Now is the time to register for the first M-Enabling initiative in the southern hemisphere, M-Enabling Australasia 2013, being held on 14-15 August in Sydney.

Why come along? This is the perfect opportunity for consumers, app developers, manufacturers, mobile service providers, government and other users to share their ideas and learn how smartphones and tablets can be made accessible for people with disability and older consumers – a relatively untapped market of millions of people.

Read more: Only 1 month until M-Enabling 2013

Welcome to our collection of the latest news and current affairs that impact communications consumers. 

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In late November ACCAN’s Indigenous policy officer, Michael Charlton, took part in a fieldtrip to central Australia as part of the ongoing Home Internet for Remote Indigenous Communities project.

Read more: Internet in remote Indigenous communities

ACCAN is pleased to announce its Board of Directors for 2010-2011. In accordance with the ACCAN Constitution the ACCAN Board (the Board) will consist of nine (9) elected Directors.

Read more: ACCAN Board for 2010-11

ACCAN is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Standing Advisory Committees, Ms Karin Ness and Ms Catherine Clark. ACCAN has two Standing Advisory Committees: the Standing Advisory Committee on Consumer Affairs (SACCA), and Standing Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (SACDI). The Committees' members provide guidance and expertise on current and emerging communications issues affecting consumers.

Read more: ACCAN Standing Advisory Committee members announced

Last month we hosted the first-ever ACCAN National Conference and Consumer Summit at the State Library of Victoria. ACCAN would like to thank the 150 delegates who attended for an exciting, inspiring and thought-provoking two days.

Read more: Conference materials now available

A new report and advocacy toolkit has just been published that calls for better access to affordable and available communications technologies for people with disability as well as a more open opportunity to enter the workplace.

Read more: Accessible ICT and government purchasing power: why it matters

ACCAN has today released new Grants Guidelines ahead of the opening of the 2012 Round of the ACCAN Grants Scheme on Monday 20th February.

Read more: 2012 Round of ACCAN Grants Scheme opens 20 February

In August, the government issued a "request for tender" for the National Relay Service (NRS). The NRS offers a phone solution for people who are Deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired.

The information that follows explains what types of services might be offered to NRS users in the future by the organisation who is successful in winning the government contracts.

View this information in Auslan: YouTube video (external site)

Read more: Information for National Relay Service users

Peak consumer body ACCAN says current and ex Vodafone customers will be left shaking their heads today when they discover that, 12 months on, the telecommunications regulator has let the provider off virtually scot-free for the widespread network, complaint-handling problems that plagued Vodafone customers last summer.

Read more: ACMA’s response to Vodafail reveals deep flaws in co-regulatory model

ACCAN Chief Executive Officer, Teresa Corbin, delivered an address to the telecommunications industry at the CommsDay Congress in Melbourne on Wednesday 12th October. Her speech covered a range of subjects, including the history of consumer representation in telecommunications and its funding arrangements, an outline of the work ACCAN does, and why consumer representation in this area remains so vital.

Read more: ACCAN Chief Executive addresses industry at CommsDay Congress

Great news! Australia’s first-ever audio described television will be broadcast on ABC1 from August 5 this year. Audio Description (AD) is an additional verbal commentary that complements the existing soundtrack of a program for people who are blind or vision impaired. It is a narration that explains what is happening visually on screen during a television program.

Read more: Audio Description trial coming to a TV near you