ACCAN welcomes the Morrison Government’s commitment to preserve the current Universal Service Obligation (USO) arrangements to guarantee fixed voice services to Australians, however stresses the urgency in extending guarantees to include broadband services through legislation.

The USO refers to the obligation to ensure that all Australians can access a Standard Telephone Service, regardless of where they live or work. Telstra is currently contracted to deliver this obligation and uses a range of technologies to do so, including its fixed copper network, and radio and wireless services.

Read more: ACCAN welcomes USO preservation, pushes for broadband inclusion through legislation

ACCAN recently submitted to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enforcement and Other Measures) Bill.

ACCAN supports the proposed amendments that will:

Read more: Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enforcement and Other Measures) Bill

In the flurry of media this week about the TIO Annual Report and 41 per cent increase in telecommunication complaints received, Communication Alliance and nbn both made reassuring comments about the state of the problem.

But how reassured should we be?

Communications Alliance is “pleased” that in the last three months the rate of complaints slightly decreased (from 9 per 10,000 services in operation between Apr-Jun 2017 to 8.3 per 10,000 Jul- Sept 2017).

Read more: Fact Check: Communication Alliance and nbn media releases

Regional, rural and remote Australians will be better protected if recommendations put forward by the 2018 Regional Telecommunications Review are adopted, according to Australia’s peak body representing telecommunications consumers, ACCAN.

The report recognises the essential nature of communications in everyday life, and the necessity of improving access to telecommunications infrastructure, consumer protections and digital literacy for regional, rural and remote Australians.

Read more: ACCAN calls on Government to adopt Regional Review recommendations

ACCAN recently responded to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts  consultation on the proposed remaking of the Broadcasting Services (“Broadcasting Service” Definition—Exclusion) Determination 2019.

Read more: DITRDC proposal to remake The Broadcasting Services Determination

Consumers are increasingly buying Internet-connected appliances for their homes. Often referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), the range of internet-connected products already available includes not only the obvious things like Smart TVs, gaming consoles, security and safety cameras, but smart light bulbs, sewing machines and even dishwashers.

Telstra says the average home already has 11 or 12 connected devices and predicts that by 2020 a typical home will have about 30.

As well as being useful by enabling us to remotely manage our home environments, many of these devices also collect a lot of data. Conceivably, this data collection can pose huge risks to consumers’ privacy and security.

Read more: How safe are IoT devices?

Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has today launched Australia’s first independent information resource for telecommunications products suitable for people with disability.

Known as the Accessible Telecoms project, the interactive website and call centre will be the much needed one-stop shop for information about the accessibility features of both mainstream and assistive telecommunications equipment suitable for people with disability. It is made possible thanks to a National Readiness grant from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

As Australia’s peak body representing communications consumers, ACCAN has been advocating for a service that will eliminate the growing information vacuum about equipment and services suitable for people with disability in our increasingly digitally connected society.

Read more: Accessible Telecoms – a new nation-wide disability telecommunications information service goes live

ACCAN recently responded to the ACMA’s Proposed Telecommunications Mobile Equipment Air Interface Standard and consequential amendments to associated instrument consultation.

We supported the proposed update of the Standard as it will provide greater consumer protection and trust in 5G mobile equipment and services.

Read more: Proposed Telecommunications Mobile Equipment Air Interface Standard

Have you noticed how more and more everyday items are now connected to the internet?

While we used to have ordinary watches that told us the time and the date, we now have smartwatches that track our fitness, alert us about emails and more.

We are told that we can expect many things in our homes will be connected, our cars will be connected and we will see even more connected ‘wearable’ devices in the future. These new devices and services raise many questions and concerns for consumers.

Read more: Your place in the connected world

The Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) welcomes the recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network’s inquiry into the rollout of the NBN in rural and regional areas.

In December 2017, the bipartisan committee announced that it would conduct a review of the NBN, focusing on the capacity and reliability of NBN satellite, fixed wireless and fixed line networks.

Read more: Bush communications coalition welcomes report into rural and regional NBN

ACCAN has responded to the Productivity Commission’s interim report 5-year productivity Inquiry: Australia’s data and digital dividend. The report explores common barriers to technology and digital adoption and acknowledges the benefits to productivity of increasing digitisation.

Read more: 5-year Productivity Inquiry: Australia’s data and digital dividend

The 2017 Australian Digital Inclusion Index showed that overall digital inclusion is growing in Australia.

Since 2014, when data was first collected for the Index, Australia’s overall digital inclusion score has improved by 3.8 points, from 52.7 to 56.5.

The Index also found that gaps between digitally included and excluded Australians are “substantial and widening.”

Read more: Helping people Leep into the digital world

The Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) welcomes the proposals flagged in a Department of Communications and the Arts consultation paper which focuses on the reliability of telecommunications services.

Read more: RRRCC supports steps to improve reliability of telco services

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) recently commented on the C555:2020 Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) Industry Code. The IPND provides an important public asset for emergency calls, emergency warnings and law enforcement. Noting the critical role of the IPND, ACCAN continues to have concerns with respect to:

• Data accuracy for the purposes of emergency calls, emergency warnings and law enforcement.
• Consumer awareness of the IPND and making the IPND Code more understandable.

At present, there are ongoing issues with accuracy of Public Number Customer Data (PNCD), with several compliance issues compromising the accuracy of the PNCD in the IPND. ACCAN remains concerned by potential gaps in the IPND and the repeated failure by Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) to upload PNCD to the IPND.

Read more: C555:2020 Integrated Public Number Database (IPND)

The ACCAN Annual General Meeting was held in Sydney on Thursday, 21 September, 2017. At the meeting the following three candidates were elected to the Board:

• Deirdre O’Donnell
• Victoria Rubensohn
• Holly Raiche
  
  

Congratulations to returning director, Victoria, and a warm welcome back to Holly who re-joins the ACCAN Board after a short break. We also extend a warm welcome to Deidre who joins the ACCAN Board for the first time.

These three new Board members join the six continuing Directors below whose terms conclude at the 2018 and 2019 ACCAN AGM:

Read more: Results of ACCAN Board Election

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) welcomes today’s release of the Federal Government’s report on Complaints Handling and Consumer Redress in the telecommunications industry.

As Australia’s peak body representing telecommunications consumers, ACCAN has argued that better regulation in telecommunications is needed to safeguard the interests of consumers. The Government’s report acknowledges this need.

Read more: ACCAN welcomes new complaint powers for telco customers

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) recently commented on the Treasury’s Exposure draft legislation to enable action initiation in the Consumer Data Right. The action initiation scheme allows trusted third parties to make requests with the same authority as if they had come directly from the consumer.

Our submission

• expressed our support for the introduction of action initiation into the Consumer Data Right (CDR). Action initiation will allow for trusted third parties to undertake actions on behalf of consumers such as making payments, closing or transfer accounts and updating personal details.
• suggested that the scheme should be developed and implemented in close consultation with consumers and their representatives. This would reduce potential harms from existing telecommunications issues such as cyber security and domestic and family violence (DFV).

  Read more: Consumer Data Right - Exposure draft legislation to enable action initiation

We’re pleased to announce the successful Grants for 2017-18. This year the projects look at a range of communications consumer issues including the growing spyware marketplace, how consumers can access their online data, the needs of those living in rural, regional and remote communities, and ways telecommunications providers can better engage with people with disability.

The ACCAN Grants Program funds projects which undertake research on telecommunications issues, represent consumers or create educational tools which empower consumers to derive the greatest benefit from telecommunications products and services.

Read more: Introducing the 2017-18 ACCAN Grants projects

The Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) has welcomed the launch of the new Sky Muster Plus service, that will see essential internet uses, such as browsing, email and software updates, exempt from monthly data allowances.

Read more: Bush communications coalition welcomes Sky Muster game change

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) recently commented on the Treasury’s Consumer Data Right rules - expansion to the telecommunications sector and other operational enhancements. In our submission we expressed our support for:

• all carriage service providers participating in the CDR providing machine readable product data simultaneously so that consumers can get an accurate view of the market.
• large-scale commercial accounts being capped at $70,000 spend per year so that more small businesses can use the CDR.
• consumers to be able to access their CDR data from closed accounts for at least 12 months.
• measures for offline consumers to access the CDR.

  Read more: Consumer Data Right rules - expansion to the telecommunications sector and other operational...

The Australian Communications Consumer Action network (ACCAN) has a strong membership base of disability organisations and individuals with disability. The most consistent feedback we get from these members relates to the lack of available information about telecommunications equipment and services for people with disability. The difficulty of accessing telecommunications for people with disability in Australia has long been recognised as a fundamental contributor to the disability digital divide.

While there is a growing number of new and emerging telecommunication products which can improve access and participation for people with disability, without information about these products and how to access them, people with disability will continue to be left out of our increasingly connected digital society.

Read more: ACCAN’S Disability Mystery Shopping report 2017

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is frustrated to see that complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) have increased overall in the annual report. While we acknowledge the trend is beginning to change direction¹, it is important to note this is the third consecutive year that consumers have voiced discontent with the services provided by their telco. This demonstrates a clear need for improved customer service and consumer protections.

Read more: Telcos Need to Improve Customer Service, TIO Complaints Show

ACCAN recently submitted to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice regarding their proposal to draft a nationally consistent scheme for access to digital records upon death or loss of decision-making capacity. We are aware that access to digital records and digital legacy planning is a challenge for consumers and we support a scheme that simplifies matters for consumers and offers them control of, and access to, their digital records. We expressed our preference for a national scheme to provide consumers and digital providers across Australia with the clearest course of action.

Read more: A nationally consistent scheme for access to digital records upon death or loss of decision-making...

Every quarter the ACCC releases a report on the services operating over the NBN wholesale network. The report provides some interesting insights into the NBN, here are some that we find useful.

Number of services

The report shows that over 2.5 million premises are connected to the NBN as at June 2017.

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) is the primary technology used. The number of services over both Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) technologies are increasing at a fast rate. The graph below charts the number of services for each quarter by access technology.

 Figure 1: Number of services by access technology¹

Read more: nbn market report