not result in a drop in the quality of Telstra’s customer service.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION, NBN CO LIMITED