Optus to take part in Govt's net censorship trial

[SGB]

Thought I'd post this for Optus customers ...

Optus will be taking part in the (extremely flawed) trial for the government's mandatory internet censorship plan.

Press release from the DBCDE:

Optus to participate in ISP filtering pilot (http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/027)


When I say the trial is flawed, it's flawed because it's not being done on a mandatory basis (meaning any results will be useless), is not taking the possible NBN into account, is not taking speeds higher than 12 Mbps into account, is not taking IPv6 into account, and no benchmarks for success or failure have been set (which shows Stephen Conroy is manipulating the trial to get the results the government desires).


Optus' involvement in this farce has now given me more reason to jump ship from them.

[SGB]

Optus says yes to filtering trial (http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25370155-15306,00.html)


EDIT:

Internet censorship coming May 22 (http://blogs.news.com.au/couriermail/hitech/index.php/couriermail/comments/internet_censorship_coming_may_22/)

So Optus customers in the areas where the trial will be run will only be able to opt-out, not opt-in.

[Tober]

Thanks for the news SGB.

At least in theory I'll be able to opt-out if they try screwing with my connection.

[GoktimusPrime]

...great... like I need another reason to dislike Optus. (-_-)

[SGB]

Forgot to point out earlier that only ADSL (1 & 2) customers in Sydney and Newcastle will be in the Optus trial.

[Tober]

Does that include DSL Direct?

[SGB]

Does that include DSL Direct?
Yes.

[Tober]

Damn :(

Optus have been reasonably good to me for a while now. Pity about this :(

[piratescratch]

Glad I'm Optus Cable and Melbourne.

Seriously if I wasn't on one of their old plans (12/24) I wouldn't be with them.

[SGB]

Looks like Exetel will be doing their own filtering trial:

http://steve.blogs.exetel.com.au/index.php?/archives/186-Content-Filtering.html

http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31829

This'll be mandatory for all Exetel customers -- they won't be able to opt-out.

Exetel's trial starts tomorrow.

Nice one, Exetel. :rolleyes:

[gamblor916]

dammit :mad:

[SGB]

dammit :mad:

Are you an Exetel customer?

[gamblor916]

Are you an Exetel customer?

Yes and they're one of the better ones. Let's hope this doesn't screw with my connection.

[SGB]

Yes and they're one of the better ones. Let's hope this doesn't screw with my connection.

It's possible Exetel could be violating your contract with them as they're forcing you to use a service you didn't sign up for.

Give 'em a call as well, let them know you're not happy with what they're doing.

[kup]

I am also with Exetel and I hope this doesn't screw my connection either. If I notice negative changes I will most certainly change ISP next time I move which will be soon.

[SGB]

I suggest conducting regular speed tests and see what speeds you're getting during the trial. If you get less speeds than what you normally get, chances are it's the filter at fault.

Also take note if any legit websites are wrongly blocked.

[gamblor916]

Well it is a trial and I don't think I'll be too hasty and cancel anything.
If the legislation goes through then everybody is in the same boat regardless of ISP.
It's not the ISP but the douchebag politicians. :rolleyes:


It's possible Exetel could be violating your contract with them as they're forcing you to use a service you didn't sign up for.

Give 'em a call as well, let them know you're not happy with what they're doing.

[SGB]

Still call them anyway and let them know in no uncertain terms you're angry about what they're doing. Complain, complain, complain.

The more complaints they get, the better.


EDIT: Btw Exetel customers, let us know if you get any security certificate warnings on sites that use HTTPS (banks, stores, etc). If you do, it might mean HTTPS is being filtered in the trial.

If you do get security certificate warnings, don't conduct any banking or transactions as filtering of HTTPS breaks the security and encryption of HTTPS, rendering users seriously vulnerable to financial theft.


EDIT #2: It appears HTTPS isn't going to be filtered during Exetel's trial after all.


An Exetel techie expects the trial will only last anywhere from a few days to a week:

http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31829#p243201

[Golden Phoenix]

dammit :mad:

x 100

where is that exetel phone number??

[SGB]

http://www.exetel.com.au/contact.php

[gamblor916]

I did a speed test before and after and it looks like there's no difference.
Business as usual? I hope they publish what they achieve with this.

edit: I just got an email announcing the start of the trial - it hasn't even been turned on yet. It runs for 5 days.

[SGB]

The trial won't start until tomorrow.

http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31829&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=45#p243408

No reason given for the delay in starting the trial.

[SGB]

Exetel's trial has started.

http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31829&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=90#p243546

[gamblor916]

Looks like there's no difference in download or upload speeds at the moment.
Same as before. No blocked sites either so far.

[blackie]

Looks like there's no difference in download or upload speeds at the moment.
Same as before. No blocked sites either so far.

clearly your just not looking hard enough :rolleyes::p

[gamblor916]

clearly your just not looking hard enough :rolleyes::p

clearly :p

[kup]

I have noticed a massive decrease in ADSL2 speed with Exetel. I am not sure if this is coincidence or not but it started more or less when the trial begun.

Anybody else having this issue?

[Golden Phoenix]

I have noticed a massive decrease in ADSL2 speed with Exetel. I am not sure if this is coincidence or not but it started more or less when the trial begun.

Anybody else having this issue?

I have noticed my internet is a tad slow. It isn't bad, just a half a second off. But I'm only on ADSL1

[SGB]

I have noticed a massive decrease in ADSL2 speed with Exetel. I am not sure if this is coincidence or not but it started more or less when the trial begun.

Anybody else having this issue?
It may have been a coincidence. Hard to tell unless you check with Exetel.

Anyway, Exetel's trial has finished. They posted their results:

http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31857#p244129

Some folks on Whirlpool (an Aussie-based IT-themed site) have already pointed out flaws in the results:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1188929&p=48#r945

In short, Exetel's trial accomplished nothing because the trial wasn't conducted in the manner that the government wants to deploy their filter.

All Exetel have achieved is give the government ammunition (albeit flawed). Idiots.


EDIT: Have a read of this, which is of somene's email conversations with Steve Waddington of Exetel:

http://stewartmedia.biz/myblog/Why-Im-leaving-Exetel/

*Adds Exetel to list of ISPs never to do business with*

[SGB]

Optus' trial is supposed to start on Friday. Have any Sydney or Newcastle Optus customers here received any emails asking if they want to be part of the trial?

[Tober]

Optus' trial is supposed to start on Friday. Have any Sydney or Newcastle Optus customers here received any emails asking if they want to be part of the trial?

I haven't.

[SGB]

It looks like Optus hasn't emailed anyone at all.

If you don't wish to be part of the trial I think you might have to call them and let them know.

[Tober]

Should I call them and request not to be involved now or wait to see if there is a noticeable effect when the trial begins tomorrow?

[SGB]

Should I call them and request not to be involved now or wait to see if there is a noticeable effect when the trial begins tomorrow?
That's really up to you.

If you choose to wait and see if there's an effect, I suggest conducting occassional speed tests to see if your speeds have been affected.

Also, try and load YouTube clips and see if any are slow to load as the Aussie net blacklist, which Optus is using for the trial, contains a couple of YouTube URLs in it. (Inclusion of specific URLs from high-traffic sites on to filter blacklists tends to cause said sites to become overall slower or inaccessible to those subjected to filters, as demonstrated by the IWF/Wikipedia incident in the UK last year)

[Tober]

Sounds like a good plan, thanks.

[SGB]

Optus' trial has started.

Optus starts filtering trials (http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25521790-15306,00.html)

[Tober]

I can hardly load any web pages at all. :mad:

[SGB]

I can hardly load any web pages at all. :mad:
Is this a speed issue?

If pages aren't simply loading and you're getting 404-type pages, have you tried proxies to see if you can access them that way?

[Tober]

There is a massive slow down in speed plus some pages I visit regually won't load at all or start to load and then stop part way.

I had to load this page twice to get the 'reply' button to show up.

I can't get Optus's pages to load in order to call and abuse them either.

[SGB]

There is a massive slow down in speed plus some pages I visit regually won't load at all or start to load and then stop part way.

I had to load this page twice to get the 'reply' button to show up.

I can't get Optus's pages to load in order to call and abuse them either.

You're a DSL Direct customer, right? If so, the number to call Optus is 1300 739 407.


Is the poor speed you're getting now the worst you've ever experienced?

[Tober]

You're a DSL Direct customer, right? If so, the number to call Optus is 1300 739 407.


Is the poor speed you're getting now the worst you've ever experienced?

Yep DSL Direct.

Yep, the speed was horrific, almost non-existant.

I dialed that number ,thanks, screwed around with their "voice recognition" system for about 10 mins and then got the Indian support desk for about 25 while talking me through disconnecting and resetting my modem while they reset my connection at their end too....

Everything seems to be ok again now. When I asked about the Government Censorship Trial I was told that it is on a per-server level and that everyone is on it.

[SGB]

When I asked about the Government Censorship Trial I was told that it is on a per-server level and that everyone is on it.
Did he say EVERY DSL Direct customer is on it or only all Sydney and Newcastle DSL Direct customers?

[Tober]

Did he say EVERY DSL Direct customer is on it or only all Sydney and Newcastle DSL Direct customers?

He said it is on a per-server level, not individual connection. So everyone on that server would be on it. He didn't say anything about regions.

Sorry if I was unclear, way too late for this sort of thing... :(

[SGB]

He said it is on a per-server level, not individual connection. So everyone on that server would be on it. He didn't say anything about regions.

Sorry if I was unclear, way too late for this sort of thing... :(
Ah, I see.

No apology necessary.