Key Dates
2024 round now closed.
> View more information about our Grants Program
We can help. Contact us:
grants@accan.org.au
or phone 02 9288 4000
Subscribe to Grants Program mailings
Department of Information Systems, University of Melbourne
Dr Martin Gibbs, Dr Tamara Kohn, Dr Michael Arnold, Dr Bjorn Nansen, Dr Craig Bellamy
Grant round: 2012
Read more: Death and the Internet: Consumer Issues for Planning and Managing Digital Legacies
ACCAN is seeking nominations for Directors to fill three (3) vacancies on its Board.
In accordance with the ACCAN Constitution, the 2018-2019 ACCAN Board will consist of nine (9) members . Six (6) positions are continuing Directors from the 2017-2018 Board. Three (3) Directors are retiring from the Board but may be eligible for re-election as stated in the ACCAN Constitution.
In accordance with the ACCAN Constitution Board members are elected for a three year term.
In order to ensure an appropriate balance, the Board is particularly seeking candidates with legal and regulatory expertise or experience; and/or experience in financial management and governance in a not for profit organisation; and/or with an understanding of the issues affecting rural and remote consumers and/or from an Indigenous background or with strong linkages to Indigenous communities; and/or with expertise in relation to low income consumers.
Each nominee for the ACCAN Board MUST sign the nomination form and be accompanied by a signature from a proposer and seconder. In order for the nomination to be valid the nominee, proposer and seconder must be individual members or representatives of voting organisational members of ACCAN. Associate members are ineligible to vote in ACCAN elections.
Late applications cannot be accepted under the ACCAN Constitution.
Read more: Call for nominations for the ACCAN Board
Write comment (0 Comments)The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has welcomed the announcement of additional identity checks as a positive step towards protecting mobile phone users against scammers.
The introduction of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)’s new Telecommunications (Mobile Number Pre-porting Additional Identity Verification) Industry Standard 2020 aims to prevent fraudulent number porting by requiring telcos to apply stronger identity checks before they transfer a mobile phone number to another provider.
ACCAN has responded to the ACCC’s consultation on its Draft Instrument for the Superfast Broadband Access Service (SBAS) Final Access Determination. The SBAS is a declared wholesale access service that retail service providers can use to supply fixed line superfast broadband services to end users.
ACCAN supports the draft instrument which:
Read more: Superfast Broadband Access Service Final Access Determination Draft Instrument
Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA)
Grant Awarded: 2012
Read more: Efficient Seniors’ Training Using Broadband Technologies
What’s happening?
NBN Co has recently announced a delay to the withdrawal of its discounts on the NBN 12mbps speed tier for fixed line services. The discounts were originally planned to be withdrawn at the end of May but will now stay until the end of July.
Read more: NBN plans – what changing prices will mean for budget-conscious Aussies
Write comment (0 Comments)Proposed rules for wholesale telecommunications service providers must be tightened to protect Australians from under-performing phone and internet services, and slow connection and fault rectification timeframes, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
The draft Telecommunications (Statutory Infrastructure Providers – Standards, Rules and Benchmarks) Determination 2021 proposes standards, rules and benchmarks for telecommunications carriers that provide wholesale broadband services, such as NBN Co. The rules proposed are in relation to timeframes for connections, repairs and appointment keeping, rebates, speeds, remediation and record keeping.
Read more: New rules for telco networks must be changed to benefit consumers: ACCAN
ACCAN responded to the Government’s 2023 Privacy Act consultation. The consultation report offered a number of proposals resulting from the 2022 Privacy Act Review consultation.
in general, ACCAN was pleased with the majority of the proposals in the report.
Australia is becoming a more connected country than ever before. With approximately 14.2 million1 Australians connected to the Internet, it is quickly becoming the vehicle for much of our communication, information and commerce. However, for many regional, rural and remote Australians, there are considerable barriers to engagement with the digital world.
ACCAN CEO, Teresa Corbin, spoke at the Country Women’s Association of Australia’s National Conference where she presented on the main barriers that prevent rural Australians from maximising the economic and social benefits that today’s telecommunication services can provide.
Write comment (0 Comments)New complaints data highlights the growing impact that unreliable telco services have on small businesses, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
The Quarter 2 Complaints report released today by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) shows that while overall phone and internet complaints are declining, the percentage of complaints coming from small businesses continues to increase.
Read more: Small businesses lodging greater share of telco complaints
ACCAN recently submitted to the Office for Women consultation on the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality (the strategy). In our submission we recommended the Office for Women consider gendered violence arising from technology-facilitated abuse as a vital component of the strategy.
Read more: National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality consultation
Footscray Community Legal Centre
Grant round: 2011
Read more: Phones and the Internet: Your Rights in Australia
On the 12th and 13th September 2018, ACCAN held our annual conference - ACCANect. Revolving around the theme of ‘Confidence in the Connected World’, attendees were treated to two days full of informative talks and discussion panels from the telco industry, government bodies and academics.
Mark Pesce, inventor, author, educator and broadcaster kicked off ACCANect 2018 by reflecting on the progress that Australia has made in the telecommunications industry and predicting what is to come. From the impending arrival of 8K television to the incorporation of hologram technology into our everyday lives, Mark emphasised the need for industries, governments and consumers to think about a future that is going to be more heavily reliant on communications infrastructure than we can imagine.
Read more: ACCANect 2018 - Conference Recap
Write comment (0 Comments)Telco customers will benefit from clearer communication from their providers; however, further efforts will be needed to protect consumers against unreliable telco services, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
Released today, the Morrison Government’s Consumer Safeguards Review Part B report provides a high-level framework that aims to address reliability issues of telco services at the wholesale and retail level.
Read more: Telco reliability framework remains a work in progress: ACCAN
ACCAN has recently submitted to the Parliament of Australia’s Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living. ACCAN’s submission outlined the impact of the increasing cost of broadband services on consumers, and how consumers have adapted to these rising costs. Small increases to the cost of telecommunications services can have a significant detrimental impact on the financial wellbeing of low-income consumers.
ACCAN recommends addressing the increasing cost of telecommunications by establishing:
Australian Health Workforce Institute, University of Melbourne
Grant round: 2011
In mid-August NBN Co announced changes to wholesale prices charged to retail service providers (RSPs) e.g. Telstra, Optus, and others for fixed wireless services. We’ve taken a close look at what this is likely to mean for consumers, and this is where we’ve landed.
ACCAN has concerns that the proposed changes to pricing for fixed wireless will result in a material disadvantage to those consumers on low incomes that live in regional areas where nbn services are provided by fixed wireless towers. In particular, the movement to uniform prices will result in consumers currently accessing more affordable, albeit slower NBN fixed wireless offerings, being priced out of the market.
These changes follow similar changes in the way that fixed line services have been priced, and bring the wholesale pricing of fixed wireless services and fixed line services into alignment. ACCAN’s concerns regarding the changes to wholesale fixed line services can be seen here.
Read more: What do the NBN’s fixed wireless pricing changes mean for consumers?
Write comment (0 Comments)Telcos must play their part if consumers are to benefit from changes to NBN Co’s wholesale pricing and data capacity, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
Changes announced today by NBN Co will give telcos more flexibility in what they can offer their customers, starting with a reduction in the wholesale price of a modified 25Mbps service from December 2019. Importantly, these changes to 25Mbps services will affect both fixed line and fixed wireless plans, which mean that households in both metropolitan and regional areas should be able to benefit from cheaper broadband and better options. However, this is entirely dependent on telcos passing the changes on to their customers.
Read more: Telcos must pass on NBN improvements to consumers: ACCAN
ACCAN recently submitted to the ACMA’s consultation on its compliance priorities for 2023–24. ACCAN has identified several areas the ACMA should consider when developing its compliance priorities for 2023-24. These areas include:
William Tibben (University of Wollongong) and Gunela Astbrink (GSA Information Consultants)
Grant round: 2011
What is the Consumer Data Right (CDR)?
The CDR refers to the right of consumers to safely access certain data about themselves that is held by businesses. This data will be provided to consumers in a practical form and in a timely manner.
The CDR will also allow consumers to transfer their data to trusted third parties of their choice, and will require businesses to inform consumers about the disclosure of data to third parties.
Read more: Consumer Data Right – What Is It and What Does It Mean for Consumers?
Write comment (0 Comments)Missed NBN appointments are costing Australians over $15 million per year in lost time, according to analysis from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).
The staggering financial impact of NBN Co’s 320 missed appointments per day1 was revealed in ACCAN’s response to the ACCC’s draft decision on the NBN wholesale service standards inquiry.
Read more: Australians lose $15M per year to missed NBN appointments
ACCAN recently submitted to the Senate Standing Committees on Economics’ consultation on the Influence of International Digital Platforms.
Our submission identified the harms consumers face when interacting with digital platforms, including social networking scams and a lack of complaint redress. ACCAN recommends: