Affordability of communications services for low-income households

Digital technologies are transforming how we interact as a community and how businesses and governments operate. Communications services are essential for everyday living and a primary means of accessing information, employment, markets and key services. Affordable communications services are critical for digital inclusion but assessing what is 'affordable' is complex due to diversity of Australian experiences and wants.

This is the second of four reports in a series of papers creating measure that monitor and report on the affordability of communications services. This report uses updated market trends from the initial paper and data use case studies to estimate basic data needs.

Looking to the future, strong consumer demand for telecommunications services is anticipated to continue. The outlook for affordability will depend on a number of factors including regulatory settings, technology developments, competitive pressures and broader income growth.