landmarks 2

This chronology deals with telecommunications in Australia and New Zealand since 1993.

It covers -

• wireless (1993)
• churn (1996)
• after the crash (2000)
• the ACMA era (2005)

Context is provided by the broader media, business and technology timeline. Constitutional developments are highlighted here.

     wireless (1993)

Bell Atlantic and Ameritech reduce Telecom NZ stake to combined 49.6%

Axicorp Telecommunications established as reseller of local, long distance and mobile services

BellSouth NZ launches mobile network

Optus begins using own infrastructure

AOTC was rebadged as Telstra Corporation

Telstra, Optus and Vodafone launch digital GSM service

     1994

MCI Communications sells AAPT stake to SingTel

launch of OzEmail and connect.com.au

     1995

Cybernet in Melbourne is Australia's first cybercafe?

AAPT launches mobile phone service (using Vodafone)

OzeMail launches Voyager in New Zealand

Australis Media launches Galaxy pay-tv service

One.Tel launched as C&W Optus reseller

AAPT buys 50% of Australian ISP connect.com.au

AAPT buys NewsNet ITN

One.Tel founded

     1996

Telecom NZ launches XTRA ISP

AAPT buys 40% of Cellular One Communications

AAPT buys QNET Communications

Telecom NZ launches fibre-coax cable network under First Media pay tv plan

ACCC blocks merger between Australis and Foxtel

Primus Telecommunications acquires Axicorp

Telstra records largest profit in Australian corporate history

Bell Atlantic becomes Verizon

Telstra begins to offer services in NZ business market

     churn (1997)

Telecommunications Act 1997 in Australia

Australian telecommunications sector opened for full competition

establishment of Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF)

AAPT buys QNet Communications

Telstra partly privatised

takes stake in IBM Global Services Australia (IBM GSA)

Commonwealth government establishes National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE)

Telecom NZ buys back NZ$1bn shares

Telstra v APRA (Music On Hold) case in Australia

Primus buys Axicorp (rebadged as Primus Telecom)

Domainz established

Saturn Communications begins to compete with Telecom NZ

     1998

Verizon and Ameritech sell most of Telecom NZ stake

Telecom NZ has 500,000 mobile customers

Vodafone New Zealand acquires BellSouth NZ

Spectrum Network Systems becomes PowerTel

Cable & Wireless takes control of Optus, acquiring Mayne stake

Optus becomes Cable & Wireless Optus

Australis goes into receivership

launch of Davnet Telecommunications (DavTel)

Davnet goes public

First Media abandoned by Telecom NZ

America Online establishes Australian arm

     1999

C&W Optus acquisition of AAPT opposed by regulators

C&W Optus launches Optus Internet ISP

Telecom NZ buys 78% of AAPT (subsequently moving to full ownership)

Davnet acquire Magna Data ISP

auDA established

Iinet listed on Australian Stock Exchange

Commonwealth sells further 16.6% of Telstra

Ozemail acquired by WorldCom for $520m

Telstra merges NZ operations with Saturn Communications as TelstraSaturn

Telstra sells managed PABX operations to Ericsson spin-off Damovo

     after the Crash (2000)

Telecom NZ buys Australian national high bandwidth network from Optus, sells AAPT Sat-Tel

merger of Amcom and FiberTel

AAPT buys Bertelsmann's stake in AOL Australia for $100m

Xtra signs 300,000th subscriber

Telecom NZ has 1m mobile customers

Southern Cross Trans-Tasman cable

Telecom NZ buys rest of AAPT

Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act in Australia

Optus sells ailing Dingo Blue to AGL for $22m

One.Tel launches GSM service

     2001

Telecom NZ takes 19.9% stake in Hutchison 3G Australia for $400m

Cable & Wireless sells Optus stake to SingTel

Froggy group goes under

Davnet sells broadband services arm to NTT Australia for $16m

Microsoft invests NZ$300 million in Telecom NZ

TelstraSaturn acquires Clear to form TelstraClear NZ

One.Tel collapses

Centrica buys OneTel UK for £58m

     2002

AGL shutters Dingo Blue

Verizon sells remaining stake in Telecom NZ

     2003

Telstra sells 22.6% stake in IBM GSA for $153.5m

buys Powergen's telecoms network infrastructure in UK

Spam Act 2003 (Cth) in Australia

     2004

controversy over claims that Telstra sought to buy Nine Network and Fairfax

Telstra buys UK businesses of PSINet Europe (PSINet UK) for $127m

buys Cable Telecom (est 1997) in UK

Primus buys AOL|7 from AAPT, Seven Network and AOL

ACCC rebukes Telstra over anti-competitive behaviour in broadband market

SingTel sells its 12% stake in dominant Belgian telco Belgacom

Telstra buys Kaz Group for $333m

Telecom NZ buys I-Gen for $57m

Telstra pays $636m for Trading Post classified ad publications

over 1 million broadband subscribers in Australia

Optus acquires Uecomm for $227m

TARBS goes into receivership

Telstra pays $450m for 50% of Hutchinson 3G Australia

pays $64m for Damovo managed communication service provider

     the ACMA era (2005)

Sensis acquires Universal Publishers (UBD and Gregory's Directories)

iiNet buys residential arm of OzEmail for US$86.5m (230,000 active non-casual customers, including 47,000 broadband users, and 65,000 active casual customers)

merger of Australian Broadcasting Authority and Australian Communications Authority as the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA)

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Telecommunications Offences & Other Measures) Act 2004 comes into effect

iBurst comes under control of Commander

Telstra's Sensis expands into online recruitment

Chariot buys Alphalink for $6.5m

agreement for full privatisation of Telstra

Optus acquires 50.8% stake in IT services firm Alphawest

     2006

SingTel Optus pays $30m for remaining 74.15% of Virgin Mobile Australia

Communications Minister Coonan declares "Broadband infrastructure is the roads and railways of a modern 21st century economy"

ABS reports 5.1 million 'active' household internet subscribers and 0.86m 'active' government/business subscribers

64% of households with an internet connection claim to have broadband

federal Government raises $15.5bn through Telstra T3 share sale

Future Fund sovereign wealth fund established

     2007

NetRegistry buys assets of PlanetDomain from Primus Telecommunications for over $8m

ACMA introduces 0550 number range for VOIP and other phones

NetRegistry acquires assets of PlanetDomain from Primus for $8.3m

21.26 million mobile phone services in operation at 30 June 2007 (more than one mobile service for every Australian)

junior telco M2 buys Wholesale Communications Group (WCG)

second round of funding under national Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program

Communications Legislation Amendment (Crime or Terrorism Related Internet Content) Bill 2007 (Cth)

Communications Legislation Amendment (Content Services) Act 2007

     2008

Austar announces sale of its WiMAX regional wireless broadband spectrum to OPEL consortium for $65m

iiNet buys Westnet for $81m cash

     2010

Do Not Call Register Legislation Amendment Act 2010 (Cth)




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