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A new report released today by Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), shows that telco customer service representatives are being encouraged to focus on selling over service, potentially exposing consumers to questionable selling practices.- Details
A new report released today by Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), shows that telco customer service representatives are being encouraged to focus on selling over service, potentially exposing consumers to questionable selling practices.
The Spotlight on Telco Commissions and Targets exploratory report was commissioned following a number of troubling stories that ACCAN had received from consumers who were sold plans or products that were more expensive than they had expected or that were beyond their means.
Read more: ACCAN shines a light on telco sales practices in new report
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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has welcomed action by the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) against Telstra, Optus and Vodafone who neglected their responsibility to provide people with disability with information about products and services that may meet their needs.
The ACMA’s formal warning comes five years after ACCAN first identified that these telcos were failing to provide appropriate information to people with disability during a mystery shopping research project. The consumer group engaged with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to discuss the poor outcomes from this research and suggest possible pathways to improve. However, in 2016 a second round of mystery shopping proved that little had been done to implement these improvements.
Read more: ACCAN welcomes telco warning on disability information
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The announcement of $220 million in funding for regional communications has been celebrated today by the Regional, Rural and Remote Communication Coalition (RRRCC) as a win for bush communications across the country.
The significant funding announcement from the Government accompanies their response to the 2018 Regional Telecommunications Review.
Read more: Government's commitment to bush communications welcomed
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The Rural Regional and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) welcomes today’s announcement from the Minister for Regional Services Senator Bridget McKenzie which will see regional Australians benefit from 180 new mobile base stations as part of Round 4 of the Mobile Black Spot Program.
For Australians living in rural, regional and remote communities, having access to reliable communications is vital. The Mobile Black Spot Program has been instrumental in making real change to these communities, with more than 1,000 mobile base stations designated to be built, expanding mobile coverage across the regions.
Read more: Bush communications coalition welcomes new mobile base stations
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The Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) welcomed this morning’s announcement from Telstra about a program of works it is undertaking to bolster landline services in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Telstra’s announcement addresses some of the issues around reliability of landline services identified in the November 2018 report of the Regional Telecommunications Review, such as extended faults and repair times for some Telstra customers in regional, rural and remote Australia.
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The ACCC is reviewing the performance standards that NBN provides to its customers (telco retailers). This includes NBN response times to fix problems on its network and get consumer premises connected. Currently, these standards and any penalties for breaches are contained in commercial contracts with NBN’s customers. The ACCC is reviewing whether further measures are required to improve NBN’s service.
Read more: ACCC Inquiry into NBN Wholesale Service Standards: Second Discussion Paper
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The Federal Government is reviewing Telstra’s Carrier Licence as the existing one is due to expire in April 2019. The Government has proposed to maintain the existing conditions of Telstra’s licence with some minor amendments for current policies.
ACCAN has proposed that the remaking of Telstra’s licence conditions offers the opportunity to improve Telstra’s network reliability framework that reports Telstra’s network performance. Telstra’s copper network will remain important in regional areas outside the fixed NBN footprint such that improved monitoring continues to be important after the NBN is rolled out.
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Parts 7 and 8 of the Telecommunications Act ensure that broadband networks operate in a similar way, and to the benefit of consumers. They require network operators to offer services to any retail providers on request (offer open access on a non-discriminatory basis) and that they must be operated separate to the retail level (wholesale only). The ultimate aim is to ensure competitive networks exist that benefit consumer by increasing choice of retail providers.
Since 2012 Telstra has had an exemption from complying with these requirements in its South Brisbane Velocity network area. Other areas of Telstra’s fibre Velocity area are also exempt. These are scattered across the country, predominantly in areas of medium density population, including retirement villages, and greenfield developments (in Western Sydney, for example). These are areas populated with low income families, and older people on fixed incomes.
Read more: Telstra’s South Brisbane Velocity Network – time for change
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Telecommunication services are essential for ensuring public health and safety, promoting access to educational and employment opportunities as well as social inclusiveness. ACCAN’s Pre-Budget Submission 2019-20 identifies market gaps and provides recommendations on telecommunications initiatives that will benefit consumers including:
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A new affordable home broadband product for financially stressed Australians on low incomes should be a key priority for political parties ahead of the 2019 Federal election, according to consumer organisation ACCAN.
Australia’s peak body representing telecommunications consumers, ACCAN, is urging the nation’s political parties to consider a proposal for a wholesale broadband concession that would provide financially stressed Australians with cheaper home broadband.
ACCAN considers that a 50 mbps unlimited broadband service offered at a wholesale price of $20 per month by NBN Co to households receiving government financial support to be the most effective way to achieve affordable broadband for all. This would mean eligible households would pay approximately $30 per month for unlimited broadband – almost halving the current average cost.
Initial estimates indicate that providing this concession to the 1 million plus households on the lowest incomes can be budget neutral.
Read more: No Australian Left Offline: ACCAN pushes for affordable broadband
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The supporters of No Australian Left Offline want affordable broadband. Affordable broadband is a home internet service that enables all Australians to be online regardless of their personal circumstances or where they live, without putting them into financial stress.
With all Australian government services to be available online by 2025, it’s more important than ever that there is No Australian Left Offline.
Over one million Australians will continue to have access to essential government services with affordable broadband.
The benefits of this Federal budget neutral policy
Economic benefits of affordable broadband
- Approximately $20 billion saved through move to online services
- Stronger economy: increases in average incomes of 0.85% per person
- New business & employment: up to 5400 businesses formed + an additional 3400 to 6400 self-employment opportunities in areas with high NBN rollout
- Increased tax revenue through higher economic activity, and reduced unemployment
- Reduced cost & barriers to access for households when accessing essential services, particularly for Australians in regional and remote areas
Without affordable home broadband
- 1 Million+ low-income households at risk of not switching over to NBN
- Children struggle to complete homework and keep up at school
- Young people can’t prepare for the post-school world of further training, education or employment
- Job Seekers find it difficult to get jobs and training to lift themselves and their families out of poverty
- Elderly or less mobile people find it harder to access support services and overcome social isolation
In Australia there are one million households that are at risk of not switching over to the NBN because of the cost. This limits the opportunities of these households, and threatens the underlying economics of the NBN by reducing take-up of services. Reduced take-up means lower NBN revenues and reduced capacity to provide a return to government.
How can we achieve affordable broadband?
ACCAN proposes a 50 mbps unlimited broadband service offered at a wholesale price of $20 per month by NBN Co to households receiving government financial support.
This would mean eligible households would pay approximately $30 per month for unlimited broadband – almost halving the current average cost.
We estimate that providing this concession to the 1 million + households on the lowest incomes can be Federal budget neutral, and support these households to be connected.
Downloads:
Download: 
No Australian Left Offline - Policy document97.5 KB
Download: 
No Australian Left Offline - Policy document752.71 KB
Download: No Australian Left Offline - Affordable Broadband for the regions102 KB
Download: No Australian Left Offline - Affordable Broadband for the regions759.57 KB
Download: 
No Australian Left Offline - Media release3.1 MB
Download: No Australian Left Offline - Media release982.99 KB
Download: A3 colour brochure2.2 MB
Supporters of No Australian Left Offline
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