Media Releases

ACCAN's work informs public debate about consumer issues in the communications landscape.  Welcome to our collection of the latest news and current affairs that impact communications consumers. 

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Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, has today called for the weak and ineffective industry-drafted Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code to be scrapped in favour of robust and enforceable industry standards that better protect Australian consumers.

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With the recovery from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred underway—and many parts of Australia's east coast still experiencing significant rain and flooding—attention must soon turn to how new communications technology that can support those in emergency situations due to natural disasters, says peak communications consumer body ACCAN.

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Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, welcomes the government’s announcement that requirements will be placed upon major mobile carriers to significantly expand mobile coverage across the country.

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Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, has expressed deep concern over new Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) data, which reveals a sharp increase in consumer complaints and a troubling rise in unresolved cases late in late 2024.

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The Government has today put new legislation before parliament to boost protections for Australian telco consumers.

ACCAN - Australia’s peak national communications consumer body – welcomes the legislation as a vital step forward for consumers who have too often been left in the lurch by failures of a regulatory framework that has been largely voluntary, too weak, and poorly enforced.

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Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the conduct and culture of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) following troubling revelations about its close collaboration with major telcos.

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ACCAN - Australia’s peak national communications consumer body – has hailed the Federal Government’s strengthening of enforcement powers a major win for telecommunications consumers.

ACCAN’s CEO, Carol Bennett, said the reforms will promote increased accountability, transparency and compliance within the telecommunications industry, and contribute towards improving trust in telcos which has been eroding.

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Australians stand to benefit from a $3 billion equity investment from the Federal Government in the National Broadband Network to upgrade Fibre to the Node (FTTN) technology. This commitment will be boosted by an $800m NBN Co commitment.

The money will deliver high-quality fibre internet upgrades to over 600,000 Australian homes and businesses – over half located in regional Australia.

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Peak communications consumer body ACCAN has welcomed the findings of the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC) 2024 report, particularly the call for action on stronger consumer protections under the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code and universal service reform in 2025.

The report was released a day before the latest draft of the updated TCP Code was released for public consultation.

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Peak communications consumer body ACCAN has welcomed regulatory action against Telstra for significant Triple Zero failings earlier this year, and urged a modernisation of Triple Zero services.  

Telstra has been fined more than $3 million for 473 breaches of Triple Zero rules relating to an incident on 1 March 2024, during which Telstra’s Triple Zero call centre was hampered in transferring calls to emergency services for 90 minutes. Customers were unable to access the service as expected.

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Consumers will now have a voice at the table to determine how the NBN can better serve the needs of communities around Australia thanks to a $2.56 million funding grant from the Australian Government to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).

As the peak communications consumer body, ACCAN’s new funding will allow it to advocate for the interests of consumers under a new framework of economic regulation approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) known as the Special Access Undertaking (SAU). The framework will propose NBN expenditure, service standards and pricing for the regulatory period commencing 1 July 2026 through to 30 June 2029.

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In a significant win for Australians fed up with the onslaught of fake, deceptive and damaging text message scams, the SMS Sender ID Register will be made mandatory.

ACCAN, Australia’s peak communications consumer group, have been calling for the Federal Government to implement a mandatory register throughout 2024. The Register will help consumers more easily determine whether a text message is a scam or legitimate notification from businesses, service providers and government.