TELSTRA: Telstra will participate in the rollout of the national broadband network (NBN) after finalising its $11 billion agreement with the federal government and NBN Co.
"Today, we have concluded almost three years of intense and complex negotiations, with multiple parties, and we are very pleased we have delivered this positive outcome for our customers, employees and shareholders," Telstra chief executive David Thodey said in a statement today.
Telstra will receive approximately $11 billion over the life of the agreements, which ensure the telco's infrastructure will be utilised by the NBN.
"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," Mr Thodey said.
Telstra will retain ownership of its Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) cable network and its 50 per cent share in Foxtel.
The comments from Mr Thodey follow the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) acceptance in February of Telstra's structural separation undertakings.
Those undertakings outlined how the telco would split its retail and wholesale businesses during the NBN's rollout.
Sony Bravia EX720 TV: Product Review
IT'S a good time to buy a television as retailers are discounting stock to make room for new products on the way. Marueen Shelley reviews the Sony Bravia EX720
You could buy a top TV for the price of a lower quality model by shopping around.
This full high-definition 3D television from Sony is one of the better screens available and has a host of apps and extra channels once you hook it up to the internet.
The Bravia EX720 features a 55-inch LCD screen with LED edge-lighting and a Corning Gorilla Glass panel - more typically seen on smartphones - to ensure a tough, scratch-resistant front.
The TV uses Sony's proprietary X-Reality picture engine to process images and deliver greater contrast and colour, while a 100Hz screen frame rate ensures fast-moving vision appears without blur.
Connecting this TV to the internet can be done in two ways. The EX720 features an Ethernet socket, for a wired connection, or users must buy a $99 wi-fi adaptor to connect it to a wireless network.
Once connected, the TV can access 20 Sony internet TV channels including ABC's iView, Yahoo!7's Catch-Up TV as well as speciality channels from the likes of Wired, NPR Radio and Billabong.
A Quickflix app is also available and allows users to buy or download movies in high or standard definition, while Sony's Music Unlimited service can deliver access to more than 10 million streaming tracks for $4.99 a month.
Twitter and Facebook can also be seen on this big screen, and a Skype camera can be added, at a cost of $199, to make internet calls to anywhere in the world.
To ensure these features can be used without the pain of typing on a numerical keyboard, Sony has released remote-control apps for Google Android and Apple phones that include a QWERTY keyboard.
Despite its many software inclusions, this screen's interface is easy to navigate and includes a seven-day electronic program guide, parental controls, as well as picture-in-picture display and picture-and-picture - which delivers two pictures from separate sources simultaneously and can be good for ending arguments about what to watch.
Additionally, this Bravia TV features built-in active 3D processing so it can screen shows broadcast in 3D and deliver them from Blu-ray Discs. The TV does not come with active 3D glasses, however, so users will have to shell out up to $149 a pair to use this feature.
Users will be able to connect plenty to this set, as it comes with four HDMI ports, two USB slots, as well as composite video inputs and the usual AV input and outputs for game consoles, DVD and Blu-ray Disc players and sound systems.
DLNA connectivity also lets users stream media from other DLNA-capable devices to this screen.
Given the time of year, consumers who shop around could score this TV for less than $2000 at major electronics retailers.
SONY BRAVIA EX720 TV, Sony, $2299
"Today, we have concluded almost three years of intense and complex negotiations, with multiple parties, and we are very pleased we have delivered this positive outcome for our customers, employees and shareholders," Telstra chief executive David Thodey said in a statement today.
Telstra will receive approximately $11 billion over the life of the agreements, which ensure the telco's infrastructure will be utilised by the NBN.
"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," Mr Thodey said.
Telstra will retain ownership of its Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) cable network and its 50 per cent share in Foxtel.
The comments from Mr Thodey follow the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) acceptance in February of Telstra's structural separation undertakings.
Those undertakings outlined how the telco would split its retail and wholesale businesses during the NBN's rollout.
Sony Bravia EX720 TV: Product Review
IT'S a good time to buy a television as retailers are discounting stock to make room for new products on the way. Marueen Shelley reviews the Sony Bravia EX720
You could buy a top TV for the price of a lower quality model by shopping around.
This full high-definition 3D television from Sony is one of the better screens available and has a host of apps and extra channels once you hook it up to the internet.
The Bravia EX720 features a 55-inch LCD screen with LED edge-lighting and a Corning Gorilla Glass panel - more typically seen on smartphones - to ensure a tough, scratch-resistant front.
The TV uses Sony's proprietary X-Reality picture engine to process images and deliver greater contrast and colour, while a 100Hz screen frame rate ensures fast-moving vision appears without blur.
Connecting this TV to the internet can be done in two ways. The EX720 features an Ethernet socket, for a wired connection, or users must buy a $99 wi-fi adaptor to connect it to a wireless network.
Once connected, the TV can access 20 Sony internet TV channels including ABC's iView, Yahoo!7's Catch-Up TV as well as speciality channels from the likes of Wired, NPR Radio and Billabong.
A Quickflix app is also available and allows users to buy or download movies in high or standard definition, while Sony's Music Unlimited service can deliver access to more than 10 million streaming tracks for $4.99 a month.
Twitter and Facebook can also be seen on this big screen, and a Skype camera can be added, at a cost of $199, to make internet calls to anywhere in the world.
To ensure these features can be used without the pain of typing on a numerical keyboard, Sony has released remote-control apps for Google Android and Apple phones that include a QWERTY keyboard.
Despite its many software inclusions, this screen's interface is easy to navigate and includes a seven-day electronic program guide, parental controls, as well as picture-in-picture display and picture-and-picture - which delivers two pictures from separate sources simultaneously and can be good for ending arguments about what to watch.
Additionally, this Bravia TV features built-in active 3D processing so it can screen shows broadcast in 3D and deliver them from Blu-ray Discs. The TV does not come with active 3D glasses, however, so users will have to shell out up to $149 a pair to use this feature.
Users will be able to connect plenty to this set, as it comes with four HDMI ports, two USB slots, as well as composite video inputs and the usual AV input and outputs for game consoles, DVD and Blu-ray Disc players and sound systems.
DLNA connectivity also lets users stream media from other DLNA-capable devices to this screen.
Given the time of year, consumers who shop around could score this TV for less than $2000 at major electronics retailers.
SONY BRAVIA EX720 TV, Sony, $2299
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