Getting in touch with Centrelink, your bank, or a legal, financial or charity helpline shouldn’t cost a lot. But right now it can cost you up to $1.78 per minute to call 1800 ‘freecall’ and 13/1300 ‘local rate’ numbers from your mobile phone. If you call from a landline, these calls are free or fixed at 30 cents. We need a hero. Number Woman is here to fight for Fair Calls For All.
Campaign Summary
The issue:
Calls from landlines to 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers are free or the cost of a local call. Calls from mobiles are charged between 22 cents and $1.78 per-minute.
You can:
- Receive Number Woman news
- Add a supporters badge to your website
- Become an official business or organisation supporter
ACCAN is:
- Working with Number Woman to provide Fair Calls For All
- Lobbying the ACMA and the telecommunications industry
We've achieved:
- ACCAN, ACOSS and AFCCRA have lodged Australia's first
'super-complaint' - The ACMA inquiry examines the cost of a free call
Resources
Our supporters
The issue
Calls from landlines to 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers are free or the cost of a local call. Calls from mobiles are charged between 22 cents and $1.78 per-minute. Organisations that operate these numbers also pay to receive your call.
In 2011, it doesn’t make sense that landline and mobile call charging systems are different for these important numbers. We’re a mobile nation and we need our numbers and call rates to reflect this.
Mobile phone usage is on the rise and the use of landline phones in Australia is dramatically decreasing. Unfortunately, charging people for 'freecalls' on mobile phones is disadvantaging those who can least afford it. Australia is falling behind international trends - other nations have already modernised to allow free calls from mobile phones on designated number ranges.
Download the Fair Calls For All publication for the complete guide to 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers.
Fair Calls For All.pdf [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 507.58 KB]
Fair Calls For All.doc [Word Document - 92.5 KB]
You can:
Receive Number Woman news
Subscribe and receive monthly campaign updates. You can also follow Number Woman on twitter: @Number_Woman
or via the Number Woman blog. 
Add a supporters badge to your website
Add an official Fair Calls For All supporters badge to your website. Embed this image in your website and hyperlink to http://faircalls.good.do/action
Your business or organisation can support Fair Calls For All
Businesses and organisations need Fair Calls For All as much as consumers. You may be paying to offer a freecall number that isn’t actually free-to-call or want to show your support for Australians who are affected by mobile charges to important numbers.
Click here to endorse the campaign and see a list of organisations that already support the Fair Calls For All campaign.
What ACCAN is doing:
Working with Number Woman to provide Fair Calls For All
Number Woman is a superhero for the modern age and she’s determined to help the telcos find a solution that is fair for all. She has the super power of connection and uses 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers to rescue stranded motorists, connect kids with counsellors, let Gran claim her age pension and bring a locksmith to the door.
Number Woman believes that 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers should be charged at the same rates from mobiles and landlines because:
- The cost is too high for the growing number of mobile-only consumers;
- Businesses who want customers to contact them are unable to offer a freephone option for mobiles;
- Charges need to reflect the way people use phones in 2011 and beyond.
Lobbying the ACMA and industry to reform charges to 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers
ACCAN has worked with organisations and consumers to explain why Fair Calls For All is important. Since May 2011, we’ve been lobbying individual telecommunications companies. Read the letters that Number Woman has sent to David Thodey, Paul O'Sullivan and Nigel Dews.
In July 2011 we submitted a paper to the ACMA that examined the issues 12 different consumer groups face when calling 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers from their mobile phones.
In October the communications regulator,
the ACMA proposed to amend the
Numbering Plan so that 1800 numbers will be free and 13 numbers cost
about 30 cents when called from mobiles. Read a summary of the announcement here. Read ACCAN’s response to this proposal here.
The response to this announcement was overwhelming. The ACMA received over 1000 submissions in support of these amendments including submissions from peak bodies, government departments, small businesses and consumers. The ACMA is now processing submissions and preparing a final decision.
We've achieved:
In 2010 ACCAN worked with the Financial Counselling Australia (then AFCCRA) and the Australian Council of Social
Services (ACOSS).
Our
three organisations lodged Australia's first 'super-complaint' with the ACMA - The
Cost of a Free Call: Accessing 1800 and 13/1300 services from mobile phones
(available below).
Download: Super-complaint to the ACMA [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 542.1 KB]
Download: Super-complaint to the ACMA [Word
Document - 837 KB]
The ACMA has not formally responded to ACCAN, ACOSS and FCA's super-complaint, however, they have included a number of our concerns in their inquiry into Australia's Numbering Plan. The consultation paper 'Numbering: Structure of Australia's telephone numbering plan - Consultation paper number one' asked for input on the current charging system for 1800, 13 and 1300 numbers, drawing on the issues raised in the super-complaint. ACCAN has since been monitoring industry responses to this consultation.
Resources
The ACMA's 'Numbering: Structure of Australia's telephone numbering plan - Consultation paper number one'
Sydney Morning Herald article: Mobile 'free call' racket 'puts lives at risk'
Download: Super-complaint to the ACMA [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 542.1 KB]
Download: Super-complaint to the ACMA [Word Document - 837 KB]
Download: Fair Calls For All.pdf [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 507.58 KB]
Download: Fair Calls For All.doc [Word Document - 92.5 KB]
Download: Organisation supporters pack [Word Document - 243 KB]
Our supporters
Click here to see a list of organisations that already support the Fair Calls For All campaign.
ii) Sourced from Ofcom, 2010, 'Simplifying Non-geographic Numbers'. Available online at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/simplifying-non-geo-numbers/ .
