David Abrhams RTIRC 2015 Submission

Regional Telecommunications Review - Short Online Submissions

Full name:David Abrahams

Date received:26 June 2015

Chapter 1: How does demand for telecommunications services inform the Review?

Please comment on how your reliance on telecommunications in regional Australia differs from urban areas.

In my work I rely on quality broadband to be able to work from home and increasingly important part of working life. This enables me to reduce the need to commute along congested highways and railway lines. It also allows me to participate better in family and community matters.

Chapter 2: How are telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote Australia delivered?

Please comment on the delivery of services for example over fixed networks, mobile networks or satellite.

Our TV reception disappeared in the transition to digital TV and we now rely on a broadband connection to receive news and entertainment. This is at time poor with many drop outs and why NBN upgrades will provide great new opportunities to localise business, education and community life.

Chapter 3: How are services being used in regional, rural and remote Australia?

Please comment on how telecommunication services are being used for example, interacting with government, education, health or running a business.

Almost all interactions with work and govt now are online. Increasingly ordering and delivery of goods and services is happening this way too. Running a business without quality telecommunications is near on impossible as increasingly other parties require electronic interactions; invoicing, video conf, training and file transfers.

Chapter 4: Consumer safeguards

Please provide your views on current consumer safeguards and what should be considered in the future.

I think the importance of having quality access to the internet should be treated as a citizen's right on par with access to legal representation or free speech.
A safeguard that obliges service providers a very high level of service to reflect this should be enacted.

Other comments

Please provide any other comments.

Our house location has suffered from poor to very poor telecommunication services for years, including mobile, radio, TV and broadband. We've used large amounts ot effort and money to get a liveable situation. It appears that the online fixed line service will one day provide us with access to services many people take for granted.