A new report released today by Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), shows that telco customer service representatives are being encouraged to focus on selling over service, potentially exposing consumers to questionable selling practices.

The Spotlight on Telco Commissions and Targets exploratory report was commissioned following a number of troubling stories that ACCAN had received from consumers who were sold plans or products that were more expensive than they had expected or that were beyond their means.

Read more: ACCAN shines a light on telco sales practices in new report

ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Social Services’ consultation on a new Act to replace the Disability Services Act 1986 (The Act). ACCAN welcomes the commitment of the new Act to affirm the rights and freedoms contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).  ACCAN’s submission calls for the new Act to:

Read more: Disability Services Act Consultation

In our 2018-19 Pre-Budget submission, we took the opportunity to highlight telecommunication areas that could benefit from more funding in the Federal Budget.

Our recommendations span a range of issues, from mobile coverage to affordability and accessibility. Many of these are not new recommendations, but they are ones that are important to consumers and worth highlighting once again.

Read more: Calling for telecommunications funding in the Federal Budget

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has welcomed action by the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) against Telstra, Optus and Vodafone who neglected their responsibility to provide people with disability with information about products and services that may meet their needs.

The ACMA’s formal warning comes five years after ACCAN first identified that these telcos were failing to provide appropriate information to people with disability during a mystery shopping research project. The consumer group engaged with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to discuss the poor outcomes from this research and suggest possible pathways to improve. However, in 2016 a second round of mystery shopping proved that little had been done to implement these improvements.

Read more: ACCAN welcomes telco warning on disability information

ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ consultation on the draft Telecommunications (Infringement Notice Penalties) Determination 2022. The Draft Determination provides an alternative to instituting court proceedings by establishing a cost-effective and efficient enforcement process for the recovery of a pecuniary penalty. Noting the critical role of Infringement Notices in facilitating compliance, we support:

Read more: Draft Telecommunications (Infringement Notice Penalties) Determination 2022

ACCAN has welcomed Telstra’s announcement that it will no longer charge its customers for having a Silent Line from 18 February, 2018.

Having a Silent Line means that your number is not listed in a public directory or displayed on the recipient’s handset when you make a call. Previously, Telstra customers had to pay $2.93 per month for this service.

Read more: Telstra has scrapped Silent Line fees

The announcement of $220 million in funding for regional communications has been celebrated today by the Regional, Rural and Remote Communication Coalition (RRRCC) as a win for bush communications across the country.

The significant funding announcement from the Government accompanies their response to the 2018 Regional Telecommunications Review.

Read more: Government's commitment to bush communications welcomed

ACCAN has responded to the ACCC’s consultation on its Draft Decision regarding the Superfast Broadband Access Service (SBAS) access determination inquiry. The SBAS is a declared wholesale access service that retail service providers (RSPs) can use to supply fixed line superfast broadband services to end users.

ACCAN supports the ACCC’s draft decision to regulate the price and non-price terms of access for the SBAS until July 2026, including:

Read more: Superfast broadband access service – access determination inquiry

With many people travelling or taking time off over the holidays, we thought we’d share some tips to help you keep track of your data usage, use your phone overseas and get issues resolved.

Mobile

If you are travelling locally you may be more reliant on your smartphone and you might find your data allowance getting used up more quickly. Check out our tip sheet on how to use less data on your smartphone and our blog on how much excess data will cost you.

Read more: Phone and internet tips for the holidays

The Rural Regional and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) welcomes today’s announcement from the Minister for Regional Services Senator Bridget McKenzie which will see regional Australians benefit from 180 new mobile base stations as part of Round 4 of the Mobile Black Spot Program.

For Australians living in rural, regional and remote communities, having access to reliable communications is vital. The Mobile Black Spot Program has been instrumental in making real change to these communities, with more than 1,000 mobile base stations designated to be built, expanding mobile coverage across the regions.

Read more: Bush communications coalition welcomes new mobile base stations

ACCAN has responded to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ consultation on the draft Telecommunications Universal Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination 2022. The Draft Determination limits the circumstances in which it is not considered reasonable for Telstra to provide a Standard Telephone Service (STS) upon request.

Read more: Review of rules about reasonable requests for Universal Standard Obligation Standard telephone...

ACCAN’s submission to the Independent Review into the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) highlighted the important role of the TIO, but also identified a number of areas for improvement.

The final report agreed with ACCAN’s recommendations that there is a need for:

Read more: Positive outcomes from TIO review

The Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) welcomed this morning’s announcement from Telstra about a program of works it is undertaking to bolster landline services in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Telstra’s announcement addresses some of the issues around reliability of landline services identified in the November 2018 report of the Regional Telecommunications Review, such as extended faults and repair times for some Telstra customers in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Read more: Bush communications coalition welcomes Telstra’s commitment to deliver much needed landline...

ACCAN responded to the Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts’ inquiry. The Committee has been asked to inquire into and report on the experience, opportunities and challenges for co-investment in multicarrier regional mobile infrastructure.

The availability of mobile coverage continues to be a concern in parts of Australia, and it is important that gaps in telecommunications infrastructure are addressed. As such, ACCAN considers that local communities can benefit from multi-carrier infrastructure. Infrastructure sharing or co-investment in mobile infrastructure can reduce prices and increase network coverage and quality, with pro-competitive effects.  

Read more: Inquiry into co-investment in multicarrier regional mobile infrastructure

RRR Communications Coalition celebrates one year

By Teresa Corbin & Fiona Simson*

Anyone who lives in a rural or regional area knows the pain of poor telecommunications services. We often hear stories of people pulling their hair out trying to run businesses, apply new technologies and educate their kids on small data allowances and unreliable connections.

Read more: All we want in 2018 is #BetterBushComms

A new affordable home broadband product for financially stressed Australians on low incomes should be a key priority for political parties ahead of the 2019 Federal election, according to consumer organisation ACCAN.

Australia’s peak body representing telecommunications consumers, ACCAN, is urging the nation’s political parties to consider a proposal for a wholesale broadband concession that would provide financially stressed Australians with cheaper home broadband.

ACCAN considers that a 50 mbps unlimited broadband service offered at a wholesale price of $20 per month by NBN Co to households receiving government financial support to be the most effective way to achieve affordable broadband for all. This would mean eligible households would pay approximately $30 per month for unlimited broadband – almost halving the current average cost.

Initial estimates indicate that providing this concession to the 1 million plus households on the lowest incomes can be budget neutral.

Read more: No Australian Left Offline: ACCAN pushes for affordable broadband

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australia Disability Strategy 2021-2031 (the Strategy) Guiding Principles consultation. The Strategy provides a 10-year plan for improving the lives of Australians with disability. The guiding principles inform the policies/programs/services introduced by governments and businesses to implement the Strategy. This submission was informed by ACCAN’s consultation with our members and was endorsed by Vision Australia, Blind Citizens Australia and Deaf Australia.

ACCAN submitted the following:

Read more: Australia 2021-2031 Disability Strategy Consultation

nbn announced today that it will 'pause' the rollout of NBN HFC connections. This is because nbn has identified issues in the HFC rollout that need remediation, and will be taking a more careful approach that should result in improved customer experience. ACCAN welcomes this approach.

Consumers in HFC areas may be wondering how this announcement will affect them. We have identified five different situations that consumers may find themselves in. See below for information on how consumers in HFC areas may be affected.

Read more: nbn ‘pauses’ new HFC connections

Australians are being put at risk due to inadequate consumer protection frameworks around the reliability of telecommunications services, ACCAN has warned the Government’s latest Consumer Safeguard Review.

Read more: Telco accountability is key for Consumer Safeguards Review: ACCAN

The Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP) is an Australian Government initiative that aims to deliver improved mobile coverage and competition through investing in regional, rural, and remote telecommunications infrastructure. Across Australia, the MBSP has provided over 1,270 new mobile base stations, with 1,047 base stations activated in October 2022. In addition to generating more than $875 million in investment.¹

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) recently commented on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) request for feedback on the grant opportunity guidelines for a new Improving Mobile Coverage Round of the MBSP. In our submission, ACCAN suggested that the Department should:

Read more: Mobile Black Spot Program Improving Mobile Coverage Round Grant Opportunity Guidelines

In November, the ACCC announced that Telstra will offer remedies to around 42,000 customers. Announcements that Optus would compensate more than 8,700 of its customers and that TPG would compensate nearly 8,000 of its customers for the same issue were made in December.

Both announcements received wide coverage in the media. There is some confusion around the issue and who is entitled to a remedy. This blog attempts to clear up this confusion.

What is the issue?

While there are a number of issues that consumers are reporting with services over the NBN, this compensation relates to a very specific problem where the maximum download speed consumers paid for was never possible at their premises.

Read more: Getting a refund for unattainable NBN speeds

The Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) has welcomed the recommendations of the 2018 Regional Telecommunications Review: Getting it right out there.

The report is the culmination of submissions and consultative forums held across regional, rural and remote Australia to resolve the connectivity issues facing our communities now and into the future.

Read more: Time is now for new investment in bush telecommunications

ACCAN recently commented on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Amending the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2015 consultation. The numbering plan sets out the framework for managing numbers.

In our submission we expressed our support for amendments to the numbering plan, including:

• The introduction of the 7226 Scam Short Code to provide consumers and industry with a means to report scam texts and calls.
• Granting the ACMA extended powers to withdraw numbers that it believes to have been associated with scam communications.

Read more: Amending the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2015

Many Australian not-for-profit organisations and businesses currently have domain names for their internet presences under the second level domains. For example: *.com.au and *.org.au. Domain names are used to find resources and services on the internet such as web pages (eg www.accan.org.au) and email addresses (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Recently, auDA, the body responsible for Australia’s domain name system agreed to introduce ‘direct registrations’. This is where your chosen internet domain name does not use the familiar “.com.au”, “.net.au”, “.org.au”, and new names will be simply “orgname.au”.

Read more: Australia’s Domain Name System is changing