2017 Media Releases
REDUCED TAXES ON SATELLITE SECTOR WELCOMED
24/01/2017 - Communications Alliance welcomes the new tax arrangements for satellite apparatus licences announced today – a move that industry agrees should encourage more efficient use of spectrum and encourage greater investment in the satellite sector in Australia.2017 Media Release 1
FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN LATEST TELECOMMUNICATIONS NATIONAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY
02/02/2017 - The latest Telecommunications Customer Satisfaction Survey has revealed further improvements in four key satisfaction metrics, including overall satisfaction, the ease of understanding bills, product satisfaction and the ease of contacting service providers, Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said today.2017 Media Release 2
NETWORK PROTECTION LEGISLATION MAY LEAD TO GREATER CYBER RISK
06/02/2017 - Proposed new Federal legislation intended to help protect Australian communications networks and businesses from cyber attack and sabotage might actually make them more exposed to such threats, a broad coalition of industry representatives has warned.2017 Media Release 3
2017 COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY AWARDS OPEN FOR ENTRIES
08/02/2017 - Nominations have opened for the Australian communications industry’s premier awards, the ACOMMS, with 12 categories celebrating performance excellence in innovation, customer service, marketing, and product solutions across the breadth of the telecommunications sector.2017 Media Release 4
INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BE CONCERNED WITH ACCC’S APPROACH TO BROADBAND SPEED CLAIMS
10/02/2017 - The Australian telecommunications sector has welcomed the decision by the Australian Communications and Consumer Commission (ACCC) today to craft more meaningful guidance to ensure that consumers have access to reliable information about broadband speeds.2017 Media Release 5
INTERNET OF THINGS SECURITY GUIDELINE LAUNCHED TO COUNTER THREATS TO PRIVACY AND NETWORK RESILIENCE IN THE IOT AGE
23/02/2017 - The increasing connectivity of physical, digital, and human systems, known as the Internet of Things, or IoT, is the hot button technology of the moment and will revolutionise our economies and everyday lives. It is intrinsic not only to many highly anticipated consumer applications like the smart home and connected, self-driving cars but also to a huge number of industrial uses many of which have not yet been anticipated.2017 Media Release 6
INDUSTRY CODE TO ASSIST HELPLINES AND VICTIMS OF LIFE THREATENING AND UNWELCOME COMMUNICATIONS
01/03/2017 - A revised industry Code of Practice that provides greater protection for Australian consumers against threatening and unwelcome communications, came into force today after being registered by the telecommunications regulator.2017 Media Release 7
TWO NEW INDUSTRY CODES TO ASSIST SERVICE PROVIDERS CONNECT AND TRANSFER CUSTOMER PHONE SERVICES WITH MINIMAL DELAYS
24/03/2017 - Telecommunications service providers will gain access to improved and more efficient measures to connect a customer’s broadband or telephone service in situations where a previous occupant has not cancelled their existing service2017 Media Release 8
CARE NEEDED TO AVOID ANTI-COMPETITIVE EFFECTS FROM BROADBAND MONITORING REGIME
07/04/2017 - The Federal Government and ACCC must work to guard against potential anti-competitive outcomes from the just-announced broadband monitoring program, Communications Alliance warned today.2017 Media Release 9
REGULATORY RESTRAINT NEEDED ON EVE OF DATA RETENTION DEADLINE
12/04/2017 - The Federal Government must exercise regulatory restraint as telecommunications service providers scramble to meet 13 April 2017 deadline to fully comply with the mandatory two-year Data Retention regime.2017 Media Release 10
BROADBAND EDUCATION PACKAGE TO HELP CONSUMERS IMPROVE THEIR ONLINE EXPERIENCE
20/04/2017 - A new education package to help Australian consumers better understand the factors that can influence the performance of their broadband service has been released by the telecommunications industry.2017 Media Release 11
TELECOMMUNICATIONS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP GUIDE UPDATED
01/05/2017 - A second version of Responding to Customers in Financial Hardship: Principles and Practices for Telecommunications Service Providers was released today following a consultative process including telecommunications industry and financial counselling representatives with the assistance of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. The guide sets out principles and practices that telecommunications and internet service providers may use when dealing with consumers in financial hardship.2017 Media Release 12
FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN LATEST TELECOMMUNICATIONS NATIONAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY
05/05/2017 - The latest Telecommunications Customer Satisfaction Survey has revealed further improvements in three key satisfaction metrics, including the ease of understanding bills, information provided on telecommunications products, and minimising unexpectedly high bills.2017 Media Release 13
COMPLAINT VOLUMES HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR CONCERTED INDUSTRY ACTION
11/05/2017 - The six-month update on complaints about phone and internet services, released by the TIO today, is very disappointing in aggregate, but does suggest that action by telecommunication service providers is slowing the rate of growth in complaints, Communications Alliance said today.2017 Media Release 14
COMPLAINTS IN CONTEXT INCREASE DURING JANUARY TO MARCH 2017
17/05/2017 - Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, as a proportion of services in operation (SIO), were 8.4 complaints per 10,000 for the period January to March 2017.2017 Media Release 15
INDUSTRY WELCOMES ACMA REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS
22/05/2017 - Communications Alliance has called on the Government to move quickly to implement the recommendations of its review of industry regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), to give certainty and direction to the body.2017 Media Release 16
COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE PROPOSAL FOR INDUSTRY MANAGEDNUMBERING TO STREAMLINE PROCESSES AND ENHANCE AGILITY TO CUSTOMER NEEDS
26/05/2017 - Management of Australia’s telecommunications numbering arrangements may be transferred from Government to industry in a bid for greater efficiency, under a proposal released today by Communications Alliance.2017 Media Release 17
2017 ACOMMS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
14/06/2017 - Communications Alliance is proud to announce the finalists in the communications industry’s premier awards for excellence, the ACOMMS, which recognise exemplary achievement across 12 categories of endeavour.2017 Media Release 18
INDUSTRY BACKS IMPROVEMENTS TO NATIONAL SECURITY BILL
30/06/2017 - Major industry groups today endorsed the recommendations of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS), designed to overcome deficiencies in the Government’s latest piece of national security legislation.2017 Media Release 19
MIXED RESULTS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
07/07/2017 - The latest Telecommunications Customer Satisfaction Survey has produced mixed results, with some key satisfaction metrics remaining steady, but some metrics highlighting areas for industry improvement.2017 Media Release 20
INDUSTRY WORKING TO IMPROVE INFORMATION PROVISION ON THIRD-PARTY CHARGES
11/07/2017 - Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, welcomed ACCAN’s Mobile Third-Party Billing Survey, published by the consumer organisation earlier today.2017 Media Release 21
2017 ACOMM AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
20/07/2017 - The winners of the prestigious 2017 Communications Alliance Awards were announced last night at the 11th Annual ACOMM Awards Dinner in Sydney. Attended by more than 450 industry leaders, the evening’s keynote address was delivered by Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield, Federal Minister for Communications.2017 Media Release 22
INDUSTRY WELCOMES ACTION ON BROADBAND CONSUMER ISSUES
01/08/2017 - Communications Alliance has welcomed the statement of the Minister for Communications and the Arts, Mitch Fifield, today that Government, regulators and Industry participants will invest more time and resources into research to understand customers’ experiences in the course of and post-migration to NBN-based networks.2017 Media Release 23
COMPLAINTS IN CONTEXT INCREASE DURING APRIL TO JUNE 2017
09/08/2017 - Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, as a proportion of services in operation (SIO) for report participants, were 9.0 complaints per 10,000 for the period April to June 2017.2017 Media Release 24
INDEPENDENT CHAIR APPOINTED TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSUMER PROTECTION CODE REVIEW. CODE VARIATION REGISTERED
21/08/2017 - Communications Alliance has appointed Ms Fay Holthuyzen as the Independent Chair of the upcoming review of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code.2017 Media Release 25
INDUSTRY REACTS TO ACCC GUIDANCE
21/08/2017 - The Australian telecommunications industry fully supports the ACCC’s six best practice principles for advertising broadband speeds, and the objectives laid out in the ACCC’s release of detailed guidance today – to ensure that consumers are well informed about the performance of the broadband product they are considering buying, and are able to seek remedies if the service does not match the promised performance levels.2017 Media Release 26
INDUSTRY PAYS TRIBUTE TO DEIRDRE MASON
09/10/2017 - Communications Alliance and Communications Compliance today pay tribute to much-loved and respected industry leader Deirdre Mason, who passed away on 8 October after a long battle with illness.2017 Media Release 27
NEW INDUSTRY GUIDANCE TO IMPROVE CREDIT MANAGEMENT IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS
12/10/2017 - New guidance released today underlines industry’s commitment to deliver fair credit management outcomes for all Australian telecommunications consumers.2017 Media Release 28
REDUCTION IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPLAINTS IN CONTEXT
17/10/2017 - Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman as a proportion of services in operation (SIO) for report participants fell to 8.3 complaints per 10,000 services for the period July to September 2017.2017 Media Release 29
COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR MARKET STUDY REPORT WELCOMED
30/10/2017 - Communications Alliance today welcomed the pro-competitive stance of the ACCC’s draft Communications Sector Market Study report, released today by the regulator.2017 Media Release 30
IMPROVEMENTS RECORDED IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
31/10/2017 - The latest Telecommunications Customer Satisfaction Survey has produced positive results across a range of customer satisfaction indicators, while still highlighting areas for industry improvement.2017 Media Release 31
BETTER BROADBAND PERFORMANCE TO FLOW FROM NEW INDUSTRY CODE
09/11/2017 - A milestone new industry code designed to improve the performance of next-generation broadband systems in Australia – including NBN-based services, has been released today for public comment.2017 Media Release 33
INDUSTRY GUIDE PROMOTES DATA USE PROTECTION FOR INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) CONSUMERS
08/11/2017 - Communications Alliance today welcomed the launch of the IoTAA’s Good Data Practice: A Guide for Business to Consumer IoT Services for Australia.2017 Media Release 32
COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE AWARDS NORTON FAMILY PREMIER ACCREDITATION AS PART OF RENEWED FAMILY FRIENDLY FILTER PROGRAM
13/11/2017 - Communications Alliance’s Family Friendly Filter program has certified Norton Family Premier as the first product to receive an accreditation since February 2015.2017 Media Release 34
NEW INDUSTRY CODE TO ASSIST IN THE ACCURACY OF PUBLIC NUMBER CUSTOMER DATA
27/11/2017 - A newly registered industry Code will improve the accuracy of the public number customer database that is relied on by emergency services to help Australians in danger or distress.2017 Media Release 35
INDUSTRY CALLS FOR CLARITY ON PLANNED “CONSUMER DATA RIGHT”
27/11/2017 - Communications Alliance today called on the Federal Government to clarify its intentions around the planned introduction of a ‘consumer data right’ to apply to consumers of services including telecommunications.2017 Media Release 36
INDUSTRY GUIDELINE AIMS AT SMOOTHER CONNECTIONS TO NBN
18/12/2017 - A revised industry guideline will give clearer instructions to cablers when migrating existing customers’ telecommunications services to the National Broadband Network.2017 Media Release 37
INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO NEW BROADBAND CONSUMER INITIATIVES
22/12/2017 - The telecommunications industry looks forward to working with regulators and government to finalise the detail of high-level broadband consumer initiatives announced today by the Minister for Communications & the Arts, Senator Mitch Fifield and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).2017 Media Release 38