Internet and mobile security software distributor AVG has released it's latest Community Powered Threat Report which provides insight, background and analysis on the trends and developments in cybercrime over the previous 3 months. The Q4 2011 report includes the risks of QR codes, stolen digital certificates bypassing security on mobile phones and the persistence of rootkits. [ + ]

Shipments of ultrabooks will grow at three times the rate of tablets over the next five years, according to a report from analyst firm Juniper Research. [ + ]

Telstra will provide an open access wholesale service on fibre networks that it’s currently deploying in South Brisbane and some new real estate projects, according to Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. [ + ]

Australian submarine cable developer ASSC-1 Communications Group has announced the development of a new Perth to Singapore submarine cable system. The project is a result of a partnership involving Huawei Technologies, Global Marine Systems and ASSC-1 Communications. [ + ]

Customers of Westpac, St George, Bank SA and Bank of Melbourne now have access to a one-year free subscription to Bitdefender’s Internet Security 2012, thanks to a partnership between the Westpac Group and the information security company. [ + ]

The HTC Velocity 4G - the first 4G to launch in Australia - will be available on Telstra’s 4G LTE network starting 24 Jan. The phone features a 4.5″ touch screen, a 1.5 GHz dual core processor and an 8 megapixel camera. Keen customers can also pre-purchase the phone to have it delivered to them. [ + ]

Telecommunications wholesaler ispONE has signed NBN Co’s Wholesale Broadband Agreement (WBA), following revisions made by NBN Co. This revised WBA includes amendments relating to liability of NBN customers. [ + ]

Under a new agreement announced overnight, IBM will purchase Green Hat, a vendor of cloud-based software quality and testing services. Green Hat uses cloud computing technologies to allow customers to conduct testing on a software application prior to its delivery. [ + ]

Storage vendor Seagate Technology has completed its acquisition of Samsung Electronics’ hard disk drive (HDD) business, which was first announced in April 2011. [ + ]

The ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) is seeking public comment on the revised structural separation undertaking submitted by Telstra on 9 December. [ + ]

The Australian market for security-as-a-service - IT security delivered through the cloud - grew 17.2% during 2011, reaching a value of $38.4 million, according to Frost & Sullivan.The firm predicts that the cloud security market will continue to grow at a CAGR of 16.6% through to 2016. [ + ]

NewSat, an Australian satellite company, has signed a 10-year contract with a Middle Eastern telco for the provision of US$67.2 million worth of Jabiru satellite transmission capacity. The Ka-band satellite capacity purchased will enable the customer, which wishes to remain nameless at this time, to provide high-speed internet and data services across several regions within the Middle East. [ + ]

The Victorian government has injected $100,000 into ICT Geelong, a body representing the ICT (information, communication and technology) industry in the Victorian city of Geelong. The funding is provided under the Victorian Government’s Innovation Through Clusters program, and will support the growth of ICT in the region over the next two years, according to the government. [ + ]

Motorola has secured a five-year contract worth $40 million to build a digital radio network for Western Australia’s emergency services. Once completed, the network is expected to be valued at more than $120 million and become one of the largest networks of its kind in terms of sheer geographic footprint, coming in at a total of 45,000 km². [ + ]

Telecom New Zealand has completed the separation of its infrastructure department, Chorus, from the main body of the company. Chorus is now an entirely stand-alone company. [ + ]