Communications Archives - Page 5 of 40 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

3 April , 2024

13 Years of ACMA Telecommunications Enforcement

Below is the Centre for Media Transition’s website post on The Enforcement of Telecommunications Consumer Protections and the accompanying media release on the report by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). The website posts were released on 3/04/2024 and are available here (https://www.uts.edu.au/research/centre-media-transition/projects-and-research/enforcement-telecommunications-consumer-protections) and here (https://accan.org.au/media-centre/media-releases/2288-uts-enforcement-report). As noted by both the report and ACCAN,…

2 April , 2024

ACCAN’s Quick Guide for Consumers to the new Financial Hardship Standard

The telecommunications regulator, the ACMA, has developed a new regulation called the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard (the FH standard). The FH Standard will commence on March 29, and compliance is mandatory.

28 March , 2024

Continued Ban of Business Centrepay Use in Remote Australia Welcomed as Advocates Call for Broader Centrepay Reform

First Nations and other consumer advocates have welcomed the extension of ASIC’s interim Stop Order on Coral Coast Distributors (Cairns) Ptd Ltd trading as Urban Rampage (Urban Rampage) retail stores, where customers enter agreements to pay for goods on credit through Centrepay deductions. The original stop order was imposed because ASIC received complaints about Urban…

25 March , 2024

ACCC Announces Changes to Wholesale Telecommunications Regulation

The ACCC has released its final report outlining the findings of an inquiry into whether nine wholesale telecommunications services should continue to be regulated. Access to telecommunications services in Australia is usually unregulated unless the services are declared. In deciding whether to declare a service, the ACCC must be satisfied that declaration would promote the long-term interests…

20 March , 2024

Industry Working Group Welcomed by Consumers as Deadline for the 3G Network Approaches

“Industry should be providing consumers with clear information about which devices will and won’t work with Triple Zero and can be relied on to access emergency services. The working group and the major telcos must clearly communicate to consumers how they can identify if their device will work after the 3G shutdown, or whether they need to upgrade their device.”

18 March , 2024

ACCC to Examine Internet Search Services for Five Year Inquiry

“Significant changes have occurred since the ACCC last examined search services in 2021. We’ve seen new laws introduced overseas that place obligations on so-called gatekeeper search engines and the emergence of new technologies, like generative AI, that have changed the way consumers search for information online and may be impacting the quality of the service they are receiving,”

13 March , 2024

ACCC Broadband Network Wholesale Access Regulations a Win for Consumers and Competition

Original media release by and from the ACCC (12/03/2024). Australians on broadband plans provided by non-NBN fixed-line networks should benefit from more stable pricing and greater competition between retailers, following the ACCC’s decision to make a final wholesale access determination for the declared superfast broadband access service (SBAS). TPG and Uniti Group Limited (Uniti) are the two…

13 March , 2024

Digital Platforms Need to Take Responsibility, CHOICE Urges Government Action

Original media release by and from CHOICE (13/03/2024). Big tech responsible for big losses: 249% increase in social media scam losses since 2020 CHOICE calls for strong rules to force digital platforms to rein in scams Consumer group CHOICE is demanding urgent government action to force digital platforms to prevent scam losses, after the National…

12 March , 2024

FCA Calls for In-Program Gambling Ads to be Removed from Survivor

“This is completely inappropriate,” said Lauren Levin, The Director of Policy and Campaigns at FCA. “It was shown at a time when children would be watching. ‘Set for Life’ is exposing children to a gambling product and we know gambling can be very harmful.”

One of the contestants won a challenge and part of her prize was a ‘Set for Life’ package worth $60,000. The logo was displayed a number of times during show segments and the product was also mentioned on numerous occasions throughout the episode.

29 February , 2024

Independent Review of Australia’s Credit Reporting Framework Commences

Original media release from the Attorney-General’s media centre (27/02/2024). The Australian Government has commenced an independent review of Australia’s Credit Reporting Framework. Australia’s credit reporting system plays an important role in assessing eligibility and suitability for credit and in reducing the risk of financial harm to consumers, as well as protecting the privacy of individuals…

28 February , 2024

No Say, No Knowledge, No Control: Personal Data in Australia

When was the last time you were certain that your data wasn’t being collected, shared, tracked or used in unfair business practices? A recently released joint research report from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) ‘Singled Out: Consumer understanding – and misunderstanding – of data broking, data…

26 February , 2024

Stopping SMS Scammers Posing as Legitimate Institutions

Funded in the 2023 Budget, the Government’s Registry works by creating a controlled list of numbers of registered brand names, and preventing text messages from being sent using registered brand names unless the originating number matches the approved phone number on the Registry.
Feedback from consumers, industry, charities and government services will inform Government decision-making about next steps, including funding models for the finalised scheme.