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ACCAN - Australia’s peak communications consumer group – today welcomed the news that the Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland has directed the ACMA to establish an industry standard to ensure telecommunications companies communicate with consumers in the event of an outage.

This reform follows advocacy from ACCAN and other organisations which led to a recommendation in the Bean Review into the Optus Outage of 8 November 2023 that there needed to be a clear industry standard to protect consumers from future outages.    

As part of Scams Awareness Week, ACCAN – Australia's peak communications consumer body – is calling on Australians to ‘share a story, stop a scam’.

Consumers encounter scams on a daily basis. Communications services – text messages and phone calls – are leading contact methods criminals use to target people. We are all part of the fight to stop scammers stealing money and information from Australians. As such, ACCAN is pleased to support the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) as they ask Australians to ‘share a story, stop a scam’ this Scams Awareness Week, 26-30 August.

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) issues paper for the Digital Platform Services Inquiry – March 2025 – Final report.

The opinion piece below was written by ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett for the Canberra Times and Australian Community Media about the 3G shutdown. It was originally published on 19 August 2024.

Many Australians are doing it tough right now and the challenges confronting rural and remote parts of the country are especially acute.

The bush has always struggled to secure essential services, be it doctors, teachers or trades. Communications services are equally essential.

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Media and Communications Authority’s (ACMA) Our approach to radiocommunications licensing and allocation 2024 consultation.

ACCAN’s submission:

ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Social Services consultation on the Draft List of NDIS Support. 

ACCAN notes that the current draft list of NDIS support would block the purchase of devices with important accessibility features required for some NDIS participants to communicate.

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Telecommunications (Infringement Notices) Guidelines 2024 Consultation Paper.

ACCAN’s submission recommended expanding the instances in which an authorised infringement notice officer may consider other forms of enforcement action appropriate in respect of an alleged contravention.

Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, welcomes today’s joint announcement from major telcos Telstra and Optus that the shutdown of 3G networks will be delayed until 28 October.

ACCAN yesterday called on the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland to delay the shutdown due to health and safety concerns particularly with the ongoing access to triple zero services and medical and safety devices.

Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, is calling on the Communications Minister Michelle Rowland to exercise her discretionary powers and delay the 3G shutdown due to unacceptable public safety concerns.

The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee last week released an Interim Report into the shutdown of 3G networks. It found that up to 77,000 mobile phone users would be unable to call triple zero emergency services when the nation’s 3G networks were switched off.

Nominations close Tuesday, 27th August 2024, 4:00 pm AEST (Sydney).

ACCAN is seeking nominations for Directors to fill two (2) vacancies on its Board.

In accordance with the ACCAN Constitution, the 2024-2025 ACCAN Board will consist of nine (9) members[1]. Seven (7) positions are continuing Directors from the 2023-2024 Board. One (1) Director is retiring from the Board having completed two full terms and is ineligible for re-election in 2024-25. One (1) Director has completed the first full term and is eligible for re-election. In accordance with Section 20 of the ACCAN Constitution, Board members are elected for a three-year term.

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s opportunity to reply to comments on the Review of the Numbering Plan and other instruments discussion paper.

ACCAN welcomes today’s joint announcement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland that 15,000 families are now receiving free internet connections via the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI).