Introducing ACCAN and a few ideas Elissa Freeman Director of Policy and Campaigns

About ACCAN Our vision is for affordable, accessible, available communications services that enhance the lives of all consumers

ACCAN provides a strong, co-ordinated voice to industry and government and works towards availability, accessibility and affordability of communications services for all Australians ACCAN promotes better consumer protection outcomes ensuring speedy responses to complaints and issues ACCAN aims to empower consumers so they are well informed and can make good choices about products and services. ACCAN activates its broad and diverse membership base to campaign to get a better deal for communications consumers

Members 130 members – individuals and organisations Members include: disability advocacy groups, regional associations, community legal centres, farmers federations, parents groups, pensioners

Governance 9 member Board Chair is Ms Sue Salthouse (Women With Disabilities Australia) 2 Advisory Bodies: Standing Advisory Committee on Consumer Affairs Standing Advisory Committee on Disability Issues

Resourcing Funded by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy 4 year funding contract 10 staff, more coming! Sydney-based office

A2K is a live issue in Australia A.Internet Filtering proposal B.National Broadband Network – our $43 billion digital divide? C.2008/09 local copyright vs cheap books debate – parallel importation rules D.Recent legal challenges on the rights of consumers – “the iinet case” E.Telecommunications industry

A. Filtering What’s happening? Why?

B. NBN What’s happening? Embedding disadvantage? 90/10? Affordability USO obligations

C. Cheap books anyone? What happened? Why? vested intererests at work

D. iinet case What’s happening? Why? What’s next?

E. An industry failing consumers What’s happening? Why?

Complaints and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)

How many complaints? According to Annual Reports from the Ombudsman in each industry, Banking: 19,107 Electricity: 7008 Telecommunications...

230, a 54% increase from the previous year

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free and independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for small business and residential consumers in Australia with unresolved complaints about their telephone or internet services. The TIO is an office of last resort – you must try to sort your problem out with your telco first

What can the TIO investigate? The TIO investigates complaints about: standard landline telephone services mobile telephone services internet access billing, faults, credit management customer transfer from one company to another mobile premium services land access – damage to property or land breaches of industry codes.

Key problem areas Billing and payments generated the highest number of complaint issues (up 115%): Issues include: disputed usage charges; for example internet usage charges, unidentified charges on bills, timed call charges that ought to be incorporated into capped plan fees. This category formed 37.8% of all billing and payments complaint issues disputed recurring charges; for example, charges, which were not made clear at point of sale, for equipment bundled with services, or access charges for services that could not be accessed

disputed administration fees; for example initial connection fees and termination charges. the provider had incorrectly applied or not applied credits or adjustments to customers’ accounts where this had been promised or was part of their terms and conditions customers had not received print or online bills from their provider despite asking for these several times their bank account or credit card was direct debited without their authority or their direct debit instructions had not been cancelled after they terminated the service.

General trends Billing and payment of telephone and internet services continued to be the main area of concern highest increase in complaints was among mobile phone users (79% rise), followed by internet (57%), landline (40%) and mobile premium services (13%). Complaints about issues surrounding customer service and complaint handling almost doubled, with the main concern being incorrect or inadequate advice by the service companies. Many consumers said their providers had failed to follow through on promises.

How do we fix it? Compensation for consumers would give an incentive to treat customers better ACMA inquiry into telco complaint handling announced this week is a step in the right direction

What’s next?

Anyone interested? A.International Day of Action B.An incentive? First to “A” wins C.An open letter for Fair Use D.Call to the US for Fair play on Fair use E.WAIPO

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