In 2019, Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation representing individuals, small businesses and not-for-profit groups, started thinking about what a fully accessible communications sector would look like. ACCAN sought to develop a roadmap of shared goals to illustrate what is needed to ensure all people with disability in Australia have full and equal access to communications technologies and services.

On Thursday the 25^th of November, ACCAN will be holding an online consultation forum on telecommunications services for disability organisations and people with a disability.

ACCAN’s Accessible Communications Roadmap outlines how Australian Telecommunications providers and digital media platforms could be made more accessible to people with a disability. If you haven’t already seen it, you can check it out at:

https://accan.org.au/our-work/1765-accessible-comms-roadmap

ACCAN are seeking input from the wider disability community to assist in developing the next stage in completing the roadmap – an action plan to encourage telecommunications providers to improve disability access to their products and services.

ACCAN is seeking feedback in several areas:

Front-Line staff training

• How well do staff who deal with customers, either face to face or in call-centres, understand issues faced by people with a disability? Consider for example, if you contact a call-centre for assistance with your internet connection and they ask you how many lights are showing on your modem. What happens when you tell them you are blind and can’t see the lights?
• Do your telco call-centre staff know how to take relay calls?
• When you visit a Telco shop, do the staff explain the various access features of devices, plans and other services? Do they assist you with setting up devices, activating plans etc.? ?

Accessible Information

• Does your telecommunications provider offer you accessible information? Are the terms and conditions in your mobile plan clear and easy to understand?
• Are you able to get your bill provided in an accessible format such as Easy English, Large Print, or Accessible PDF?
• Can you readily access information about new products and services offered by your Telco on their website?

Accessible Services

• How easily can you pay your bill? Can you use the smartphone app provided by your telco? Can you use your telco’s website effectively? Can you pay your bill at a shop or post-office and does this service meet your needs?

Emergency preparedness

• Do your available telecommunications options and services help you to feel safe in your home?

• Will you be able to access emergency services in a power outage?

• Can you access public emergency text-messaging services and updates?

What about other services provided by your telco, such as upgrades, accessing additional offerings, plan inclusions, addons etc.?

The forum will be held from 1:00PM to 3:00PM on Thursday the 25^th of November. This is the chance to tell your telco story, both positive and negative. ACCAN want to hear from as many people as possible.

Zoom will be utilised, and auslan and captioning will be available with sufficient notice. but please let ACCAN know if you have any other accessibility needs.

If you are not able to attend the forum, or if you feel more comfortable submitting your story in writing, please let email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Find out how you can get in at the ground level to support the work of ACCAN in making telecommunications across Australia accessible for all people regardless of disability.

Registration for the forum is essential, so please click the following link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwudOmqrjMvG9xqE1w-EfVcmj-3P3xKC_VR

Please remember to outline any accessibility requirements at time of registering. Registrations close on Monday the 22^nd of November.