CTN WebNews Edition #252
Monday, 22 June 2009 _________
CTN advocates on behalf of residential consumers of telecommunications in the development of national telecommunications policy. Our website is www.ctn.org.au _________
CONTENTS
1. Hot Topics on the CTN Website: CTN Publications survey, Farewell CTN Forum, and last WebNews! 2. $60 million to drive digital services for regional, rural and remote Australia 3. ACMA approves first SMS spam training program 4. ACCC rationalises telecommunications regulation 5. ACMAsphere Issue 42 - June 2009 6. We Communicate Weekly Newsletter 7. Interacting with Government: Australians' use and satisfaction with e-government services - 2008 8. Tasmania's NBN shrouded in mystery 9. Foxtel makes pitch for fourth network 10. Australia almost a top-10 broadband user 11. Bully victims urged to tell tales online 12. Pensioner risks losing home over unpaid BigPond account 13. Ringtone sales fall blamed on music downloads 14. Mobile mobility: app to check if your bus is late 15. Aussies choose SMS to announce life events 16. Blogging policeman has no right to anonymity, judge rules 17. Forum to explore how web tools can bolster democracy 18. Conferences and Events _______
1. Hot Topics on the CTN Website: CTN Publications survey, Farewell CTN Forum, and last WebNews!
Welcome to the final edition of the CTN WebNews.
Please take 5 minutes to fill in our Publications Survey, which closes today: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=j5c3poukbdGuDDqO_2bqC8nQ_3d_3d
You can leave any feedback about CTN on our final online Forum here: http://www.ctn.org.au/content.cfm?ContentType=Module&ContentID=9
CTN will be transitioning to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) on July 1. We'll be advising ACCAN's new contact details shortly.
Go to: www.ctn.org.au
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2. $60 million to drive digital services for regional, rural and remote Australia
A competitive selection process for digital education, health and emergency services in regional, rural and remote Australia will commence in the second half of 2009.
Go to: http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/056
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3. ACMA approves first SMS spam training program
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has given its approval to a training program from SMS aggregator Oxygen8 Communications about SMS spam and other provisions of the Spam Act 2003. The training program was part of an enforceable undertaking accepted by ACMA in December 2008.
Go to: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311753 _________
4. ACCC rationalises telecommunications regulation
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has decided to cease regulation of the digital data access service (DDAS) and integrated services digital network (ISDN) after 30 June 2009.
Go to: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/877536 _________ 5. ACMAsphere Issue 42 - June 2009
In this issue we report on the success of the third annual RadComms09 conference and the positive results from ACMA's first Client and Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey.
Go to: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_9030 _________ 6. We Communicate Weekly Newsletter
We Communicate is the weekly online newsletter from Communications Alliance.
Go to: http://www.commsalliance.com.au/about_us/newsletter _________
7. Interacting with Government: Australians’ use and satisfaction with e-government services - 2008
Interacting with Government explores Australians’ use and satisfaction with e-government services provided through the internet and telephone. It investigates: how people contact government by internet, telephone, in-person or mail; satisfaction with these means of contacting government, including reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction; reasons why people choose to use or not use e-government services; and preferences for future delivery of government services.
Go to: http://apo.org.au/research/interacting-government-australians-use-and-satisfaction-e-government-services-2008 _________ 8. Tasmania's NBN shrouded in mystery
Tasmanians have complained they're being left in the dark over the state's leg of the National Broadband Network (NBN), despite the Federal and Tasmanian Governments insisting construction could start within weeks.
Go to: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Tasmania-s-NBN-shrouded-in-mystery/0,130061791,339296993,00.htm _________
9. Foxtel makes pitch for fourth network
Pay-TV group Foxtel has joined the growing chorus of media companies seeking a comprehensive review of Australia's media and telecommunications regulation ahead of the $43 billion national broadband network rollout.
Go to: http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25649102-15306,00.html
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10. Australia almost a top-10 broadband user
Australia's love affair with the internet has seen it verging on entering the world's top 10 nations for home broadband use. Among other Asia-Pacific nations, Australia ranked 11th with 72 per cent, Japan ranked 16th with 64 per cent, New Zealand ranked 25th with 57 per cent and China ranked 43rd with 21 per cent.
Go to: http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25658922-5014239,00.html ________
11. Bully victims urged to tell tales online Children and young people who have been the victims of schoolyard, workplace and cyber bullying could be asked to talk about their experiences to a NSW Parliamentary inquiry via the internet.
Go to: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/bully-victims-urged-to-tell-tales-online-20090620-crwh.html ________
12. Pensioner risks losing home over unpaid BigPond account
Luba Kipish is facing a $23,000 bill and could potentially lose her home after being placed into bankruptcy for not paying an eight-year old Telstra BigPond bill of less than $1000.
Go to: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/pensioner-risks-losing-home-over-unpaid-bigpond-account-20090618-cj7k.html
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13. Ringtone sales fall blamed on music downloads
Sales of mobile phone ringtones have collapsed over the past two years according to a new report from business consultants. According to the latest IBISWorld report, ringtone sales fell by 17.3 per cent in 2008, up from 3 per cent in 2007.
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25654594-5014239,00.html
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14. Mobile mobility: app to check if your bus is late
The NSW Ministry of Transport is developing an official application for iPhones and other mobiles that will allow public transport users to plan trips and track their ferries, buses and trains in real-time.
Go to: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/mobile-mobility-app-to-check-if-your-bus-is-late-20090616-cg3c.html
See also: Gaping gaps in weather and climate data across Africa may be filled by a partnership between humanitarian groups and mobile phone companies. The project aims to deploy 5,000 automatic weather stations across the continent mounted on phone masts.
Go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8105814.stm
And also: Mobile financial services in the developing world could be worth $5bn by 2012, say analysts. CGAP - a consortium that works to expand financial services in developing countries - said the growth in mobile coverage was helping to fuel growth. More than one billion people in the developing world have access to a mobile phone, but no bank account.
Go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8100388.stm
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15. Aussies choose SMS to announce life events
Australians are a text crazy nation. According to Telstra's State of the Nation Report one in three said they choose SMS to communicate major life events - compared to using the phone, email or social networking sites.
Go to: http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media/announcements_article.cfm?ObjectID=45143
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16. Blogging policeman has no right to anonymity, judge rules
Anonymous bloggers - from public service whistleblowers to incendiary political commentators - will no longer be able to operate from the anonymity of cyberspace under a landmark ruling handed down by the British High Court.
Go to: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/blogging-policeman-has-no-right-to-anonymity-judge-rules-20090617-chyc.html
See also: Savvy consumers often go online for independent consumer reviews of products and services, scouring through comments from everyday Joes and Janes to help them find a gem or shun a lemon. What some fail to realize, though, is that such reviews can be tainted: Many bloggers have accepted perks such as free laptops, trips to Europe, $500 gift cards or even thousands of dollars for a 200-word post. Bloggers vary in how they disclose such freebies, if they do so at all.
Go to: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ftc-plans-to-monitor-blogs-for-claims-payments-20090622-cspu.html?page=-1
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17. Forum to explore how web tools can bolster democracy
While the Iranian elections highlighted the political importance of sites like Twitter and Facebook, groups are also trying to use social networking sites to increase government transparency closer to home.
Go to: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/forum-to-explore-how-web-tools-can-bolster-democracy-20090618-cke1.html
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18. Conferences and Events
2009 AFCCRA Conference - 29-30 July - Melbourne
The 2009 AFCCRA Conference will be held in Melbourne at Rydges Hotel, 186 Exhibition Street. AFCCRA's annual conference is held in conjunction with the External Disputes Resolution Schemes' annual forum for consumer representatives. The External Disputes Resolution Forum will be held on Tuesday 28 July 2009, followed by the AFCCRA Conference on Wednesday 29 July and the AFCCRA Financial Literacy and Inclusion Forum on Thursday 30 July. Programs for the three days are being drafted and will be available soon.
Go to: http://www.afccra.org/conferences.htm
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ACCC Regulatory Conference - 30 - 31 July - Gold Coast
The tenth ACCC Regulatory Conference will be held on Thursday 30th and Friday 31st July 2009 at the Holiday Inn, Gold Coast, Queensland Australia. The theme for the conference is the Regulation of Infrastructure in a Time of Transition.
Go to: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/861204
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2009 Customer Service Summit - 26 Aug - Melbourne
The 2009 Customer Service Summit, hosted by Communications Alliance, is to be held on Wednesday 26 August, 2009 in Melbourne.
When: Wednesday 26 August, 2009 Time: 9.00am - 4.30pm Where: The Arts Centre, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Cost: Free for Communications Alliance Members. $250 + GST for Non-members. Special rates for multiple bookings are available. Please call 02 9280 3677 if you would like more information.
Go to: http://www.slatteryit.com.au/CustomerServiceSummit2009/
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Hearing Awareness Week 2009 Sunday 23 August - Saturday 29 August 2009
Theme: At home At work At play - One in Six. One in six Australians suffer from some form of hearing loss. Where: Events such as hearing screening and information days held around the country. Check website for calendar of events in your area. Free posters for the week will be available from the national secretariat in late May. To place your order for posters please contact Deafness Forum at info@deafnessforum.org.au Deafness Forum is the National coordinating body for Hearing Awareness Week
Go to: www.hearingawarenessweek.org.au
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Communications Policy & Research Forum 2009 - 19 - 20 November 2009
Interest areas include ICT, digital media, telecommunications broadcasting, communications culture, Internet and e-commerce. It is a research-oriented forum open to all viewpoints; a co-operative effort by policy and research centres. It is also a national meeting-place for researchers in all sectors. The deadline for submitting proposals and abstracts is Friday 26 June 2009.
Go to: http://www.networkinsight.org/events/cprf09.html/group/6
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CTN Consumer Advocacy Calendar
The events above are just some of the events included in the CTN Consumer Advocacy Calendar. The CTN Consumer Advocacy Calendar is designed to help interested parties keep track of events hosted by consumer groups, community organisations, government departments, telecommunications companies and CTN Members.
To view the CTN Consumer Advocacy Calendar go to: http://www.ctn.org.au/content.cfm?ContentType=Content&ContentID=397
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We hope that this edition of WebNews has been of interest. Although we take care to direct subscribers to sites with accurate and reliable content, we advise that CTN is not responsible for the content within external sites and has no control over the views, services or information contained in these sites. Information contained on external sites may not necessarily reflect the policy, standards or beliefs of CTN.
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Warm regards and best of luck with the week ahead.
The Consumers' Telecommunications Network Unit 2, 524-532 Parramatta Road Petersham NSW 2049 Tel: (02) 9572 6007 Fax: (02) 9572-6014 TTY: (02) 9572-6047 www.ctn.org.au
The Consumers' Telecommunications Network representation of residential and other consumers' interests in relation to telecommunications issues is supported by the Commonwealth through the Grants to fund Telecommunications Consumer Representations' program of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
