Review of access to telecommunications by people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness

Background

The Australian Government is undertaking a review of the services available to help people in need of assistance to access and make the most of the telecommunication choices available to them, including the National Relay Service (NRS).

People with disability may experience difficulty in using telecommunication services, such as those provided through telephone, internet or mobile devices. For example, people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment may need assistance to access telephone services.

The NRS provides such assistance through an Australia-wide telephone service. The service allows people to communicate using text and voice through a relay officer. It is provided as part of the government's universal service obligation in relation to standard telephone services.

While relay services provide vital support, new technologies (such as those enabled by the internet and smartphones) provide people who require assistance to access telecommunications services to communicate with greater independence at an affordable cost. The rollout of the National Broadband Network will further increase telecommunication options available to all Australians.

Given the increasing use of newer technologies, the government would like to consider how it can best support access to telecommunication services by people with disability in the future. With this in mind, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy announced a review of access to telecommunication services by people with disability. The terms of reference for the review were published by the Minister on 21 July 2011.

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is undertaking this review in conjunction with the Australian Communications and Media Authority. It aims to explore:

whether NRS and outreach services could be delivered more effectively
what else would assist NRS and non-NRS users
how to build community, industry and government awareness of telecommunication access issues
how to communicate up-to-date information on telecommunication options and consumer rights.

For more information about the review, download one of the following files:

Easy English versions of the above document:

The document is also available in AUSLAN and as a series of audio files from this page:

Review of access to telecommunications multimedia files

Terms of reference

The terms of reference for the review are to:

1. Consider how the National Relay Service (NRS) meets the telephone communication needs of people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment.
- a. How might call centre services be improved?
- b. How might outreach services be improved?
- c. Which aspects of the NRS are the most important to users?
- d. What barriers exist to access and use of the NRS?
- e. Are there other, perhaps better, ways than the NRS to assist people to make and receive telephone calls, in particular for people:
  - i. who can hear and speak but have difficulty making themselves understood on the phone?
  - ii. who can speak but cannot hearusually people with acquired hearing loss?
  - iii. who can hear and do not use their voices?
  - iv. who cannot hear and do not use their voices?
- 2. Build an understanding of what additional support would help people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness, to communicate through the use of telecommunication services.
  - a. Other than the NRS, how else are people overcoming difficulties in using technology to communicate?
    - i. Provide examples of technologies, equipment and services used, if any.
    - ii. Describe the situation(s) where these technologies and equipment are used and what barriers they overcame.
  - b. What gaps in assistance exist? How important is it to address these gaps? Why?
  - c. How do/could people needing help:
    - i. find out about new services and equipment that could meet their telecommunication needs?
    - ii. let the government and industry know about their telecommunication needs?
    - iii. access consumer support, such as getting help with faulty products or contracts that may be unreasonable?
  - d. How could industry:
    - i. be encouraged to think routinely about access issues in the design and delivery of its products and services?
    - ii. keep people informed of new and emerging technology that could help address barriers to telecommunications access?
  - e. What information would assist industry in considering commercial opportunities for new equipment and technologies that provide greater access?
  - 3. There are many times when the government would like to contact people who have problems communicating and cannot use telephones. Reasons could include:

to find out what sorts of services and assistance they need
to find out if support services are working for them
to inform them about new services
most importantly, to alert them to an emergency situation such as fire or flood.

One possible solution is for the government to keep a register of names, contact details and information about each person's communication needs of those persons wanting the government to keep in touch with them for these reasons:

a. Should the government maintain a voluntary register of people wanting to be contacted for these sorts of reasons?
b. What important things should the government keep in mind in the design of such a contact list?
c. What privacy concerns are most important?

Submissions to the review

The period for making submissions to the review has closed. The submissions received are now online.

Submissions received for the review of access to telecommunications by people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness

Other ways people were able to have a say

The department was keen to hear even from people who did not wish to make a submission to the review. People with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness (or carers for those people) were able to share their experiences with us, good and bad, to help us understand how services might be improved. This included services provided by the NRS, which we know is highly valued but which might still be improved. People making such comments were asked to focus on the following questions:

When using the telephone, internet or mobile devices to communicate what makes it easier or harder to do so?
When using the NRS, how might we improve this service for you?

Contact the department

To contact the department about the review, email tda@dbcde.gov.au or telephone 1800 066 480 (a free call from a fixed line).

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service.

TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for 1800 066 480
Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 1800 066 480
Internet Relay users connect to www.iprelay.com.au and ask for 1800 066 480

You can also write to us at the following postal address:

Ms Jacqueline Daly
Consumer Policy and Post (NRS Review)
Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
GPO Box 2154
CANBERRA ACT 2601