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Australian Communications Consumer Action Network

The organisation’s mission to champion consumer rights by advocating for fair, transparent, and accountable telecommunications policies.

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Former ACCC chair blasts plans for billion-dollar Optus payday with spectrum licence renewals

Comments

The Daily Telegraph / The Herald Sun

29 October 2025

Former competition tsar Allan Fels has blasted government plans to hand Optus a billion-dollar “bonanza” payday, after last month’s deadly triple-0 outage.


Professor Fels said plans by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to renew 69 existing spectrum licences – publicly-owned airwaves used for broadcasting, mobile services, and satellites – rather than putting them to a competitive auction could hand Optus a massive windfall.


“Optus could stand to earn billions from a spectrum discount by the ACMA”, Professor Fels – who chaired the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission between 1989 and 2003 – told The Daily Telegraph.


ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett told the Telegraph that failure to hold an auction would amount to a “cash-grab for telcos".

Outage register to bring much improved transparency to telco sector

Interview

Nine News

28 October 2025

ACCAN welcomes the announcement from the Minister for Communications Anika Wells MP that public outage registers will be established in the wake of successive network failures.


ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett discussed what this will mean for the public on Nine News.

Vodafone customer unable to ring triple-0 with Samsung phone says telco failed to help her fix problem

Comments

ABC Online

24 October 2025

ABC Australia national consumer affairs reporter Michael Atkin has produced some excellent journalism on the evolving Triple Zero camp-on issue affecting older Samsung mobile phones.


As our CEO Carol Bennett told Michael, once this immediate Triple Zero safety issue is resolved, it will be important to examine whether appropriate oversight and compliance with Triple Zero obligations were maintained throughout this process.

Triple Zero issue affecting older Samsung phones

Interview

ABC News Breakfast

23 October 2025

ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett spoke to ABC News about the Triple-Zero issue affecting older Samsung devices.


She highlighted the pressure this places on consumers who can’t afford a new phone, especially with the 28-day notice period from telcos to update or replace affected devices.

ACCAN Web Banner .png

Australian Communications Consumer Action Network

ACCAN is the peak national consumer advocacy organisation for communications.

ACCAN Web Banner .png

Australian Communications Consumer Action Network

ACCAN is the peak national consumer advocacy organisation for communications.

Image by Mario Caruso
Consumer Information
Policy
Campaigns
Research
Media
Image by Mario Caruso
Media
Research
Campaigns
Policy
Consumer Information

Australian Communications Consumer Action Network

ACCAN is the peak national consumer advocacy organisation for communications.

ACCAN Web Banner .png
Image by Mario Caruso

Consumer Information

Policy

Campaigns

Research

Media

Image by Rayyân

Fair Call 
Campaign

Telcos are writing the rules that are meant to hold them accountable. It's no surprise they’re failing consumers. The Telecommunication Consumer Protection (TCP) Code is supposed to set rules for how telcos treat their customers. It covers things like sales practices, billing, credit checks, and customer service. 

After over a decade of reviews, breaches, and ongoing consumer harm, it’s clear the Code isn’t working.  

The latest draft, developed by industry body Communications Alliance, has serious flaws. Despite ongoing feedback from consumer groups, regulators, and some telcos themselves, key issues remain unresolved — especially when it comes to the sales practices used by telcos which result in real consumer harm.   

We believe enough is enough. 

Classmates in the Library

No Australian
Left Offline

The supporters of No Australian Left Offline want affordable broadband. Affordable broadband is a home internet service that enables all Australians to be online regardless of their personal circumstances or where they live, without putting them into financial stress. 

 

With all Australian government services to be available online by 2025, it’s more important than ever that there is No Australian Left Offline.

Over one million Australians will continue to have access to essential government services with affordable broadband.

No Australian
Left Offline

The supporters of No Australian Left Offline want affordable broadband. Affordable broadband is a home internet service that enables all Australians to be online regardless of their personal circumstances or where they live, without putting them into financial stress. 

 

With all Australian government services to be available online by 2025, it’s more important than ever that there is No Australian Left Offline.

Over one million Australians will continue to have access to essential government services with affordable broadband.

Sidney Cityscape

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