Our focus

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Examining fixed phone and broadband products

ACCAN has commissioned a research project with Market Clarity to determine the telecommunications needs and wants of small business consumers and whether these are being met by the telcos.

The research raised concerns for ACCAN that the current offerings from telcos to small businesses do not match the increasingly heavy reliance that small businesses have on telecommunications. Service level agreements and performance guarantees for small businesses need to be available and enforced. Telcos need to champion their products and offer usable solutions and contingency plans in the event that their services fail. At the end of the day, the small business operator should not suffer inconvenience and loss of business due to a lack of services beyond their control. They should not have to deal with the details, they need faults fixed immediately or an agreed alternative needs to be provided by their telco.

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The Universal Service Obligation (USO), which guarantees every premises access to a voice service, is outdated. Ensuring that the obligation is updated and that data and voice services are available to all is a key area of work for ACCAN.

Following our event in February, Rethinking the USO, and the findings of the Regional Telecommunications Review 2015, there was a need for further examination of options for the USO that delivers better for consumers. As such, ACCAN contracted John de Ridder, telecommunication economist, to prepare an Occasional Paper for ACCAN on the future of the USO to feed into our work and provide new perspectives.

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This research report examined the implications of digital technology, particularly mobile apps, for the management of cultural knowledge. A group of young Aboriginal Australians participated in this project which mapped how they used apps to explore cultural knowledge.

The report is available through the ACCAN Grants Scheme webpage.

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An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Melbourne investigated the fate of online accounts, financial assets and personal profiles when a user passes away. The team investigated licencing policies, terms of use agreements and copyright law, and interviewed a range of people, including funeral directors, religious workers, internet content and service providers, as well as estate planning lawyers. This work has been updated in 2017 and is now in a second edition.

The report, as well as further information, can be accessed via the ACCAN Grants Scheme webpage.

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The Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA) conducted research on the effectiveness of various digital literacy training methodologies that were being used by ASCCA's member clubs around Australia.

Further information on the project and the final report is available on the ACCAN Grants Scheme webpage.

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In November 2012 the Telstra Telephone Exchange at Warrnambool, south west Victoria, caught on fire and disrupted the telecommunications services of an entire region. This research, conducted by RMIT University and funded under the ACCAN Grants Scheme, examined the social and financial impact of this outage on the residents and small businesses of the region.

The research report, as well as a series of 'survival plans' for businesses, government and individuals, can be found on the Grants Scheme webpage.

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Earlier this year Google and ACCAN partnered to offer a paid internship opportunity with ACCAN. Applicants were invited to submit a brief proposal outlining a research project on an emerging communications consumer issue.

The winner was recent law graduate David Seidler, who tackled the hot topic of data retention. Seidler’s report Hacking the Grapevine: Data Retention and protecting Australian consumer privacy is a first-class piece of research by a talented up-and-coming lawyer.

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ACCAN's fine print project into misleading or unfair terms in telco consumer contracts was undertaken by researcher Dr Jeannie Paterson, a consumer law expert from Melbourne Law School. Dr Paterson examined the contracts for 42 products across ten providers.

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ACCAN commissioned ACA Research to analyse the global roaming charges of 12 popular providers across the top ten overseas destinations visited short-term by Australian residents. The research took place during July and August 2013 but was was updated with new pricing details in September and October 2013.

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Anglicare Victoria's Hardship Survey 2013, part-funded by ACCAN, surveyed 325 low-income clients regarding their access to telecommunications and whether they struggle to afford these services. Participants were taken from across 25 emergency relief and financial counselling services in metropolitan and non-metropolitan Victoria.

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In 2012 ACCAN produced its first national survey to support campaigning and advocacy. The survey investigated consumer experiences, perceptions and concerns amongst Australians aged 18 year or more. In 2013 ACCAN commissioned McNair Ingenuity Research to conduct a follow-up survey utilising many of the same questions as the previous year to allow us to track changes in the market.

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From workshops with members of the Deaf community, consultation with experts, and literature research, the WA Deaf Society, supported by a grant from ACCAN, created accessible videos showing people how to avoid romance scams, lottery scams, credit card scams, and other scams on the Internet and produced a short report. 

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