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ACCAN has recently received reports from members about an increase in unwanted telemarketing calls, as well as outright telemarketing scams. In a welcome move, Telstra has issued a media release reminding customers across Australia to beware of scammers who attempt to obtain their personal information via telephone. In the past 12 months customer comments regarding these calls have increased four-fold.

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Some of Telstra’s networks are exempt from Parts 7 and 8 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. You can read more about this here. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications is seeking comments on Telstra’s request to extend its exemptions for its South Brisbane Velocity and other Velocity phone and internet networks. The current exemptions expire on 30 June 2020, so Telstra has asked the Minister of Communications, Cyber Security and the Arts to extend the exemptions further.

Consumers in the Velocity footprint have a difficult time getting affordable and good quality internet that is suitable to their needs. ACCAN’s submission acknowledged the necessity to grant Telstra’s request this time, otherwise current customers in the Velocity footprints may be left without a service after 30 June 2020. We argued that Telstra’s exemptions should be granted for 2 years at most. We also argued that Telstra should have a plan to sell the networks and should report on this regularly to the ACCC and the Department.

Peak telecommunications consumer body ACCAN is calling on the federal government to ban Telstra's $36 a year Silent Line fee, which landline customers currently have to pay if they want to keep their phone number private.

A reminder to ACCAN members that nominations for Directors to fill three vacancies on the ACCAN Board close at 5pm on Friday 15th August 2014.

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ACCAN made a submission to the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP) Round 5A Discussion Paper.

Lack of telecommunications connectivity denies regional, rural and remote communities the socio-economic benefits that people in metropolitan areas take for granted. Yet mobile network providers are now at a point where there is minimal return on investment for them in rural, remote and regional locations and there is little incentive for them to build infrastructure in these areas.

Last Friday news website Crikey! reported on the federal government’s leaked draft discussion paper on tackling online copyright infringement.

The paper has two main policy proposals. The first is to make it easier for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to be held liable for authorising copyright infringement, making them more responsible for policing the activity of their customers.

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ACCAN has made a submission to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications consultation on options to support Australian stories on our screens. Australian content has cultural value for all Australians, including people with disability, and as such everyone should have access to Australian content.

In our submission, ACCAN explained that some accessibility features are readily included on Australian content, whereas others aren’t available (or aren’t consistently available). This is because there are no clear legislative requirements or protections to ensure access to Australian programming across all platforms.

New research out today documents the experience of people living in one of the first areas to receive the National Broadband Network (NBN), including their attitudes toward the NBN, downloading habits, internet speeds, devices per household and how much they pay for a phone and internet service.

As you may have heard, the first part of the independent cost-benefit analysis of broadband and review of regulation – also known as the Vertigan Review – has been released by the Government.

Satisfaction with NBN Reforms
The Review Panel has taken a moderate approach to the issues, finding a high level of satisfaction generally among the communications industry and stakeholders with the NBN reforms. The Panel itself backs this positive assessment. The Panel concludes that on the whole, "the broad framework should be retained largely unchanged for the time being" with some specific exceptions.

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ACCAN has commented on the proposed update to the Federal Government’s telecommunications in new developments policy.

ACCAN agrees with the policy’s objectives to provide people moving into new developments with ready access to modern telecommunications, both voice and broadband, and to create a competitive market for the provision of such infrastructure. However, ACCAN identified the following areas for improvement in the proposed approach:

Peak telecommunications consumer group ACCAN says customers who want swift action for the Vodafone network’s service outages in 2010 and 2011 should contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). 

Research released by ACMA yesterday found that one-third (32 per cent) of Australian mobile users have in the past year wanted to make a 13/1300 call from their mobile but not done so because of concern about call costs.

ACCAN remains concerned about the affordability of calling a 13/1300 number from a mobile.

“We are yet to be convinced that the industry proposal to charge 13 numbers for the ‘included value’ of a mobile plan will turn around this alarming figure on 13 call affordability," said ACCAN Deputy CEO, Narelle Clark.

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ACCAN submitted to the ACCC’S draft determination of NBN’s Long-Term Revenue Constraint Methodology (LTRCM) 2018-19. The LTRCM determines NBN’s allowed annual regulated revenue by examining various components such as operating expenditure, depreciation and return on capital.

Australia’s peak telecommunications consumer body, ACCAN, is urging a current Senate Committee to support the introduction of mandatory data breach notification laws as it would significantly lead to better security of Australians’ private and financial information.

ACCAN's engagement with rural, regional and remote consumers has continually highlighted the importance of improving mobile communications outside of urban centres. Better mobile coverage will yield a range of benefits to regional and remote Australia including improved business opportunities, better access to essential services and enhanced safety and well-being. 

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ACCAN, the Consumers Federation of Australia and the Consumer Action Law Centre jointly submitted to the ACCC’s consultation on authorisation for NBN Co and telecommunications companies who are members of a Special Working Group. The ACCC granted an interim authorisation and is considering issuing a final determination in September.

The authorisation allows members of the group to engage in conduct which would normally be viewed as anticompetitive and illegal. The purpose of the authorisation is so that members of the group can work together to support best performance of the network and hardship measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australians who are Deaf, hearing or speech impaired will now be able to live more independently thanks to two new communications services switched on today.

Have you ever found yourself unable to sign-up for an online service, unable to order tickets online or contact an organisation because they have an inaccessible CAPTCHA on their website? CAPTCHA tests are boxes containing squiggly letters and numbers which you must decipher in order to continue on a website.

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ACCAN has written a submission in response to the draft Regional Connectivity Program Grant Opportunity Guidelines.

ACCAN was pleased to see the Grant Opportunity Guidelines prioritised the place-based needs of local communities and directed applicants to draw on advice from local industry, business, and community groups, not-for-profits and First Nations community-controlled organisations. The inclusion of three funding streams, including a low-budget option for smaller projects, will also mean more regional, rural and remote communities will be in a position to apply for funding.

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) says it is extremely concerned that a major Telstra mail-out bungle has resulted in a breach of privacy of some 220,000 customers including 23,500 silent-line customers and is calling on the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) to commence a major investigation into the issue.

Summary: If you haven't already heard, a potentially catastrophic internet security flaw has been discovered this week and there are some serious ramifications for consumers.

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ACCAN wrote a submission in response to the draft Reducing Scam Calls Industry Code, released for comment by the Communications Alliance. ACCAN welcomed the draft Code as an acknowledgement of the important role the telecommunications industry can play in the control of scam calls which pose a risk to consumers.

The peak telecommunications consumer advocacy group, ACCAN, is today launching a free smartphone app that will allow mobile phone customers to test their reception and log where and when they are experiencing call dropouts, delayed text messages and slow internet so they can make a complaint to their provider.

The federal government's $100 million program to boost mobile coverage in regional and rural Australia is now underway. While the program won't stop all of us from having to stand on car roofs or hang out of trees to get a signal, this fresh investment is a welcome step.

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