1. ACCAN presentation to the Sixth National Deafness at the Summit Generations – Yesterday Today and Tomorrow Allan Asher Chief Executive, ACCAN 24.04.2010

2. The national broadband network and what it will mean for you ACCAN’s Vision and Mission Available, Accessible and Affordable Communications Humans rights basis Mission Campaigning Market failure Empowerment Research partnerships

3. About ACCAN ACCAN represents communications consumers on issues including telecommunications, broadband and emerging new services consumers

4. 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

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

6. 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

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

8. Commitment to accessibility * National Disability Strategy *UN Convention on Rights of *Persons with Disabilities *National Relay Service *Standing Committee on Disability Issues *SMS Emergency Services Disability Policy Adviser

9. ACCAN’s Strategic Goals Government and the NBN Policy Principles Issues Broadband and Disability Grants scheme WA deaf Society National Ethnic Disability Alliance

10. Policy principles: New universal service obligation Attention to accessibility and affordability No consumer to be worse off Infrastructure and services to be accessible Consumer requirements to be considered Consumer protection to be built in not bolted on Migration to be seamless Information and education programs are must Regulatory regime needs to be revamped

11. Issues for action Innovative broadband applications New services becoming available Waiting times reduced Constant availability Advantages the service providers Consumer protection and remedies

12. "Every year we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on billing, which includes processing bill payments, paying third-party billing service providers, answering customers' questions about their bills and operating systems to support billing." – Telstra

13. Current consumer protection and remedies: Access and affordability Performance reliability and security Complaint handling Enforcement mechanisms Broader national interest

14. Broadband at 100 Mb per second 100 times faster than current Connection to 90% of homes and premises Remaining 12 Mb per second Universal access Digital dividend No guarantee of access Price and availability issues Wholesale only network What will it do?

15. Digital TV Digital Switchover will begin in the South West Slopes- Eastern Riverina in January 2012 www.digitalready.gov.au

16. Contact details: Suite 402 Level 4 55 Mountain St Ultimo NSW 2007 Tel:02 9288 4000 Email:allan.asher@accan.org.au Web:www.accan.org.au