Details

With the rollout of the National Broadband Network underway, many consumers want to know what Australia’s future will be like with universal access to high-speed broadband. What sort of services and applications in the home will telecommunications providers be able to offer their customers? What sort of education and health services can be delivered? Do we have sufficiently strong consumer protections to deal with a rapidly changing market and the proliferation of social media and cloud computing? How can we make sure no Australian gets left behind?

Details

New research has found consumers often feel so confused and overloaded with information when it comes to buying telco products they have to resort to a range of coping strategies to navigate the highly complex market.

Dr Paul Harrison will present the full findings and recommendations stemming from the report, Seeking Straight Answers: Consumer Decision-Making in Telecommunications, in his keynote address at the 2011 ACCAN National Conference being held in Sydney today and tomorrow.

Details

This research marks an exciting new phase in ACCAN’s advocacy for a fairer and more competitive communications market. Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the research goes to the heart of consumer relationships with their telecommunications providers and looks at why decisions in the market so often result in issues down the track. It helps us to gain insights into two broad areas:How are consumers navigating the telecommunications market, specifically in relation to experiences with confusion, information overload, and determining value and risk, and how can they fare better?

Details

The Mind the Gap report, authored by Dr. Linda Leung from the University of Technology Sydney, explores the experiences of refugees as communications consumers in Australia, and describes a trial education program aimed at developing higher level communications literacies during the settlement process.

Details

This short report details the development of the Newell Network website www.newell.org.au, a growing community-based space that empowers individuals with complex communication needs and support organisations to share information about telecommunciations products that work for them. The reflections on the project from Novita Children's Services and partners are a valuable record of the collaborative potential in a web 2.0 approach to empowering people with disabilities.

Details

Most of us take for granted that we can use any communications device – land-line, mobile or internet – to connect to people, services and help. But the reality is that a significant number of Australians can’t use regular products and services because of illness, disability or other impairment. Inclusive Communications is ACCAN's submission to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)'s Review of Access to Telecommunication Services by People with Disability, Older Australians and People Experiencing Illness.

Details

ACCAN, in alliance with Australia's peak disability organisations, is calling for the federal government to implement a whole-of-government procurement policy for accessible information and communications technology (ICT). Ensuring that all government workplaces and services are accessible for people with disability will provide tangible benefits for the whole Australian community and economy.

Details
This submission about the Digital Hubs Draft Program Guidelines was made to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE).

Details

Use social media? Have a disability?

If you do, then ACCAN and Media Access Australia (MAA) would like to hear from you.

Write comment (0 Comments)

Details

Congratulations to ACCAN's own Wayne Hawkins, who won a prestigious award at the 2011 Deafness Forum Captioning Awards held in Sydney last night.

Wayne was awarded the Roma Wood OAM Community Award for his contribution to changes that will see captioning quality standards enshrined in legislation. This is a great win, not only for ACCAN, but for all Australians who are Deaf or hearing-impaired, people who use captions in noisy environments, to learn English, or for any of the many reasons that captioning is in demand.

Write comment (0 Comments)

Details

ACCAN argues that the Universal Service Obligation (USO) legislative framework must include obligations to provide the infrastructure that will ensure universal access for all Australians to communications services. We also urge a review of the definition of universal service.

Details

There is an overriding barrier that consumers face when attempting to contact an insurance company to make a claim, access external dispute resolution services or free legal advice – the cost of the phone call.

About us

ACCAN in Action