Digital technologies and enhanced connectivity have transformed the way we live and connect. It is now more important than ever for us to deliver brilliant customer experiences.
Keeping vulnerable customers connected
Through our Access for Everyone (A4E) program, we help people on low incomes or facing financial hardship to stay connected. Since its inception in 2002, we’ve provided benefits to the value of more than $2 billion and have worked with more than 2,000 community organisations across Australia to deliver these programs. In FY16, the benefit provided to vulnerable customers through our A4E programs was $107 million, a reduction of 16 per cent compared to FY15, largely reflecting a lower take-up of our pensioner discount on fixed-line home phone services as more customers move to bundles.
Around 758,000 pensioners received the discount this year to the value of $86 million, compared to 885,000 people and a value of $101 million in FY15. We provided home phone line rental relief for about 51,000 households and distributed around 95,000 pre-paid payphone and mobile phone calling cards (including Phonecards) and mobile phone recharge cards this year, compared to around 81,000 cards in FY15. Every month we also provided rebates on Telstra bills for around 1,700 customers seeking emergency relief.