The weekday briefing on Australian telecommunications, data centres and AI infrastructure.
Today's briefing
Wednesday 4 November 2026
Data-centre power policy dominates the edition.
The AFR reports draft AI laws that would bar new suburban data centres and steer gigawatt-scale projects to regional sites, while AEMO forecasts data centres using 34TWh a year by 2035–36, up from about 5TWh.
In wholesale, Optus launched a Layer 3 NBN platform at all 121 points of interconnect, and Vodafone's scam call claim puts Aussie Broadband's Symbio unit under scrutiny.
The Albanese government's draft AI laws would prohibit new data centres in suburban Australia and steer gigawatt-scale projects to regional sites, according to an Australian Financial Review report of 29 October. Consultation is due by the end of 2026.
Optus Wholesale has launched a Layer 3 NBN wholesale platform available at all 121 points of interconnect, with Yomojo among its first partners. Optus said the platform already supports Amaysim and is now open to external providers.
AEMO's 2026 Electricity Statement of Opportunities projects data centres rising to about 13 per cent of National Electricity Market consumption over the decade. The operator also points to heavy project attrition and uncertainty over when and where connections will land.
Australian-owned messaging provider Kudosity is letting local businesses sign up and trial RCS agents before carriers offer the service widely. The company says registering does not secure commercial activation in Australia.
Symbio, bought by Aussie Broadband for $262 million in 2023, contributes about 17 per cent of group revenue and is now in the spotlight after Vodafone accused it of carrying 98 per cent of 24.8 million scam calls to its customers.
The FCC has adopted a consent decree ending its show-cause case against HKT (International) and PCCW Global, with the companies agreeing to stop all US common carrier services by 1 September 2027. There is no fine and no Covered List designation.
Malaysia-based subsea services firm OMS Group has closed a US$1.03 billion financing package, mainly to buy four new cable-laying vessels due in 2027 and 2028. The company said lenders oversubscribed the corporate and export-credit-backed facilities by more than two times.
Microcomb, a company formed by researchers from Swinburne, Monash and RMIT, has launched optical microcomb technology aimed at moving more data through AI data centres with less energy. It has pre-seed funding from Innovation Victoria and is building a demonstrator.
NextDC shares gained 3.41 per cent to A$6.07 on 2 November 2026, extending a rebound from an eight-year low hit after a Melbourne grid delay forced deep cuts to FY27 guidance.
Digicel PNG is now running services from a Vodafone PNG tower in Minj, the first live site under the sharing agreement the two operators struck in September. A second site is lined up.
Māori-owned telco Tū Ātea told the Commerce Commission that the planned One NZ–2degrees shared radio network company could control access for Māori spectrum. SafetyNet and Tuanz also lodged submissions raising public safety and upgrade concerns.