Today at the Communications Vision 2030 event held in Canberra, ACCAN CEO, Teresa Corbin, delivered a presentation that outlined the consumer experience of communication services. The presentation explored the current situation and what can be done to improve consumer access to telecommunications services.

The Communications Vision 2030 project was launched in November and is a partnership between the Competitive Carriers' Coalition, Hume Regional Development Australia, the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) and ACCAN. The initiative aims to shape a digital vision and generate a set of goals for Australia to achieve global digital age leadership.

"There are lots of measures from around the world that rank Australia quite low in terms of affordability and speed. The reality is that price and quality matter for consumers and it's not just about getting access to communications," said Ms. Corbin.

"The technology used to connect individual consumers doesn't need to be the same however; there must be equity so that everyone can access the economic benefits and increased opportunities provided by telecommunications."

If a digital divide continues, this will affect the delivery of public services. This could create an additional cost for government to deal with social exclusion. Moving into the future, mechanisms will need to be put in place to quickly address the barriers encountered.

"Affordability is not just about the monthly price, it is a multi-dimensional issue. Other aspects such as; terms and conditions, payment methods and upfront costs, also play a part in this barrier," added Ms. Corbin. "The market can help address some of these issues by meeting the demand for appropriate services."

This year's ACCAN Conference will focus on affordability. The conference will be held in Sydney on 1-2 September, 2015.

Download the Communications Vision 2030 presentation: 150219 Teresa Corbin ACCAN presentation for Communications Vision 2030.ppt3.71 MB

For more information, please contact Luke Sutton on 0409 966 931 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

150219 Affordable and quality telecommunications services a win for everyone ACCAN.docx1.82 MB

150219 Affordable and quality telecommunications services a win for everyone ACCAN.pdf331.16 KB