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This week
IN THE NEWS: New financial hardship rules welcomed, temporary disaster roaming tests a success, and ACCAN Grants Program still available
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The 2024 round of ACCAN’s Independent Grants Program will close 23rd February, 5pm AEDT. The 2024 Guidelines and Priority Themes are available on ACCAN’s Grants page. If you are thinking of applying, we encourage you to contact us. The Grants Team is available to provide feedback on your project idea and answer any questions you have. Please contact us at grants@accan.org.au, 02 9288 4000, or via the NRS. [ACCAN]
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Appearing on ABC Radio National with Comms Alliance CEO John Stanton this week, ACCAN Deputy CEO Dr. Gareth Downing made the case for strengthening protections for telco consumers, particularly regarding mis-selling and for those facing financial hardship or domestic and family violence. "We need a modern, fit-for purpose consumer protections framework that reflects the needs of contemporary society," he argued. Listen to the full interview above. [ABC]
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ACCAN welcomes the ACCC’s response to the Communications Alliance’s Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code) Draft Package. We support the calls made by the ACCC in its submission for direct regulation of key requirements currently covered by the TCP Code, including selling practices, payment options and sanctions for non-compliance. The full ACCC submission can be found above. [ACCC]
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Telstra, in partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb, have made their first test phone calls using low earth orbit satellite (LEOsat) technology. It is hoped that in future voice and text services via LEOsat may be used to connect remote areas of the country which don’t have mobile service and improve reliability in isolated areas susceptible to natural disasters. [ITNews]
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NBN Co has lodged a near-$700 million loss for the first half of FY24-25, with increased interest rates a key factor in the higher figure, ITWire reports. Revenue in the period has increased by 5%, while average revenue per user remains steady at $47, unmoved since 2022. NBN Co. CEO Stephen Rue pointed to the ACCC’s acceptance of the SAU Variation as a key milestone for the reporting period. [ITWire]
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Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has announced Australia’s key online safety legislation will be reviewed with an intent to improve effectiveness and readiness for new and emerging online harms, including generative artificial intelligence and deepfakes. Congratulations to ACCAN board member Ms Delia Rickard PSM for her appointment to lead the Review! [Minister Rowland]
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The ACMA has announced five telcos have been directed to comply with the Integrated Public Number Database and the Reducing Scam Calls and Scam SMs industry codes. The regulator found that SMS marketing companies Message4U, DirectSMS, Esendex, MessageBird and SMS Broadcast allowed millions of SMS to be sent impersonating well-known brands and government services using text-based sender IDs. Further non-compliance will incur financial penalties. [ACMA]
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The Oversight Board, a policy and governance organisation within Meta (parent company of Facebook) is considering and accepting public commentary upon two posts that were published during the Voice referendum. The deliberation will consider whether the posts could have misled users, and will be used to consider Meta’s false or misleading content policies ahead of the many elections that will take place in 2024. [Meta]
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ACCAN, alongside a coalition of advocacy groups, including Consumer Action Law Centre and CHOICE, are arguing that customer reimbursement, paid for by industry through a customer’s own bank, must be a centrepiece of the Federal Government’s proposed new scam laws. We are pleased to partner with these organisations in this important submission. [CALC]
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Optus Retailco, a subsidiary of Singtel Optus, will repay $7.8 million to current and former staff who were found to have been underpaid following an internal review in April 2021. Affected staff were employed as retail consultants or store managers between 2014 and 2020. [Nine News]
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WebNews #645
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If you are Deaf, or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, you can contact us on 02 9288 4000 through your preferred National Relay Service call number or access point.
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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.
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