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A complaint sent by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) today (7 June) details six separate examples of telecommunications advertising that the consumer group believes breach the Trade Practices Act because they are misleading, deceptive or unfair – and sometimes all three.

Migrating to the National Broadband Network (NBN) is a complex process. It requires the coordination of a number of parties including Telstra, nbn, consumers and retail service providers. The Department of Communications and the Arts has revised its migration framework principles, to try to ensure that consumers and businesses experience a smooth transition.

National communications consumer organisation ACCAN is pleased to announce the recipients of the first round of funding through its Grants Scheme.

The 2012 Round of the ACCAN Grants Scheme opens today with $250,000 in funding available for consumer-focused telecommunications research and consumer education or advocacy tools.

Now in its third year, the ACCAN Grants Scheme funds projects that help to work towards the organisation’s vision of affordable communications services for all Australians.

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ACCAN has submitted to the review of the Mobile Premium Services (MPS) Code, conducted by Communications Alliance. MPS deliver paid information and entertainment to your mobile using 19xx text messaging, which is then charged to your mobile phone bill. The MPS Code sets out industry rules and consumer safeguards for mobile service providers (for example, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone) and 19xx third party providers (for example, Oxygen8 Australia, Mobile Embrace).

ACCAN’s research, Third Party Charges: Consumer Experiences and Expectations, shows that stronger consumer safeguards for MPS and other third party services are needed. Current arrangements are not adequately protecting consumers from unsolicited third party charges, and poor industry practices.

Telstra’s decision to charge consumers a fee of $2.20 for paying their bills is ill timed and a bad deal for consumers, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), Australia’s new watchdog for communications consumers.

Communications Alliance, the telecommunications industry association, is proposing that the industry code ACIF C609:2007 Priority Assistance For Life Threatening Medical Conditions be replaced with a guideline. ACCAN opposes replacing this long-standing consumer protection Code with a guideline. ACCAN asserts that consumer and community safety and certainty are better protected by maintaining the Code which can be monitored and enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Our submission makes a number of recommendations to maintain the Code instead of replacing it with a guideline.

ACCAN the national communications consumer peak organisation today announced Robin Banks, Kate Cornick and Dr Tim Dwyer as members of its Independent Grants Panel.

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.

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ACCAN does not believe that the current framework governing the delivery of broadband services is in the interest of consumers. Too often consumers have no transparency or assurance over their service, get passed between retailer and wholesaler and could potentially be left without access to any network. ACCAN strongly supports the Statutory Infrastructure Provider legislation. We encourage the introduction of the legislation as quickly as possible so the powers within the legislation can be used to protect consumers and their services.

Millions of Australian households are set to lose protections against telemarketing calls and have their privacy shattered unless urgent changes are made to the Do Not Call Register, ACCAN Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation said today.

“The flood gates to intrusive and unwanted telemarketing calls are about to open for millions of people who are unaware that their telephone number is about to be kicked off the Do Not Call Register”, said Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) CEO Allan Asher.

Picture representing people connecting to ACCAN for newsWelcome to our collection of the latest news and current affairs that impact communications consumers. 

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ACCAN has responded to the ACCC’s draft decision not to regulate mobile roaming across the three mobile networks (Telstra, Optus and Vodafone).

ACCAN supports the ACCC’s approach. The majority of our members in regional, rural and remote areas do not consider regulating roaming will stimulate more coverage and improved services, but at the same time they would welcome greater competition and choice of provider. Our submission identifies other ways the ACCC could support more competition.

ACCAN, Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation congratulated the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on its second successful outcome against unsolicited SMS with the Federal Court yesterday imposing a further $6.5 million in penalties against spammers.

“It is only through strong and decisive action such as ACMA’s to use the full extent of its authority and power that consumers can be assured their rights will be protected,” CEO of ACCAN, Allan Asher said.

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.

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The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is required by section 133A of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Services Standards) Act 1999 to undergo an independent review. The review is being conducted by private consultancy Cameron.Ralph.Khoury and is to be completed by 17 August 2017. ACCAN submitted to the review after consulting with its members about their experiences with, and opinions of the TIO.

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.

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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network says the passing of landmark legislation in the House of Representatives today heralds a new era in telecommunications that will benefit telco consumers through improved competition and consumer protection measures.

The Australian Senate Community Affairs Committee has conducted an inquiry into the outcomes of the National Disability Strategy.

ACCAN was pleased to be able to make a submission to the inquiry highlighting the key areas in which consumers with disability are struggling to get and stay connected to communications services:

ACCAN, the communications watchdog, today welcomed the decision by Telstra to reverse its policy of charging customers who pay bill over-the-counter a $2.20 fee.

ACCAN launched a campaign highlighting the unfairness of the charge, calling on Telstra instead to offer incentives for those paying by lower cost methods rather than penalising its traditional customer base.

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.

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The ACCC, after consultation and consideration, made a draft decision to reject the nbn’s proposed variation to the Special Access Undertaking. This was due to consideration that a number of the proposed changes are not in the interest of consumers. Additionally, the ACCC asked further questions in relation to nbn charges over the Multi Technology Mix.

The Federal Court’s decision on Friday to impose a total of $15.75 million penalties for contraventions of the Spam Act 2003 is a significant victory for communications consumers, said ACCAN, Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation.

Allan Asher, CEO of ACCAN, congratulated the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on taking a strong stance in its first court action against unsolicited SMS messages.

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.

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