Issue No 20: 20 August 2018

ACOMMS 2018 - Book your seats now!

Communications Alliance submission to the Consumer Safeguards Review, Part A Redress and Complaints Handling

Communications Alliance has made a submission to the Department of Communications and the Arts Consumer Safeguards Review Consultation Paper on Part A: Redress and Complaints Handling.

In its submission Communications Alliances raises concerns with the general direction of the Review. The submission highlights that the Review is not based on an examination of the appropriateness of Australia’s current legislative and regulatory framework and its capability to deal with a post-2020 world, but instead jumps to a detailed examination of processes and dispute resolution bodies which lie at the end of the customer-provider engagement process. The submission also notes a number of factual inaccuracies and misunderstandings throughout the Paper.

The submission makes suggestions for an alternative approach of conducting a review of consumer safeguards, i.e. it recommends that an assessment of the lessons learned from current regulation, the challenges of the current system, and a scoping exercise of the post-2020 environment form the basis of a review.
Communications Alliance also provides extensive feedback on the questions raised in the Consultation Paper. Importantly, it highlights concerns regarding some of the statements and proposals put forward in the Paper that imply the dismantling and replacement of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Industry Welcomes Assistance and Access Bill

Industry welcomes today’s release for public consultation of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018.

The draft Assistance and Access Bill, also dubbed the ‘Encryption Bill’, extends significantly the reach of Government and its agencies and the types of assistance that can be requested or required from telecommunications players in Australia or companies providing communications products and services to Australia from offshore. It also expands greatly the category of companies that can be captured by such provisions, to include application providers, equipment manufacturers and others.“Our industry naturally takes a strong interest in the Bill. We are now working through the details of what is a very complex piece of legislation, looking for ways in which it might be improved and understanding the implications of the new rules for our industry”, said Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton.

“The draft Bill includes amendments to a number of existing Acts. It will take some time to get a clear picture as to what is being proposed and whether the draft legislation is practical and provides sufficient clarity to allow our industry to implement the new regime in the relevant timeframes envisaged by the law.

“We will make a submission in response to the exposure draft and continue to engage closely with Government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that Australia is protected by a practical approach that balances security needs and individual freedoms”, concluded Mr Stanton.

Communications Alliance/ AMTA submission to the Regional Telecommunications Review 2018 

The Associations have provided a joint submission to the Regional Telecommunications Review 2018 Issues Paper.

The submission speaks to issues around the use of communications services in regional, rural and remote Australia (including difficulties around ID verification requirements for the activation of prepaid mobile services), the work undertaken to advance digital literacy and the future of satellite, fixed wireless and mobile services, including 5G, in rural and remote areas.

The submission also recommends that the Consumer Safeguards Review be appropriately scoped to examine the future telecommunications environment in Australia.

SAVE THE DATE – Comms Essentials on Space and Satellite

When: Wednesday, 26 September 2018, 9.00am (9.30am start) – 11.30am
Where: Baker McKenzie, Barangaroo Sydney with a video link to Melbourne
Speakers:

• Dr Megan Clark, Head of the Australian Space Agency
• James Cameron, Authority Member, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
• Rocket Lab, commercial rocket launch services provider (invited)

ACOMM GUESTS - Win a Super Yacht Experience!

By 2020 the number of IoT connected devices globally is expected to be 30 billion, and this is forecast to grow to 100 billion by 2025.   By 2025 the IoT market could be generating revenue close to USD 10 trillion.

IoT Impact is a two-day learning campus for Australia business executives and IOT practitioners to understand and plan for the impact of the Internet of Things in Australia.

Gerhard Loots, head of IoT and M2M Telstra will deliver a keynote address on 5G Australia: The Connected Everywhere Country

10-11 September 2018
University of Technology Sydney

Communications Alliance Members will receive a 10% discount. Login to the Members Area for your promotional code.

For more information and to book tickets visit: http://www.iotimpact.com.au