In December 2011, CFA member ACCAN made a submission to the 2011–12 Regional Telecommunications Review following an initial survey and extensive consultations with member organisations and wider stakeholders. The purpose of the Review is to investigate what needs to be done to work towards equitable access to telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Following is a short interview with Robin Eckermann, a member of the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC) who explains more about what the Review aims to achieve.
As a member of RTIRC, can you tell us about the Review and why it is being undertaken? This is the second legislated regional telecommunications review and follows on from the 2008 review led by Dr Bill Glasson AO. The 2011–12 Regional Telecommunications Review seeks to build upon the progress achieved since the 2008 review. The committee’s approach to the 2011–12 RTR is to take a snapshot of current service availability in different areas; and to look to the future to identify what further steps are needed for regional Australia to progressively take advantage of improved broadband services.
What sort of issues is the Committee looking at? The committee has been tasked to report on telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia. The committee has been asked to have particular regard to the opportunities that the National Broadband Network creates for the growing digital economy to improve the delivery of:
- health and education outcomes
- business efficiencies and opportunities
- growth in local economies
- government services and programs, including local government services
The committee is also interested in other telecommunications issues that are important to regional, rural and remote communities. These include:
- the communications needs of Indigenous Australians, particularly those that live in rural and remote communities
- developments in the terrestrial and satellite mobile phone sector
- the consumer concerns of people and businesses in regional, rural and remote Australia.
The RTIRC has received submissions and hosted public consultations around Australia, what are the common themes that are emerging? Common themes that are emerging through the public submissions process and the committee’s public consultations include:
- the capacity of high-speed broadband to improve education and health in rural and remote communities
- the importance of early engagement in the digital economy for businesses and local economic development
- strong interest in mobile coverage in rural and remote areas
- how high speed broadband can benefit businesses and consumers in regional and remote areas, and contribute to local economic development
- the importance of digital literacy and the need for strategies to ensure people can participate in the digital economy.
Have there been any surprises? Regional Australians are very interested in the rollout of the NBN, when they will be able to receive the NBN service and what that means for individual communities. Additionally, the committee is interested to note the number of individuals and groups in regional Australia more fully embracing the opportunities that the digital economy creates. There is also considerable interest in mobile coverage in rural and remote areas and ways to maximise it.
The RTIRC will provide a final report to the DBCDE in March – what happens next?
The Committee will submit its report to the Australian Government by 5 March 2012. The government then has six months to respond.
What ACCAN wants
Summary of recommendations ACCAN made in its submission to the RTR:
- suggesting strategies to expand mobile coverage in regional areas;
- benchmarking the impact of the changing telecommunications landscape particularly upon disadvantage and vulnerable groups within regional Australia;
- telecommunications service providers implementing cultural awareness training for their staff;
- benchmarking telco financial hardship policies against the financial hardship policies of other industries;
- introducing low-income measures for broadband;
- urgent review of the Draft Payphone Instruments proposed by DBCDE by the regional review committee;
- improving awareness of consumer rights and access to culturally appropriate training in digital literacy;
- ensuring availability of technical assistance to encourage use of the National Broadband Network and to promote social inclusion;
- collecting quality of service data annually about the speed, reliability and affordability of consumers’ internet services.
You can download ACCAN’s full 35-page submission via accan.org.au/submissions
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