Displaying items by tag: Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN)

A research report about what regional and rural consumers in north-west NSW understand about ‘smart technology’ was launched at Charles Sturt University in Dubbo on Thursday.

Households struggling with the cost of connectivity would benefit from the introduction of new rules that would make it mandatory for telcos to offer a low-income product, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).

Further investments to promote greater choice and availability for mobile phone users as well as improving the reliability and affordability of telecommunications services are vital to ensuring regional Australians are guaranteed access to essential telecommunications services, according to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).

Resolving phone and Internet issues costs Australians over $150 million per year in lost time, according to new research from Australia's communications consumers peak body, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).

Small businesses experiencing financial loss, signing up to unsuitable plans, breakdowns in communication when fixing faults, and lack of a suitable backup plan when phone and Internet services are disrupted, are amongst a raft of issues reported to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman(TIO) since 2016 and this year.

The Internet Association of Australia has appointed telecommunications and IT industry veteran Narelle Clark as CEO.

Residential consumers and small businesses made 32,441 complaints about phone and Internet services to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) over three months between January to March this year - with a massive 70% of the complaints coming from users not having a working phone or Internet service.

Telecommunications consumer group ACCAN says it continues to have concerns about the technical shortfalls of the COVIDSafe app, as well as issues relating to public education about the app.

Australia’s 'bush' communications group - the Rural Regional and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) - has called for all sides of politics to support the passage through the Senate of The Telecommunications Reform Package legislation.

Participants in Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will be able to purchase assistive technology to help them through the COVID 19 crisis and self-isolation.

Telecommunications consumer group ACCAN has called on Australia’s telecommunications networks to ensure that no Australian is left offline during the COVID-19 pandemic, while welcoming the Federal Government's expansion of telehealth services during the pandemic.

Passage of the Telecommunications Reform Package is a key step towards guaranteeing country communities access to reliable communications, according to the Regional, Rural and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC), which has again issued a call to Government for the legislation to be passed by the Senate.

A new standard to mandate stronger identity verification processes before mobile numbers can be ported is being introduced in Australia as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) steps up its fight against mobile number fraud.

People with disability will now be able to access in-store information about telco products suited to their needs through a new partnership between disability telecommunications service Accessible Telecoms and Vodafone Australia.

Australia's peak body for consumer representation in communications, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), says telcos must play their part if consumers are to benefit from changes to NBN Co’s wholesale pricing and data capacity.

Missed NBN appointments are costing Australians over $15 million per year in lost time, according to a report from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), which says that “this is simply not good enough,” and “unfair for every day Australians”.

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network has welcomed the Federal Government’s appointment of a service provider for the National Relay Service which delivers accessible telecommunications for the deaf or speech impaired.

Regional Australian lobby group the Rural Regional and Remote Communications Coalition has welcomed the announcement from the Australian Government which will see regional Australians benefit from 180 new mobile base stations as part of Round 4 of the mobile black spot program.

There has been a call for Australia’s telecommunications companies to raise the bar for consumer identity verification and increase consumer safeguards.

Australians are being put at risk due to inadequate consumer protection frameworks around the reliability of telecommunications services, according to the telecommunications consumer interest lobby group the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network.