Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

Can you be found in an emergency? Your phone can be your lifeline when you call Triple Zero (000). Make sure your address details are up to date with your telco provider so you can be found in an emergency or receive alerts about emergencies in your area. https://lnkd.in/gaDJZZ72

📡 RadComms 2024 is just a few weeks away! Our program features an exciting line-up of speakers from government and industry with the Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP delivering the keynote address. Join us in Melbourne from 24–25 October at Australia's biggest spectrum management event. Engage with experts, participate in open forums and share the latest spectrum developments and trends on topics ranging from network innovations, the future of AI and regulatory futures. Tickets are limited so register today at https://lnkd.in/g8heAJHG #RadComms2024

Does your business make telemarketing calls? Subscribe to stay up to date on industry rules, exemptions, compliance and breaches: https://lnkd.in/g-ng754

Be aware of illegal gambling services if you choose to bet on the grand final. Some illegal online gambling services look like they’re legal in Australia and even target Australian players. Illegal gambling sites don’t give you any protection if things go wrong. Protect yourself from illegal gambling operators – know the risks: https://lnkd.in/gmTArga

The ACMA welcomes the release of a draft Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice for public consultation by Free TV Australia. Once registered, this code will establish a new set of rules for what can and can’t be shown on commercial TV. Public submissions made to the Free TV consultation will be reviewed by the ACMA and may help inform our later considerations for registration. We encourage stakeholders to review the draft code and make a submission. The consultation is open until 11 November 2024. You can find more information about making a submission on Free TV’s website here: https://lnkd.in/g4rUPrps The ACMA has also released its views on key code issues. You can read more at: https://lnkd.in/gj_4A2K6

If you’re facing financial difficulties and struggling to pay your telco bills, there are options to help keep you connected. If you need support, contact your telco provider to discuss a financial hardship arrangement. Find out more on our website, which includes a fact sheet on how to help people who are struggling to pay their telco bills: https://lnkd.in/g3xWZTxr If you need free financial counselling or urgent help, see the MoneySmart website https://lnkd.in/g-5VEmn4

New figures from the ACMA show that Australian telcos received fewer complaints in 2023–24 but took longer to resolve those complaints. In the last financial year telcos received 899,691 complaints, down from more than a million in 2022–23. However, the time taken to resolve those complaints increased to an average of 6 days, up from 5.2 the previous year. ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke said telcos need to do more to prioritise fixing their customers’ problems. “The time taken to resolve complaints is going in the wrong direction, which is very frustrating for telco customers,” Ms Yorke said. Consumers who want to make a complaint are advised to contact their service provider in the first instance. If the complaint is not resolved by the provider, the consumer can contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) to seek help settling their dispute. Read the telco complaints report, containing customer complaints data for the top 34 Australian telcos by services supplied: https://lnkd.in/gKudQrGC

Scammers target everyone. If you’ve been scammed, don’t be embarrassed – get help immediately. You should: • Tell your bank and telco. • Report the scam to Scamwatch at www.scamwatch.gov.au. • Contact IDCARE (a free service for people who have had their identity stolen): https://www.idcare.org/ • Tell people you know so they can give you support. Find out how to protect yourself from phone scams at https://lnkd.in/g79z3QeD

Are you fed up with spam emails or SMS spam? We may be able to help. If you think someone has broken the spam laws, you can complain or report it to the ACMA at https://lnkd.in/gkW2Hnf This won't stop all messages, but it may allow us to take action. If you don’t wish to make a complaint, but would still like to alert the ACMA to these messages, you can: • Forward email spam to [email protected] (make sure not to change the subject line or add any text). • Forward SMS or MMS spam to 0429 999 888. Standard message charges apply. We will only contact you if we need more information. If your complaint is anonymous, it may limit what we can do.

SMS scams that impersonate well-known businesses, brands, government agencies and services are a common tactic criminals use to steal your personal or financial information. Watch out for these 5 most common SMS impersonation scams, as reported by Australians to the ACMA: • government impersonation • parcel delivery scams • toll road operator impersonation • reward point scams • telco impersonation.   Find out more including what to look out for and how to protect yourself against these scams in our latest scam alert: https://lnkd.in/g-ykFR9Y