ACCAN tries again to cut costs of mobile calls to 13 & 1800 numbers

Stuart Corner
Monday, 09 May 2011 11:46

IT Policy - Regulation

Having received no joy from its initial attempt, ACCAN has stepped up its campaign to have timed charges to 1300 and 1800 numbers from mobile phones abolished - timed charges which in most cases are not included in mobile cap plans - by writing to the CEOs of Telstra, Optus and VHA/Vodafone.

Calls to these numbers from a landline are free or around 30c untimed, but can cost up to $1.78 per minute from a mobile. ACCAN has written to the three CEOs appealing to each of them "to become a consumer superhero by ending expensive, per-minute timed calls from mobiles to the 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers used by thousands of government services and businesses."

Specifically ACCAN has asked them to offer calls to 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers at the same rates from mobiles as from landlines, and to make "a clear commitment to move to a fair call system within a reasonable timeframe."

ACCAN has kicked of a 'Fair Calls For All' campaign' with the gimmick of "Australia's newest superhero, Number Woman" and is asking its 150 member groups and individuals, and interested Australian telco consumers to sign up at www.accan.org.au/numberwoman

"Number Woman is asking the big three network providers to become consumer superheroes by committing to a timetable that provides a solution that changes the charging system for 13/1300 & 1800 numbers because this issue impacts the most on the most vulnerable in our society," ACCAN said. "Number Woman is ready, willing and able to help the telcos attain superhero status by making calls fair."

Number Woman and the CEO letters are ACCAN's second major initiative aimed at reducing the cost of calls to 13 and 1800 numbers from mobiles. Last September it joined forces with The Australian Financial Counselling and Credit Reform Association (AFCCRA) and The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) to lodge a submission with the ACMA.

The three bodies couched their submission to ACMA in the form of a 'Super Complaint' - a concept borrowed from the UK, where it is enshrined in legislation requiring the recipient organisation to fast track its response and publish a reasoned response within 90 days of receipt.

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