In the immortal words of Bob Dylan, “the times, they are a-changing”.

Fittingly, this month’s Westnet Newsletter features news of a couple of changes. One involves the most popular social networking tool on the planet; the other puts the spotlight on an innovative program looking to shape a cleaner and more energy-efficient future.

If you or someone you know has a Facebook profile, you might have heard a whisper about some recent changes to the social networking phenomenon. With Facebook Community Pages now up and running, we take a look at how this new feature could help you learn even more about your favourite things, and connect with others who share the same passion.

At Westnet HQ, we’ve been jumping on the carbon-neutral bandwagon in support of daysofchange.org – an innovative local program paving the way for a cleaner, environmentally friendly tomorrow. As you’ll see, it’s easy to make a difference (Westnet staffers are already organising carpools and planning shorter showers), so we’d love you to get involved.

In other news, Westnet Members on eligible plans would be loving all the great content in the Westnet Freezone – what, with all the great television, sport, games and music on hand 100% quota-free. But did you know we’ve loaded up on some special treats for the little ones to enjoy, too? Freezone Kids now has a whole load of new content to get the young ones singing and dancing, so take a look.

Lastly, we’ve put together two great competitions to round off another edition of the Westnet Newsletter. There’s a whole bunch of double passes up for grabs, so get your entries in and good luck!

All hands are back on deck after the Easter break!

I managed to limit my chocolate intake over the break (just a few cheeky nibbles here and there) but around the country it was reported Australians spent a whopping $166 million on chocolate and other confectionary this Easter – a dentist’s dream!

As a cool change follows the end of summer, this month we take a look at the nasty computer viruses passed around all year long and the steps you can take to keep your computer healthy. We’ve also received a Starlight update from a recent trip to Bunbury, south of Perth, as Captain Starlight continues to bring much-needed joy to sick children across Australia.

April’s Newsletter features all the results from the Australian Broadband Survey for 2009, information on how you can create your very own spiffy-looking website from scratch, plus a great movie giveaway.

Speaking of giveaways, congratulations to Thomas Baines of Albany, the proud new owner of an LG 50” Frameless Plasma TV as winner of Westnet’s Customer Satisfaction Survey – Thomas was “stoked” with his prize! Thanks to everyone who took part in the survey.

Just finally, a little bit of housekeeping. Westnet Members on the ball would have picked up on a recent change to the MyWestnet service, namely the removal of the MyEmail page from the online Member area. This change won’t affect your email experience in any way other than directing you straight to your inbox from now on.

That’s it for this month; dive right in and enjoy this month’s Westnet Newsletter!

Over the last week or so my to-do list has been growing longer by the day. Pay those niggling bills, switch to e-statements for my banking, look into a short getaway for the Easter break, treat my ears to some new music, upgrade my mobile phone – the list goes on!

But with organisations making more of their services available online, I’m just thankful the majority of my list can be ticked off without having to take on the weekend shopping crowds or run hither and thither – via the Internet.

Early plans are in place to provide all Australians with faster internet, so this month we’re off on a whirlwind trip into the not-too-distant future to look at the Federal Government’s plan for National Broadband Network and how it’s hoped it will redefine the way we communicate online.

Successful business is all about communication, too, so we’re pleased to unveil Westnet’s new Business Plans, specially designed to meet your unique requirements to help your business grow.
The AFL and NRL season’s so close you can almost smell it, so Westnet is launching its brand new Tipping Competition for 2010. This year we’ve given the competition a revamp, so make sure you register to be in the running for great weekly goodies and two massive major prizes.

Do you love being a Westnet Member? The Westnet Member Referral competition is now up and running, so spread the word. We’re giving you the chance to win a Home Entertainment Package for you and a friend, just for letting them know about the wonders of Westnet.

Lastly, two big movie giveaways round off a button-popping Newsletter with tickets to Denzel Washington and Sam Worthington’s latest films also up for grabs, so good luck!

It’s February already? I swear the months go by faster every year.

Perhaps I’ve been caught up in all the sports action of summer and the weeks got away from me. There was a load of cricket, basketball and golf, plus the Australian Open tennis recently drew to a close – so this summer’s been a non-stop sports smorgasbord!

February’s Newsletter delivers even more joy for sports fans, with news we’ve again teamed up with our pals at FOX SPORTS to stream heaps of the 2010 Investec Bank Super 14 Season via Freezone. Find out how you can catch every Aussie scrum, tackle and try – absolutely quota-free.

To couple this exciting news, we take a closer look at streaming and the ways you can hear and see online content on demand. We’ll also highlight the stack of streaming goodness available quota-free via Freezone.

This month we also discover how e-Books are growing in popularity as a new, convenient alternative for budding readers – but are they any match for the good old paperback?

We take a sneak peek into our exciting new Member Referral competition, plus we’ve got passes to see three great movie releases – so make sure you get your name in the draw to win.

Take a closer look for yourself and enjoy February’s Westnet Newsletter.

Welcome to 2010 and the first Westnet Newsletter for the year (and the decade)!

Here’s a thought for you. The good old ‘nineties’ have come and gone and we’ve just passed through the ‘noughties’, so by what nickname will we fondly remember this new decade? Let me know if you’ve any bright ideas!

January’s Newsletter brings you the ins and outs of our updated Broadband 1 and Broadband2+ Reach plans, takes a closer look at just how much info is hidden inside your favourite online music and movies and gives you the chance to have your say in the Australian Broadband Survey 2009.

We all know winners are grinners, so this month we’ve super-sized our Competitions section to include a stack of new release movie passes and other goodies up for grabs. Best of luck!

The Westnet Newsletter is off to a flying start in 2010. Happy New Year and happy reading!

Welcome to this year’s final Westnet Newsletter (incredible really, I swear the years are getting shorter).

2009 has been quite the year, with Mobile Broadband really taking off, the Freezone growing fat with brand new quota-free content, the Starlight Express Van travelling around the country to visit the kids and some shiny new plan options for Westnet members.

This month’s newsletter seems like a fitting end to the year, with everything you need to put you in the festive mood – some amazing good will, a couple of tips to help you use your quota effectively, two brilliant movie giveaways and plenty more to keep you entertained over the Summer holidays.

Happy reading!

Welcome to November’s edition of the Westnet Newsletter!

It’s the time of year when I tell myself I should start planning for the festive season in advance – buy presents, make travel plans and organise gatherings at my house. Alas, I’ve come to accept that I probably won’t be kind to my future self and will indeed be tackling the lady next to me for the last chunk of blue cheese.

Since I’m not going to help myself, this edition includes a useful tip or two to make your life a little easier over the coming weeks. From playing your music through your TV to increased download quotas for some bundling plans – there’s something to help everyone. Not to mention the chance to win tickets to see brilliant family movies Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Where the Wild Things Are.

So relax, read up and enjoy!

Relieved to finally be out of flu season (swine or other), my body decided to celebrate with a lovely bout of hayfever as Spring came into full effect. Oh well, a good time to settle in front of a computer and browse that little thing we call the net.

As I sat there perusing photos from my friends, dabbling in the Ebay bidding war and moving some money around, I thought about how I use my particular web browser. It occurred to me that other people probably use their browser of choice in completely different ways, which brought about this month’s newsletter feature on the five most commonly used browsers. Hopefully it’ll give you enough info to choose the right one for you.

Taking a step backward to last month’s bizarre gadget discussion, it appears they’re popping up all over the place. Thanks to all the readers who told us about some truly unique gadgets – from the useful (flat shoes that fold up into a tiny handbag-friendly pouch) to the truly lazy (a beer gauge on the side of a stubby cooler, so you can always tell how full it is).

Hopefully you’ll find this month’s edition just as engaging!

Happy reading…