Submissions


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ACCAN has responded to the Government's consultation on proposals for longer term deregulatory reform in telecommunications. Our submission flagged that the important areas of privacy and the customer service guarantee (which puts timeframes around new connections and fault repairs) need more in depth consideration and consultation, while supporting reforms for arrangements around pre-selection, Part 9A of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act, retail price controls and the local presence plan. We are also generally supportive of changes to Telstra's priority assistance arrangements, although with some qualification.

In December 2013, ACCAN made a submission to the federal government regarding the Minister for Communication's call for possible telco regulatory reform. ACCAN has made an additional submission regarding consumer information requirements in the telco sector.

ACCAN has made a submission to the independent Expert Panel conducting a cost-benefit analysis and review of NBN regulation.

ACCAN has made a submission to the Department of Communications' discussion paper on extending mobile phone coverage and competition in regional Australia. ACCAN has welcomed the government's $100m investment in the program, while cautioning that there is a need for ongoing long-term investment in remote coverage to overcome market failures in this area.

ACCAN believes the Do Not Call Register has been an important tool in protecting consumers from receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls and faxes. However, with approximately 9 million registered numbers and on average approximately 1 million new numbers registered every year, we believe it is time to redesign the Register and align it with the Spam Act 2003.

ACCAN has made a submission to the ACCC's Domestic Mobile Terminating Access Service (MTAS) Declaration Inquiry. ACCAN endorses the ACCC's preliminary finding that mobile voice and SMS termination services should be declared for five years.

This submission to the ACMA is about the type of regulation that should be introduced to ensure all consumers are able to make a fully informed choice on whether or not to take a backup battery when they are switched over to a fibre-based telephone service. This will happen to the vast majority of premises in Australia over the next seven years.

In November 2013, the Minister for Communications called for identification of areas for possible regulatory reform as part of the Federal Government’s policy to streamline the impact of regulation on business, government and the community.

ACCAN has made a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry into the protection of privacy in the digital era. The inquiry examined how a proposed introduction of a statutory cause of action for serious invasions of privacy might be designed.

ACCAN has made a submission to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) 'Publishing Comparative Complaints Data' Inquiry. The inquiry asked whether the TIO should contextualise the complaints it receives by the number of 'services in operation' for each telecommunications provider.

ACCAN has made a submission to the Australian Computer Society's discussion paper on a Cloud Computing Consumer Protocol. The discussion paper outlines a proposal for a voluntary protocol that would require providers of cloud services to provide a range of information to consumers about (among other things) data ownership, privacy, data backups, how data can be retrieved from the service, and when the provider will turn user information over to law enforcement agencies.

ACCAN has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Mobile Terminating Access Service (MTAS) Review. The review asked whether access to mobile networks should be 'declared' for the purpose of connecting calls.