The launch of the MobileMe service from Apple, which was to replace the .mac service, has been a complete failure as Apple was forced to give a free month to users for a second time.

The new service allows users to sync calendars, contacts, emails and data to PCs, Macs and iPhones for $119 a year. However, the service has been plagued with problems since the launch, when it was knocked offline for several days so Apple could fix bugs and its server load.

Its biggest selling point is its “cloud computing” - which allows users to sync important data to a server, without losing the data. This means that if you had several photos that you want to keep, you can put them on a server that will sync the data to the other computers connected and the iPhone itself - so you can edit, view or regain the files if you lose them.

Now, just over a week later, users are experiencing several problems accessing their email, with some experiencing sync problems with Outlook.

In addition, it falsely charged some users with US$100 for a free trial account, instead of a $1 “preauthorization” charge. It has offered a free month to those affected.

Internode has announced that it has started supporting the new IPv6, which allows a vast number of new and longer IP addresses after the current shortage on the current system, IPv4. It will operate the new network around Australia and with international PoP (Points of Presence) in Japan and the US.

Customers of Internode can access IPv6 by either Native Ethernet access or Tunnel Broker access; with more information on their dedicated website. However, not all sites are supported on IPv6; and Internode will run both on their services; also known as ‘dual stack’ mode.

Its Managing Director, Simon Hackett, said it was was part of future-proofing its entire network, saying, "The Internet is approaching an address crunch point in the next few years."

"The current IPv4 address space is simply running out of IP numbers, possibly as soon as 2011. Internode has chosen to invest in deploying IPv6 technology throughout its network now to give its customers the maximum amount of time to transition their own networks to the new address scheme."

It is the first and only one to introduce the new address system, joining several ISPs in France and the Netherlands. You can find more information on Wikipedia or on Internode’s website.

Gold Coast City Council has admitted that it was in charge of a project that cut the cables on Optus’ main fibre cable, leaving many Queenslanders without any landline, mobile or internet connections.

It initially denied any wrongdoing, before they admitted that they failed to check the locations of the cable before it was severed during construction of a "pumps and pipes" project which is not yet officially part of the State Government’s $9 billion water grid.

Lawyers are expecting that businesses will make claims of compensation against Optus and possibly the contractor who had cut the cables. Optus has apologised for the cut, and is not ruling out any compensation.

This is a Developing Story. Check back here once in a while for more added content about the QLD outage.

Whirlpool is reporting that Optus is experiencing a major outage in Queensland and in Northern New South Wales because of simultaneous network failures.

Optus has said the problem came after a construction mishap, thus cutting all internet and telecommunication services from Queensland. The outage occurred around 8:00 am, and has affected many other ISPs, including Primus. It is also understood that the problems occurred at the Moorooka Exchange, which is owned by Optus and provides the ADSL services around the state.

Primus, however, is saying that a farmer accidentally cut the cables with his backhoe.

Meanwhile, Highway 1 - another of the ISPs affected - is saying that it should be fixed by 3PM today. We are also hearing reports that services are slowly being restored. However, it is more likely that it would miss this deadline, like in our previous story.

Whirlpool is reporting that Optus is experiencing a major outage in Queensland and in Northern New South Wales because of simulatneous network failures.

According to them, a fibre link between the two states were damaged at the same time when its hardware failed. It affects all services, including internet access, mobile and landlines. This is also affecting all other ISPs who rely on the link.

They say that the service will be restored by 1PM today.

A Windows patch released by Microsoft last week has left call centres at Telstra and a local security software distributor flooded with enquiries after they lost their internet access after installing the update, which was to plug a security hole.

Customers using ZoneAlarm found that they had lost their connection altogether, forcing the company to say that it was "incompatible" with ZoneAlarm and the maker, Checkpoint, had released a patch for the problem.

Microsoft’s spokewoman has said to Australian IT that they had published instructions for addressing the problem, but did not reveal if the company will withdraw the patch from Windows Update temporarily.

Paymate, a service similar to eBay’s PayPal, has lodged a compliant with the competition regulator alleging that the auction site has breached the Trade Practices Act after eBay amended its user agreement so sellers must include PayPal as one of the payment options for every listing.

This conduct, Paymate says, restricts its ability (and other payment options) to be adopted on auctions hosted on the site since it mandates PayPal for selling objects.

The ACCC has not commented on the complaint, saying it does not comment on complaints received. There is also no mention of an investigation being done by the competition regulator.

eBay asked the ACCC for immunity after it planned to force all users to use PayPal or Cash on Delivery as the only payment options on the site, however that was rejected by the ACCC. It abandoned the plan on July 3.

After 16 years of competition on the telecommunications industry, Optus has said in a submission to the government on the regulation of the fibre-optic broadband network.

It has said that "16 years after deregulation, Telstra continues to dominate the fixed-line sector and the current regulatory framework has proved to be incapable of effectively regulating". Telstra currently resells the network to all telecommunication rivals, since it was partly owned by the government.

While many have established their own networks, it does require some money to start up the network and most of them are limited to a certain area; unlike the one Telstra owns as it covers the entire country.

More can be found on The Age’s article.

The Herald Sun is reporting that the Victorian Government’s $21.5 million fibre-optic network, installed along the "Fast Rail" tracks to Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Latrobe Valley, has only three companies after opening three years ago.

The network was said to bring high-speed internet for 700,000 Victorian homes and contained 30 fibres, allowing 50,000 television channels. It promised to close the digital divide between the city and the country, allowing regional areas access to an "information super-railway".

The subscribers are V/Line, Central Gippsland TAFE and the internet company Wideband Networks. As well, taxpayers are footing $702,000 for maintaining the failed line.

The Department of Justice in the US is now opening a formal investigation into the partnership between Google and Yahoo, the first and second place leaders in search. The investigation comes after the DoJ is fearing that it would reduce competition in the online advertising market.

It is currently preparing demands for information from executives at both companies and rival advertising firms. There was initially a two-week test run, but a formal investigation suggests that they have concrete concerns about the deal.

According to The Register, the DoJ would not open a "full probe" unless the firms were carrying out a full merger.