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Consumer advocacy group ACCAN says telecommunication providers need to stop charging mobile customers expensive per-minute rates for 13, 1300, 1800 calls to essential services, government agencies and businesses.

ACCAN welcomes today’s announcement that the Government is providing funding to the telcos to make Lifeline a free call from any phone but says there are thousands of vital 13 and 1800 numbers that many Australians are finding too expensive to call from mobiles.

Able Australia, who received an ACCAN Grant in 2010, have produced a report calling for better support for deafblind Australians to access the customised telecommunications solutions that are vital to their day-to-day lives. The report, Telecommunications and Deafblind Australians provides the results of a survey of 71 respondents, and is the first of its kind to focus specifically on telecommunications access and usage by people experiencing deafblindness.

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A report released today by Council on the Ageing (WA) and the Australian Communications Action Network (ACCAN) has found that very few senior women are going online due to a lack of skills, anxiety about technology, cybercrime fears and problems with service providers.

Group of friends taking selfie photo on phone

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What is social media?

Social networking on social media websites involves the use of the internet to connect users with their friends, family and acquaintances. Social media websites are not necessarily about meeting new people online, although this does happen. Instead, they are primarily about connecting with friends, family and acquaintances you already have. The most well-known social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. These websites allow you to share photos, videos and information, organise events, chat, and play online games.

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Research by Council of the Ageing (WA) has found that very few senior women are going online due to a lack of skills, anxiety about technology, cybercrime fears and problems with service providers. A research-based qualitative study supported by a grant from ACCAN, Where do I Start? Female Seniors and the Internet documents the experiences of 50 women in Western Australian, some who had used the internet before and some who had not.

Peak communications consumer advocacy body ACCAN has today announced the six successful projects it will fund through the 2011 Round of the ACCAN Grants Scheme.

ACCAN Director of Research & Grants Ryan Sengara said the organisation had received 71 applications from a wide range of non-government, research and community organisations.

Tough measures are needed to ensure that Telstra treats competitors fairly and to ensure the migration of consumers to the NBN is done fairly.

ACCAN argues that a guiding principle for the Convergence Review should be that the broadest range of devices, services and content should be accessible to people with disabilities.

Picture of a man and a woman using Australian sign language to talk.

ACCAN values disability access. We want to be a model in this field, for other not-for-profits, industry and government. ACCAN has registered our 2022-2024 Disability Inclusion Action Plan with the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Register of Disability Discrimination Act Action Plans.

Through enacting our Disability Inclusion Action Plan, ACCAN aims to:

ACCAN has appointed its Standing Advisory Committee (SAC) members for the next two years until June 2013. ACCAN’s Standing Advisory Committees provide guidance and direction as we work towards available, accessible and affordable communications that enhance the lives of all consumers.

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People with complex communication needs, their carers and their friends, can find advice about telecommunications solutions that might work for them from the growing community at the Newell Network. Join the discussion at www.newell.org.au

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ACCAN argues that financial penalties should be mandatory if telcos seriously under perform on their Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) obligations.