Digital technology has transformed consumer experiences around the world. Consumers can buy products, access information, and communicate with people anywhere in the world with just the touch of a button. We are told that soon everything will be connected so the theme of this year’s ACCANect is ‘Your place in the connected world’.

This “always on”, always connected world raises some big questions for consumers. Is our personal information safe online? Do we know what data is being collected about us and are we happy with how it is being used or shared? How do new services make decisions about us and are they fair? How can we make sure everyone can access an open internet, as well as benefit from the convenience, choice and lower prices?

ACCANect was an opportunity for consumers, providers and government representatives to get up to speed on what’s available now, what’s over the horizon and what the benefits and challenges are going forward.

As well as debate and discussion, ACCANect will provided practical tools for those attending to navigate the connected world. We looked at the latest research as well as successful initiatives both here and overseas to promote and improve connectivity.

Transcripts and presentations will be put into the sessions below when available.

Read more: ACCANect 2017

The Panel assesses applications to ACCAN's Independent Grants Program and recommends the strongest applications to the ACCAN Board for funding. The Panel meet to discuss proposals and hold separate reviews of grant applications as needed. 

Read more: Independent Grants Panel

During the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing social distancing and self-isolation efforts have resulted in millions of Australians increasingly relying on their phone and home broadband services.

ACCAN has pulled together the telco information you need to know on:

• Changes to Customer Service Arrangements
• Disability Gateway information

Unfortunately, some Australians are at risk of being left behind because they are unable to afford a home broadband service. As this becomes the main way that people can study, work, and access telehealth services from home – this is simply not acceptable. ACCAN is calling for affordable home broadband to be prioritised now.

A coalition of nearly 30 community sector organisations and advocates has urged the Federal Government to address the affordability of communications services and equipment to support Australians in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community Sector Organisations Call on Government to Act on Communications Affordability Issues

Find out more on
#NoAustralianLeftOffline

To help communications consumers understand the latest updates from the telco sector and how consumers may be affected, ACCAN will updating our live blogs with new developments as they occur.

Read more: COVID-19: Telco Services and Technology

Download: ACCAN Magazine Issue 35 Autumn 20207.7 MB

Download accessible version: ACCAN Magazine Issue 35 Autummn 2020 - accessible version38.25 KB

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is Australia’s wholesale internet provider. This means that when you sign up for an NBN plan, you will need to order the service through a telco (e.g. Telstra, Optus, Vodafone etc.).

Read more: Choosing an Internet Plan

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Remember: Use Wi-Fi to watch this if you can]

Read more: Making a Complaint - Auslan

 This tip sheet is available in:

Arabic - Choosing an Internet Plan413.44 KB

Simplified Chinese - Choosing an Internet Plan431.8 KB

Spanish - Choosing an Internet Plan381.53 KB

Tagalog - Choosing an Internet Plan378.33 KB

Vietnamese - Choosing an Internet Plan386.5 KB

You can also view this tip sheet on the web in English.

Read more: Choosing an Internet Plan - Information in other languages

Prepaid or postpaid?

There are a wide range of pre and postpaid plans available on the market. The main benefit of using postpaid is that you can buy a new phone with these plans, while prepaid plans may be better if you want to avoid unexpected extra charges and already have a mobile phone.

Read more: Choosing a Mobile Plan

Scammers are constantly changing the ways they work and adapting to new technologies. To keep yourself safe, it’s important to know how scammers can use phones and the internet to try to profit from your personal information.

Read more: Avoiding Phone and Internet Scams

Sometimes people are unable to pay their bills due to illness, unemployment, experiences of domestic or family violence, or other changes in circumstances.

It’s important not to ignore your bill, because there is help available.

Read more: Can’t Afford My Bill

If you are unhappy with the service you are receiving from your telco, you can make a complaint.

How to make a complaint

Your telco will have information on their website on how to make a complaint. The steps below can help make it easier:

1. Clearly state at the beginning that you are making a complaint and explain what it’s about.
   
   
2. Save any emails and keep details of phone conversations (date, time and person you spoke with). If you use live chat on your telco’s website, make sure you save a copy of the conversation. You can do this by taking a screenshot on your computer, phone, or tablet. You can also take a photo of the conversation, or print it out.

Read more: Making a Complaint

Easy English focuses on presenting key information rather than all the detail. Words are combined with images to enhance the message for the reader. Ideally, reading an Easy English document is a shared activity between the reader and another person, such as a friend, a family member or support person.

ACCAN has produced the following guides in Easy English.

Read more: Information in Easy English

Read more: Arrernte

ACCAN has responded to the draft report published by the ACCC on the public inquiry on the access determination for the domestic mobile terminating access service (MTAS). The purpose of the inquiry was to set an appropriate price that mobile network operators can charge for calls terminating on their mobile networks.

The ACCC carried out a benchmarking exercise which sought to estimate the current cost of providing MTAS in Australia by comparing the cost of providing the service in various countries and applying it to an Australian context. ACCAN supports the methodology used in the benchmarking exercise which produced a range for the estimated cost of supplying MTAS in Australia, but questions aspects of the approach taken by the ACCC.

Read more: ACCC public inquiry on the access determination for the Domestic Mobile Terminating Access Service

ACCAN is committed to promoting and advancing digital inclusion, with particular focus on issues relating to the affordability and accessibility of services.

While our work on digital inclusion continues to evolve, this area of enduring policy work is aimed at supporting consumers that may face greater barriers to being digitally included. These include, but are not limited to, people with disability; regional, rural and remote consumers; First Nations Australians; and issues impacting young consumers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and older Australians.

Some current issues in this policy priority include the affordability of broadband services and devices; access to suitable communications in regional, rural and remote Australia and remote First Nations communities; and the accessibility of communications services and devices for people with disability.

For over 10 years, Gunela was National Coordinator of TEDICORE (Telecommunications and Disability Consumer Representation) ensuring that people with disability participated in policy and standards development to improve telecommunications accessibility. During this time she represented consumers on many bodies including the Consumer Representation Committee which established ACCAN. After assisting with the foundation of ACCAN and being on the inaugural staff team managing disability policy and research, Gunela ran GSA InfoComm. Since 2010 she has continued to support ACCAN as an individual member attending many ACCAN events and conferences. She has also undertaken several ACCAN Grants and Research projects which have led to significant policy reforms. Gunela’s commitment to inclusion and equitable access to telecommunications and technology goes back over many years of active work both nationally and internationally. While Gunela has held many auspicious roles, she continues to be involved with ACCAN member organisations including Internet Australia and Women With Disabilities Australia. Gunela is often called upon to review key international policy documents and volunteers her time to participate on international Internet committees and groups. There is no question that she has made a huge contribution to more accessible communications services here in Australia and around the world.

ACCAN has developed a service to assist seniors and people with disability to find phones, tablets, accessories and apps that can help them communicate with others. This service is called Accessible Telecoms.

Read more: Accessible telecoms

Phone: 02 9288 4000
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ACCAN OBJECTIVES

From section 3.1 of the ACCAN Constitution:

1. to be a peak body in Australia representing the interests of consumers in relation to communications and telecommunications issues;
   
   
2. to promote the telecommunications consumer objectives of accessibility, affordability and availability to all consumers;
   
   
3. to promote the development of Australian information and communications technology resources;
   
   
4. to develop a strong, coordinated voice for consumers and to represent and advocate on behalf of consumers to Government, regulators and the telecommunications industry;
   
   
5. to undertake research, policy development and education on consumer telecommunications issues;
   
   
6. to facilitate access to and dissemination of information to consumers, consumer representatives and consumer organisations;
   
   
7. to advocate on behalf of consumers on telecommunications laws affecting consumers, law reform, policy development and in relation to industry practices;
   
   
8. to participate in regulatory and co-regulatory activities; and
   
   
9. to contribute to the development of Government telecommunications policy.
   
   

View our Strategic Plan

View our Constitution

The following guide provides 6 helpful steps to start and/or keep your business website and email address secure.

Read more: Choosing a Website Domain and Keeping It Safe

ACCAN has put together a list of options to help you access more affordable devices. Select the state you are in and the type of device you are looking for to see what's available. Most offer refurbished devices at a reduced cost, but some provide new or free devices.

Read more: Affordable Devices

Desktop computers - Northern Territory

Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) commissioned research on how consumers experience their billing arrangements. 

This research has found that some of the payment options that are offered by telecommunications providers to their customers are not suitable for people in vulnerable circumstances.

Some of the key findings of the research include: 

Read more: Direct Debit in Telecommunications

Deaf Australia

Since publication of the ‘What Standards?’ Auslan translation guidelines in 2015, the NDIS and pandemic have significantly reshaped Auslan user needs. This project will evaluate and update these guidelines by reviewing current usage and compliance across Australia, improving guidelines for Deafblind consumers, and incorporating emerging Auslan-first products, often viewed as a better alternative to translations. Ultimately, the findings will provide Auslan translation guidelines for current and foreseeable requirements, deeper consideration of Deafblind needs, and an understanding of when Auslan-first products should be produced instead of Auslan translations.

Read more: In progress! Fortifying “What standards? The need for evidence-based Auslan translation standards...