A new 25-storey apartment tower proposed for Mercer Street would push Geelong’s western gateway skyline higher, with Morphy Birrell Property Group lodging plans for a project directly beside one of the city’s most significant heritage streetscapes.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">FK</a>-designed development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/65-67-mercer-street-geelong-vic-3220">65-67 Mercer Street</a> has now been referred to Victoria’s Planning Minister. The site sits opposite the Geelong rail corridor and immediately south of the heritage-listed St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church and Ashby Hall precinct.

Rather than compete with the neighbouring ecclesiastical buildings, the proposal adopts a sculpted podium intended to reference the materiality and scale of the heritage context. Planning documents note the design draws cues from the “dark stone brick” church and surrounding masonry buildings, while the tower above transitions into a softer, curved form oriented toward Corio Bay and the Geelong waterfront.

<img alt="First look: Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b797d10c-d4a6-47af-b8df-1aeaa3b382be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/public%20square.png?VersionId=QGIpcz1x1hKB6lQLl2iobyHqb6PS2Ztc" />

The development forms “Stage 5” of Morphy Birrell Property Group’s broader Mercer Street precinct strategy, following the completion of the 21-storey Miramar tower on Cavendish Street and several additional approved redevelopment stages nearby. Planning consultants Ratio said the proposal “represents an exemplary development outcome” aligned with the strategic ambitions for Central Geelong’s continued urban renewal.

The mixed-use project would replace an existing low-rise commercial building and surface parking area on the 3,320 sqm corner site. FK’s urban context report describes the proposal as a residential development comprising apartments, resident amenities, commercial space, and integrated landscaping positioned to maximise bay views and northern sunlight access.

Renders show a deeply articulated tower with curved balconies stepping above a lower masonry podium that frames a landscaped forecourt facing Mercer Street. The design intentionally preserves sightlines toward the adjacent church buildings, with the podium scaled to reinforce the heritage edge before the tower recedes upward.

<img alt="First look: Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2bdca91e-66f7-4ac7-8baa-2f93bd5b564e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/geelong%20site.png?VersionId=QOhbino4ZgzKYw5dW3QE14E.2yq.Sv87" />

The planning report highlights the site’s strategic location within 400 metres of key Geelong destinations including Cunningham Pier, the Geelong Station precinct, Deakin University, and the convention centre. Bus services run directly along Mercer Street, while the Corio Bay foreshore sits around 100 metres north of the site.

The proposal arrives amid accelerating redevelopment across central Geelong, where planning policy continues to encourage higher-density housing close to transport infrastructure and the waterfront. Mercer Street in particular has emerged as a focal point for taller apartment development due to its proximity to Geelong Station, the bay, and major civic infrastructure.

Joel Robinson

Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct

Development giant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hamton">Hamton</a> and joint venture partner Hostplus have revealed the next residential stage of their $3 billion Moonee Valley Park masterplan, lodging plans for 512 more apartments within the precinct on surplus racecourse land at 110 Wilson Street, Moonee Ponds.

The proposed development, dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/trackside-house-110-wilson-street-moonee-ponds-vic-3039">Trackside Gardens</a>&nbsp;in the planning application, follows the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/first-look-exclusive-hamton-and-hostplus-reveal-sixth-stage-of-moonee-valley-park-masterplan">recent unveiling of the sixth-stage Cox Place Precinct</a> and continues the long-running transformation of the Moonee Valley Racecourse into one of Melbourne’s largest urban renewal projects.

Positioned on the north-eastern edge of the racecourse adjacent to CityLink, Trackside Gardens will comprise three residential buildings rising between 61.8 metres and 86.4 metres within a heavily landscaped precinct shaped by Hamton’s Nature Based Cities framework.

The project forms part of the broader Moonee Valley Park redevelopment being delivered by Hamton, Hostplus and the Moonee Valley Racing Club, which is reshaping the 40-hectare racecourse site into a mixed-use neighbourhood with housing, retail, commercial space, hotels, parkland and community infrastructure.

Trackside Gardens sits separately to the recently proposed Cox Place Precinct, a five-building stage comprising around 1,100 residences, two build-to-rent buildings, two build-to-sell towers, retail, office space, and a hotel overlooking the racetrack. Together, the projects continue to accelerate housing delivery across the precinct.

<img alt="First look: Hamton expands Moonee Valley Park masterplan with 512-home Trackside Gardens precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fc1941e-52d3-41c6-abc4-0f13fe8ae5ea" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/DA%20Edits%20%281%29.png?VersionId=7qwRHq5dcvXWNot2hNOgoQhN2GIWudNK" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dko-architecture">DKO Architecture</a> with landscape architecture by Tract, Trackside Gardens has been conceived as a botanical-style residential precinct prioritising canopy planting, communal green space, and vertical landscaping.

“The architectural vision for the proposed development centres around buildings in a botanical park setting that champions the important role of nature,” the planning submission states.

“The proposal incorporates principles of biophilic design, with landscape and environmentally sustainable development influencing the ultimate design response of the buildings and prioritising the ground plane to ensure a high amenity for both occupants and visitors.”&nbsp;

Trackside Gardens will deliver 512 apartments across the three buildings, alongside 518 basement car spaces and 523 bicycle spaces. Around 20 per cent affordable housing is proposed across the broader North East Precinct, equating to around 158 dwellings.&nbsp;

The affordable housing component will be concentrated within the Wilson East building, while the remaining apartments are expected to be delivered as build-to-sell residences.

Trackside Gardens has been designed around Hamton’s Nature Based Cities initiative, founded by Executive Chair Paul Hameister OAM in partnership with the University of Melbourne, Urbis, Ark Resources and Tract. The initiative promotes integrating higher-density urban development with significant biodiversity, tree canopy and landscape outcomes.

<img alt="First look: Hamton expands Moonee Valley Park masterplan with 512-home Trackside Gardens precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89353449-7b3c-42fd-8fd8-8bf64a5ef80f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_4.png?VersionId=X8jRt0P2L7fIWjLhfX6gPknXToXIBeLj" />

A comprehensive landscape strategy would introduce deep soil planting, vertical greening, communal gardens, and new pedestrian links throughout the site.

Planning documents state the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star Buildings rating, a 7.5-star average NatHERS rating, and “Exemplary” Nature Based Cities certification.&nbsp;

The proposal joins an expanding pipeline of approved and proposed buildings within Moonee Valley Park, including the recently launched Eveline apartments and the approved Grandstand North and South towers.

Hamton has increasingly focused on precinct-scale, nature-led communities across Melbourne’s middle-ring suburbs, with projects spanning Hawthorn, Kew, and Moonee Ponds.

Hampton unveils Trackside Gardens, latest stage of $3 billion Moonee Valley Park masterplan

The Paul Gedoun-led <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Group</a> has achieved another milestone in its $1 billion transformation of Rainbow Bay on the southern Gold Coast with the completion of the company’s third project in four years, the $160 million <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a> residences.

Delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a> and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker Architects</a>, Esprit buyers have now moved into the 94 apartments across two interconnected buildings at 217-227 Boundary Street.

The successful settlement of Esprit marks another astounding chapter in the S&amp;S story, which launched its highly successful Flow apartments three years ago and created its own ultra-luxury branded fingerprint on an area craving new luxury residences.

Most early purchasers have secured gains of well over $1 million since the project launched in 2021.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=172129]

S&amp;S Projects Founding Director Paul Gedoun said the completion of Esprit reflects sustained demand for premium apartments in tightly held coastal locations.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
“Esprit has attracted buyers seeking a combination of quality design, considered amenity and a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate,” said Gedoun.

“We identified some years ago that Rainbow Bay is a unique market where supply of luxury residences is limited, and we see the settlements in Esprit further underpinning this thinking - that for both owner-occupiers and investors.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=172174]

A key feature of the development is ‘Club Esprit’, a 1,000sqm residents-only rooftop level combining wellness and recreation, believed to be a first for the Gold Coast, and which is fast becoming a signature of the S&amp;S brand.

Positioned to capture views across Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay and the Tweed River, the rooftop includes a 25-metre lap pool, gym, yoga lawn, sauna and steam facilities, ice bath, private dining spaces, outdoor cinema and landscaped areas for residents.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a> Director Jayde Pezet, who led the sales campaign for Esprit and S&amp;S’s Flow and Awaken apartments, said the project’s performance reflects both the strength of the product and the depth of demand for premium apartments on the southern Gold Coast.&nbsp;

“In some cases, we’ve seen values double since launch, which is a clear reflection of how tightly held Rainbow Bay has become and the level of demand for well-executed projects in this market,” said Pezet.&nbsp;

“Buyers recognised early what S&amp;S Projects was delivering here, and that conviction has been rewarded as the project has progressed towards completion.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=214819]

Esprit offers a mix of two- three and four-bedroom apartments and sits within walking distance of the beachfront, cafés and local amenities, reinforcing its appeal as both a lifestyle and investment destination.

The project is the third completed by S&amp;S Projects in Rainbow Bay, following Flow Residences and Awaken Residences, which together have contributed to the suburb’s emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after coastal pockets. &nbsp;

S&amp;S Projects is continuing its investment in the area with Radia, a $215 million development currently under construction.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=172175]

Gedoun said the completion of Esprit signals continued confidence in the southern Gold Coast market.&nbsp;

“We’ve seen strong interest in well-located, high-quality apartments, particularly in areas where future development opportunities are limited."

“That’s been a key factor in the performance of Esprit and the broader Rainbow Bay market”.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102921]

Owners move in as Esprit completes at Rainbow Bay

Few developers can boast a portfolio across South East Queensland's luxury markets quite like <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mosaic-property-group">Mosaic Property Group</a>.

The builder-developer, founded in 2004 by Managing Director Brook Monahan, has projects in planning, on the market, and under construction, from Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach to Kangaroo Point and South Brisbane.

With a pipeline exceeding $2 billion, Mosaic remains highly selective when it comes to development sites, having spent years refining its strategy around feasibility research and product planning. The group is set to continue growing into 2026 and beyond.

In Brisbane, Mosaic currently has three projects in the market. It is in the final release stage at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-bedford-by-mosaic-16-30-prospect-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">The Bedford</a> in Kangaroo Point, which is approaching complete sellout ahead of its late 2027 completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134792 project_image_fid=328123]

Designed in collaboration with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, The Bedford comprises 128 two- and three-bedroom residences. A selection of ultra-luxury Masterpiece Series Skyhomes, positioned across the top levels, offer expansive floor plans and sweeping views of the river and city.

High-end inclusions, such as natural stone benchtops, bespoke cabinetry, and Miele appliances, feature throughout all apartments, alongside the Rooftop Recreation &amp; Retreat Sky Terrace. This includes a resort-style pool with sun deck and loungers, spa, cold plunge pool, sauna, steam room, private dining room with a full kitchen, residents' lounge, multiple barbeque and relaxation zones, an outdoor viewing deck, and landscaped gardens with water features, all oriented to sweeping city and river views.

A gym with indoor and outdoor zones, and a golf simulator, further enhances recreational choice within the building.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134792 project_image_fid=328119]

A defining feature of the development is its integrated mixed-use component, which will deliver Kangaroo Point's first major supermarket, alongside a café and liquor store, bringing long-awaited convenience to the peninsula.

Monahan says The Bedford represents the culmination of a near-decade-long journey, after first identifying the A-grade Prospect Street site in 2016. While they came close to acquiring it at the time, the site was ultimately purchased by Woolworths' development arm, Fabcot. The opportunity resurfaced in 2024 when the site, vacant for nearly three decades, was brought back to market.

Monahan says Mosaic projects often begin years before any formal plans are drawn. Their new South Brisbane development is no exception, with the site first earmarked in 2018.

"We aren't opportunistic," Monahan says. "Every site purchase is carefully considered. As seen with Kangaroo Point and South Brisbane, it can take years to eventuate. There are sites we're looking at now that we may not secure for several years."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141711 project_image_fid=353495]

A similar story unfolded at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-carter-by-mosaic-77-linton-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">The Carter</a> in Kangaroo Point, opposite The Gabba. Like The Bedford, it is also approaching sellout of its 125 two- and three-bedroom apartments. The majority of sales are attributed to returning customers and referrals, with a balanced mix of investors and a strong majority of owner-occupiers.

BDA Architecture was again engaged to design the 22-storey building, which will feature a suite of wellness and lifestyle amenities, including a golf simulator and cinema, a commercial-grade gym, and a rooftop recreation level with a pool, steam room, sauna, cold plunge, teppanyaki bar, private dining spaces, and landscaped terraces.

Construction is on track for completion in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=362759]

Mosaic's latest offering is its most ambitious yet, boasting a rare, north-facing riverfront position on Montague Road in South Brisbane.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-riversdale-by-mosaic-south-brisbane-91-montague-road-south-brisbane-qld-4101">The Riversdale by Mosaic</a> is a 39-storey tower comprising just over 200 residences and Masterpiece Series Sky Homes. Designed in partnership with Bureau Proberts, it will feature nearly 3,000 sqm of genuine, internationally benchmarked six-star, hotel-style amenities, including a wellness precinct, pool, gym, massage and treatment rooms, cinema, golf simulator, and extensive outdoor dining areas across a two-level rooftop deck.

Early works are underway, with full construction expected to commence in the second half of 2026, and an anticipated late 2029 completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=362759]

Since 2012 alone, Mosaic has completed more than $2 billion in projects and is set to deliver another $2 billion worth of developments, comprising hundreds of luxury apartments, each defined by Mosaic's signature standards of quality, detail, and delivery.

"We never arrive, there is no finish line," says Monahan. "Our ambition is to keep evolving what luxury means, creating design- and lifestyle-led residences in incredible locations, places people genuinely aspire to and want to live, homes that are loved deeply and endure long beyond their moment."

Mosaic's Midas Touch

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> (Urban) has broken ground at Keira Place, its new major mixed-use residential precinct in the heart of Wollongong CBD.

Held at 120-122 Smith Street, the groundbreaking marked the commencement of construction on Stage 1 of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/keira-place-120-122-smith-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Keira Place</a>, with the opening of the new display suite. 
&nbsp; 
Keira Place is a State Significant Development that will deliver new housing supply, affordable homes and inclusive living options within walking distance of Wollongong’s CBD, coastline, transport, hospital and education precincts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144442 project_image_fid=369868] 
&nbsp; 
Stage 1 is now under construction and will deliver 150 apartments across two residential buildings, including 27 affordable housing apartments and 18 specialist disability accommodation dwellings, along with activated ground-floor retail and commercial space. 
&nbsp; 
Urban Co-CEO Patrick Elias said the groundbreaking represented a significant milestone for Wollongong and reflected Urban’s long-term commitment to regional cities.

“Today’s groundbreaking is about turning approvals into homes and moving quickly to deliver much-needed housing in Wollongong’s city centre,” Elias said. 
&nbsp; 
“Keira Place will provide a diverse mix of homes close to jobs, transport and services, while setting a high benchmark for quality, durability and consumer protection.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144442 project_image_fid=369869] 
&nbsp; 
Hon. Paul Scully MP, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Member for Wollongong said Keira Place is exactly the kind of development Wollongong needs – delivering new homes close to transport, employment and services, while supporting the continued growth and renewal of the CBD.

"This project reflects the Minns Labor Government's commitment to increasing housing supply in well-located areas." 
&nbsp; 
Wollongong Lord Mayor Cr Tania Brown said Keira Place would deliver lasting community benefits for the city. 
&nbsp; 
"Keira Place is a welcome addition to Wollongong's CBD delivering new housing, affordable homes and activated street-level spaces that will benefit our community for years to come," Brown said. 
&nbsp; 
"Urban Property Group's investment reflects the confidence that quality developers have in Wollongong's future, and I look forward to seeing this precinct come to life."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144442 project_image_fid=369867] 
&nbsp; 
Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a>, with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/dko">DKO,</a> Keira Place prioritises liveability and long-term performance, with landscaped shared spaces, generous apartment layouts and a pedestrian-friendly streetscape along Smith Street. 
&nbsp; 
Residents will have access to landscaped podium areas, communal rooftop amenities with views to Mount Keira and the Wollongong skyline, and convenient ground-level retail.

The development will have 10-year Latent Defects Insurance by Resilience Insurance.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144442]

Groundbreaking marks start of construction at Keira Place in Wollongong CBD

Telecommunication

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Who will build Australia’s 5G mobile phone network?
Not Chinese telecommunications infrastructure company Huawei, which was recently excluded from involvement via a statement from then acting Home Affairs Minister Scott Morrison – now prime minister – and Communications Minister Mitch Fifield.
Australia’s 5G is likely to be up and running sometime in the next few years, with some trials already underway.
Nevertheless, widespread rollout needs equipment to be purchased, tested and deployed. It needs sites to be obtained for base stations. It needs software upgrades to billing and management systems. So it’s likely to be a little way off yet.
The nuts and bolts of a network
5G will have the same high level architecture as previous cellular networks, but the intricate details are very different.
In very simple terms, a cellular mobile network consists of three components: mobile devices, a radio access network and a core network.
The mobile device might be a smart phone, tablet, or a computer with a USB dongle, but could also be a low-cost sensor with a simple transmitter.
The radio access network consists mainly of base stations (mobile phone towers), and is connected to the core network. The base station uses radio waves to relay communications between the mobile device and the core network. The area covered by a base station is called a cell.
The core network’s main role is to set up communication with other devices and other networks, user management and record information for billing.
Each generation of cellular networking has introduced radical changes to what the network does and how it does it.
Previous generations have seen communications moving from analogue to digital, have introduced data services, have moved to a simplified architecture, have increased the data speed available to end users and increased bandwidth efficiency.
How is 5G different?
Many of the changes introduced by 5G will be in the base stations and core network. These are less apparent to end users, but very important for the network operators.
5G will make use of much higher frequencies for radio communications than has been used in cellular networks in the past.
Since higher frequencies attenuate (weaken) with distance more rapidly than lower frequencies, 5G will use much smaller cell sizes than previous generations. In urban areas cell sizes might only be a few hundred metres in diameter.
Small cell sizes make available previously unused radio frequencies – but introduce additional complexity in managing interference and handover of mobile stations from one base station to another.
5G will also support very large numbers of devices per cell. One of the working parties developing 5G standards specifies a minimum of one million devices per square kilometre.
Being able to support such large numbers of devices is important for the “Internet of Things” – where household devices and machinery are also connected to the internet.
5G will make use of sophisticated signal processing techniques such as Multi Input, Multi Output (MIMO) antennae – which will improve the efficient use of bandwidth.
Because the frequency is higher, the wavelength is smaller (around one millimetre). Optimal antenna size is related to the wavelength. Small wavelengths mean more antennae can be used per mobile node than has been possible in the past which is the basis of MIMO.
Another significant change for 5G will be to centralise much of the processing that in the past was carried out at the base stations. Dealing with the high density of devices and doing sophisticated processing requires a great deal of computing power. Rather than having each base station doing it, the raw data will be transmitted to a central location and be processed there.
China’s Huawei has taken a leading role in the development of 5G. It has made substantial contributions to the standards development process and has been among the first to carry out substantial trials.
China is expected to be the largest global market for 5G with some predictions of more than 400 million connections by 2025.
Will my phone service improve?
Once it’s up and running, the main change for 5G users will be increased speed and reduced delay.
Plans are for peak data rates of around 20 gigabits per second (Gbps) down to the receiver, and 10 Gbps up to the base station. The delay (the time taken to get a packet from the mobile device to the base station) will for most users be less than 4 milliseconds.
Fixed wireless setups are already operating in Europe that use technologies we know will be used in 5G.
However, even though we know what technologies 5G will use, the detailed standards for mobile cellular networks are still to be formalised. Without them, companies cannot produce networking equipment and handsets.
Telecommunications companies need to find sites for the base stations, install the systems and upgrade their software. Consequently, we are still a few years off widespread deployment.
And we don’t know who will build it in Australia.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102199/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Philip Branch, Associate Professor in Telecommunications Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-mobile-network-anyway-this-is-5g-boiled-down-102199" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

What is a mobile network, anyway? This is 5G, boiled down: Philip Branch

<html><body>
New rules introduced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) are designed to stop households being left without any access to telecommunications services during their migration to the National Broadband Network.
The new <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/service-continuity-standard-your-obligations" target="_blank">Service Continuity Standard</a> is the latest in a slate of regulatory measures taken by the ACMA.
It seeks to improve end user experience during and after transition to the NBN.
The standard takes effect on 21 September.
Where feasible NBN and telecommunications providers must not disconnect existing fixed-line services unless a new NBN connection is working and if there is a problem during the migration, legacy copper-based services need to be reconnected where possible or an alternative service offered while the problem is resolved.
The ACMA redrafted the standard following consultations with Communications Alliance, industry stakeholders, and consumer groups including the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network.
The revised standard includes the concept of an “NBN backup service” that is not based on the new network nor on the legacy copper network.
There may still be a small number of cases where, despite these new rules, a consumer’s old network service is disconnected before they have a working NBN service. In these cases, the NBN retail CSP has three working days to get the NBN service working properly.
If the NBN retail CSP can’t get it working properly in this period, and they also supplied the old network service to the consumer, they must, in most cases, reconnect the consumer’s old network service within three working days.
</body></html>

NBN rollout rules to stop households being left without telecommunication services

<html><body>
The property and telecommunications industries are at odds over infrastructure rules that will set the stage for the 5G wireless network.
While building owners accuse mobile carriers of paying lower rents and an “increasingly aggressive interpretation" of the laws related to the way buildings are used for telecommunications equipment, mobile carriers say the allegation of widespread problems is questionable.
The Property Council of Australia says that with the Telecommunications Act 1997 and its code of practice under reviewed by the Commonwealth government, the powers and immunities given to providers of mobile network infrastructure must also be reformed.
Building owners are complaining that they are forced to give over space at below-market rents, put up with cables inappropriately and are left to manage redundant kit at the end of a lease when a carrier walks away, reported The Australian Financial Review.
"Telecommunications carriers, with legislative protection, are too often a law unto themselves, show little regard for building owners or other tenants, and pay next to no rent," Property Council chief executive Ken Morrison was cited as saying by the AFR.
"The days of offering $1 rent to use a building must end," he said.
The council says in its submission to the review that the 20-year-old act has no provision for low-cost dispute-resolution mechanism so building owners are forced to put up with problems as the courts as the only recourse.
The 5G  mobile telecommunication network, due to be in operation by 2020, will be more complex and denser than its predecessors, meaning more mobile infrastructure in buildings. 
Mobile networks top body, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, said regulatory processes need to be simplified to roll out the network that will underpin technology such as ultra high-definition video and the machine-to-machine communication of driverless vehicles.
"One of the fundamental characteristics of the regulatory environment needed is it must keep up with technology and reflect the deployment environment that industry has to work in," said AMTA chief executive Chris Althaus.
"Part of that will be working more closely with building owners, property owners, but equally part of it must be efficient regulation."
The federal Communications Department’s review is expected to be handed over to the government by the year end.  
It has already proposed amendments that would save telcos up to $100 million a year through measures such as raising the size thresholds of equipment that needs planning approvals and making it easier to install replacement towers.
Althaus said property owners and telcos should work together, but questioned the allegation of widespread problems.
"On balance, given the high volume of deployment that has taken place in this country over the last three decades, the number of concerns, complaints and troubled circumstances is relatively low," he said.
The Communications Department said there was strong demand by consumers and businesses for better communications services and that carrier powers and immunities were designed to strike the right balance between quick and effective deployment of infrastructure and community and property safeguards.
 
</body></html>

jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Building owners, telcos spar over network infrastructure rules

<html><body>
The first Burgess Rawson portfolio auction of the year saw a Vodafone facility on the Gold Coast fetch $6.1 million.
Auctioneer David Scholes advised there was a renewed secure 10 year net lease to June 2025 plus options to 2035.
<a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/buying/QLD/Gold-Coast/Arundel/Office/4P0195#.VszCAYx96AI" target="_blank">Leased to Vodafone</a>, the tenant has been in occupation for 15 years at the strategically positioned telecommunications facility located at Arundel 7 km from the Southport CBD.
It is one of only three Vodafone high tech facilities in Queensland with a site area of 2,738 sqm.
Its annual rental increases are 3.5% until 2020 and 3.25% until 2024, with the tenant paying all outgoings including and tax.
Its net income was $430,000 pa + GST, increasing to $445,050 pa + GST in June 2016.
</body></html>

Telecommunication

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Telecommunication

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News