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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) today launched a new guide for consumers that explains their rights in relation to mobile phone, landline, internet and pay TV services.

The guide, Making the Right Call, summarises in plain language what rights customers have under the newly registered Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code and other laws, regulations and industry codes.

“This guide is essential for phone and internet customers in Australia, because it explains your rights in simple terms, including what to look for when signing up for services. It also has tips on what you can expect once you’ve signed up for a service and what you should do if something goes wrong,” said ACCAN Chief Executive Officer Teresa Corbin.

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Peak telecommunications consumer body ACCAN says its new research confirms the majority of Australians now see their mobile phone as their number one communications device (58%), while fixed line phones dwindle at 29%. The research highlighted a generational gap, with younger people vastly preferring mobiles (77%), while more than half of people aged 55 and over saying their fixed line is their main service.

The first annual ACCAN National Consumer Perceptions Survey, which is being presented at the ACCAN 2012 National Conference being held in Sydney today (Weds), also revealed that many Australians are reluctant to switch providers, with almost a third of respondents saying they had never switched telecommunications providers. Almost half had been with their provider for five years or more. 

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Front cover image of Making the Right Call BookletDownload: Making the Right Call: Your Rights As a Phone and Internet Customer [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 197.99 KB]

Download: Making the Right Call: Your Rights As a Phone and Internet Customer [Word 2007 Document - 46.84 KB]

As a telecommunications customer, you have rights that apply to your mobile phone, landline phone, internet and, if it's provided by a telco, your pay TV service. ACCAN has produced a guide, Making the Right Call, that summarises your rights as a phone and internet customer as outlined in the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code and other relevant laws, regulations and industry codes.

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In this submission by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, ACCAN comments on two specific issues that may have a direct impact on affordable and accessible telecommunications services.

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Peak communications consumer body ACCAN has welcomed the announcement by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy that consumers will soon receive SMS alerts about global roaming costs when they travel overseas.

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In our submission to this Inquiry into Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012, ACCAN has raised a number of concerns regarding credit reporting arrangements, relay services and cross-border disclosure arrangements.

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The ACCAN 2012 National Conference program includes an exciting innovation: a consumer-oriented Technology Expo.  ACCAN’s TEXPO is not the usual trade show, but a targeted, in-depth showcase of carefully selected technologies of interest to a broad range of consumers.

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ACCAN is accepting Expressions of Interest to fill a vacancy on its Independent Grants Panel.  The role of the Panel is to assess eligible applications to the ACCAN Independent Grants Scheme and recommend the strongest to the ACCAN Board for funding.

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In this submission ACCAN  provides comment on the system that accredits and regulates domain name registrars and resellers in Australia. 

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Communications Compliance, a newly created industry monitoring body set up to monitor telco compliance with the new Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code, is seeking nominations or recommendations from consumer bodies for a consumer director to sit on its Board. 

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A lively two-day event being held in Alice Springs this Thursday and Friday (26th-27th July) will focus on the unique communications needs of people living and working in remote Australia and how best to deliver them. The event will include representatives from Federal, state and territory governments, NBN Co, members of the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee, community organisations, researchers and technical specialists.

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Great news! Australia’s first-ever audio described television will be broadcast on ABC1 from August 5 this year. Audio Description (AD) is an additional verbal commentary that complements the existing soundtrack of a program for people who are blind or vision impaired. It is a narration that explains what is happening visually on screen during a television program.

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