There’s a particular kind of déjà vu that hits you when you work in IT long enough in Australia. It’s that moment when you read about an executive “shaking things up” at a major company, only to discover they’re actually just the same person who was shaking things up at their competitor six months ago. This week’s episode: Optus replacing their departing CIO with an ex-Telstra CIO.

Mark Potter is heading out after four years at Optus, and in comes someone from the very company they’re supposed to be competing against. The reaction online has been… well, let’s just say the cynicism is palpable, and honestly, I get it.

The news about T-Mobile customer data being intercepted from unencrypted satellite communications has been doing the rounds this week, and frankly, it’s left me both amazed and deeply concerned. University researchers with an $800 setup managed to intercept phone calls, text messages, and even military communications simply by pointing a dish at satellites and listening in. The kicker? None of it was encrypted.

Reading through the technical details, what strikes me most is the sheer naivety of the security approach. These companies were essentially broadcasting sensitive data in the clear, operating under the assumption that nobody would bother to look up and listen. It’s like leaving your house unlocked because you assume burglars don’t exist in your neighbourhood.

The news that T-Mobile has been hit with a $92 million fine for selling customer location data without consent should be cause for celebration. After all, it’s a rare moment when big tech companies face any real consequences for their privacy violations. But when you dig into the numbers, the victory feels pretty hollow.

Here’s the thing that’s got me particularly frustrated: T-Mobile reported $11.3 billion in net income for 2024. That $92 million fine? It represents less than one percent of their profits. To put this in perspective, if you earned $100,000 last year, this would be equivalent to a fine of about $800. Annoying? Sure. Life-changing? Hardly.

There’s something deeply satisfying about finding a good deal, isn’t there? Maybe it’s the thrill of the hunt, or perhaps it’s that smug feeling you get when you know you’re paying less than everyone else for the same service. Whatever it is, I found myself completely absorbed in a recent discussion about mobile phone plans that someone had shared - a comprehensive spreadsheet comparing all the cheapest Optus reseller plans.

The story of two Michigan residents building their own fiber ISP has been bouncing around my head all week. It’s one of those tales that perfectly captures the frustration so many of us feel with the state of internet infrastructure, not just in rural America but right here in Australia too.

What strikes me most about this story isn’t just the technical achievement – though that’s impressive enough – but the sheer determination required to say “enough is enough” and actually do something about it. These folks didn’t just complain about slow speeds or poor service; they rolled up their sleeves and decided to become part of the solution.

Living through this cost-of-living crisis has turned many of us into amateur accountants, scrutinizing every dollar spent. Recently, discussions about Woolworths Mobile and their Extra program caught my attention, particularly given my own journey to optimize household expenses.

The mobile service landscape in Australia has always been interesting. While Telstra dominates with its extensive coverage, MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) have been gaining traction by offering competitive prices using the major networks’ infrastructure. Woolworths Mobile, running on parts of Telstra’s network, has positioned itself as a value-focused alternative.