 |
This week
IN THE NEWS: ACCC calls for united front as scammers steal over $3bn from Australians, NBN Co awards construction contracts for FTTP upgrades and more
|
|
|
The latest Targeting Scams report has revealed Australians lost a record $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, as government, law enforcement and the private sector look to improve collaborative efforts to support the community in the fight against scams. This is an 80 per cent increase on total losses recorded in 2021. [ACCC media release]
|
|
|
|
NBN Co has awarded construction contracts relating to the provision of FTTP connections to one million homes and businesses to Ventia, Service Stream, Fulton Hogan Utilities, and Downer EDI. These premises are among the 1.5 million premises to be upgraded under the government's $2.4 billion investment in the NBN. Occupants with eligible FTTN or FTTC connections can upgrade to FTTP by ordering a service at an eligible wholesale higher speed tier. [iTWire]
|
|
What would you say to the person who stole your personal data, held it ransom and posted it on the dark web? The people behind the cyber-attacks on Australia are highly organised criminal gangs, often based in Russia, with dozens of employees and even HR departments. Authorities are still tight-lipped about who carried out last year’s Medibank hack that left the personal details of millions of Australians exposed on the dark web. [ABC news]
|
|
The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to improve the resilience of communications services across regional, rural and remote Australia, with consultation now open on the draft guidelines for Round 2 of the $15 million Mobile Network Hardening Program (MHNP) [Minister Rowland media release]
|
|
Have you received a call threatening to disconnect your phone service, claiming to be from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) or another government agency? Be wary – this is a scam. Scammers are targeting people who speak Mandarin by pretending to represent a government agency. Some calls give an English language option. [ACMA news article]
|
|
Scammers are targeting Australians online with highly sophisticated scams, stealing $billions from ordinary families and businesses every year -and it’s getting worse! That’s the message from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commissions (ACCC) Targeting Scams report published today on scam activity in 2022. [Consumer Action Law Centre media release]
|
|
A new CHOICE report reveals the increasing dominance of third-party rental platforms and their discriminatory impacts on prospective tenants. In recent years the home rental application process has increasingly been taken over by third-party rental platforms that have the potential to harm people looking for a home in a number of ways. [Choice]
|
|
Internet users have doubled in the past eight years with an estimated 67% of the world population using broadband services in 2022, according to space and satellite market consultancy Euroconsult. However, 2.6 billion people remain unconnected, representing an untapped opportunity worth US$74 billion. According to Euroconsult’s Universal Broadband Access (UBA), least-developed and landlocked developing countries are lagging with just one-third of their populations connected to the internet. [iTWire]
|
|
Australian shoppers are increasingly moving away from cash, while smartphone use is rising when it comes to making payments at the checkout, new research revealed. A report by financial technology company FIS found cash represented just six per cent of Australia’s point of sale (POS) market share in 2022. [The New Daily]
|
Vale Tim McPhail
The ACCAN team are saddened to hear of the recent passing of Tim McPhail. Tim was one of ACCAN’s key industry stakeholders during his time with Vodafone and TPG. We would like to pay our condolences to Tim’s family, friends, and colleagues.
“Tim was a decent man who was a delight and pleasure to work with. He always had the time to listen and advise on everything related to the Telco industry. He had the ability to understand all viewpoints and come to a consensus. We particularly send our thoughts to Tim’s wife, young family and his parents,” said ACCAN CEO Andrew Williams. [ACCAN]
|
|
|
|
WebNews #606
Unsubscribe
from this mailing
click here
|
|
Tel: (02) 9288 4000
Email: media@accan.org.au
Web: accan.org.au
Twitter: @accan_au
Facebook.com/accanau
LinkedIn: accan.org.au/LinkedIn
|
| |
|
Although we take care to direct subscribers to sites with accurate and reliable content, we advise that ACCAN is not responsible for the content within external sites and has no control over the views, services or information contained therein. Information contained on external sites may not necessarily reflect ACCAN's policy, standards or beliefs. The information contained in or attached to this message is intended only for the people it is addressed to. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this information is unauthorised and prohibited. This information may be confidential or subject to legal privilege. If you receive this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the e-mail and any attachments. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network does not warrant that the information in this e-mail or any attachments are free from any viruses, defects, errors, interception or interference.
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network's representation of residential and other consumers' interests in relation to telecommunications issues is supported by the Commonwealth through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
|
|
|
