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ACCAN welcomes the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) report Financial hardship in the telco sector released today. The ACMA's findings align with ACCAN research conducted earlier this year which shows that cost of living pressures are having a significant impact, with some consumers continuing to struggle to pay their telco bills.

“Cost of living issues aren’t going away for the foreseeable future, so it’s particularly concerning that over 40% of the Australian adult population are unaware that they can contact their telco provider for help managing their bills.  This research shows that it is imperative that financial hardship policies are promoted by telcos and made easily accessible on their websites,” said ACCAN CEO, Andrew Williams.

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Person looking through billsAs the end of the financial year approaches, we can expect that prices for many goods and services will rise.  Telecommunications services will not be immune from this and we’re already seeing new pricing structures start to enter the market.

Every provider will most likely have a different process, making it hard to compare like for like.  For example, some are promising an increased data limit by way of compensation for the increased monthly charge, but this may not always provide any benefit.  

For many consumers, the promise of extra data is of little importance, as most Australians only use 11.8 GB of data each month. (ACCC December 2021).  Therefore, rather than simply accept the price rise, this is a perfect time to review your telecommunications needs and look for a plan that best suits.

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Mobile phone screen showing appsAustralia's telecommunications landscape is undergoing a significant change with the impending switch-off of 3G (or third generation) mobile technology services. In 2019, the country's major telecommunications companies, Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, announced their plans to retire their 3G networks to make way for the faster and more efficient 4G and 5G services.

The switch-off, which began in 2023 and will finish in late 2024, will affect many Australian consumers and businesses. As can be seen below, the big networks are all planning different switch off dates.

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ACCAN recently made a submission to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2026 Census topic consultation. The submission received endorsement from the QUT Digital Media Research Centre (DRMC), the Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA), the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society (ADM+S), and the Centre for Inclusive Design (CfID). ACCAN’s submission recommended:

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At its March meeting the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network’s (ACCAN) Board of Directors unanimously endorsed the organisation’s support of the Voice to Parliament.

A Voice to Parliament aligns with ACCAN’s vision of communications services that are trusted, inclusive, accessible, and available for all.

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ACCAN recently commented on the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy Discussion Paper. ACCAN’s submission recommended that:

  • Cyber security by design should be fostered in key software and apps markets.
  • Consumers and small businesses should only have their data collected where strictly necessary and any data collected must be safely stored.
  • Consumer and small business education should be a key focus of the cyber security strategy.
  • Consumer protections should be strengthened to reduce technology facilitated abuse.

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ACCAN has provided feedback in response to the ACCC’s Issues Paper on the expanding ecosystems of digital platform service providers. The Issues Paper explores a range of questions related to digital platform ecosystems, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and consumer cloud services in Australia. ACCAN’s submission:

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With the cost-of-living front of mind for most Australians, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is urging the federal government to develop an easy to use, independent and free comparison tool to help consumers navigate the often-complicated telecommunications market.

Currently, it is difficult for consumers to find information about different products, services, and plans available to them. The establishment of an Independent Plan Comparison Tool (IPCT) will provide consumers with key product and price information for telecommunications services, allowing them to select a service offering that best meets their needs. 

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ACCAN has today released our Independent Plan Comparison Tool (IPCT) Policy Position. Developed in consultation with consumers and other stakeholders, this position outlines the rationale for an IPCT for the telecommunications sector. 

The IPCT should:

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Recent research conducted by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has found that direct debit is a problem for some consumers, particularly for those who are living week to week.

A thriving and competitive communications market is characterised by a variety of free payment options that reflect consumer preferences for payment. However, some payment options may place unfair financial risk on consumers.

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Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) commissioned research on how consumers experience their billing arrangements. 

This research has found that some of the payment options that are offered by telecommunications providers to their customers are not suitable for people in vulnerable circumstances.

Some of the key findings of the research include: 

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ACCAN has developed a resource which provides a series of guidelines on how to make publications, presentations, meetings and documents accessible for people with disability.

Download:  docxAccessibility Best-Practice Resources4.65 MB

Download:  pdfAccessibility Best-Practice Resources271.91 KB

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