NBN Household Assistance Scheme

Some devices which rely on an analog phone line, such as medical pendants and security alarms, may not work with the NBN. Previously the Australian Government provided financial assistance to aged pensioners and people with disabilities to have their TVs converted to digital. I suggest the Household Assistance Scheme (HAS). scheme be extended to the NBN. Under the NBN Household Assistance Scheme, those on an Age, Disability or Service pension would have the cost of connecting thier medical pendants and security alarms to the NBN paid for. This would include any additional or replacement equipment and installation.

DumbPhones: Simple Digital Phones

Rick Welykochy from Praxis Services pointed out in the Link mailing list that there are such things as Dumbphones. These are phones which provide basic voice communications, without web access and apps. Apart from being easier to use for simply making phone calls, these phones also tend to be cheaper.

Simple Desktop Phones

As an example a CISCO Model 7965G IP Phone costs several hundred dollars, whereas a Cisco 500 Series 1-Line IP Phone is less than one hundred dollars. The cheaper phone has no screen and just a numeric keypad. If all you want to do is dial a number to make a call, the simpler phone is as good as and perhaps better, than the fancy model.

Simple Mobile Phones

The John's Phone takes simplicity to the extreme, being a mobile phone with no display screen at all. Instead of a screen, it has a slot for a paper notebook and pen.

The JUST5 J509 is more typical of easy to use mobile phones available, with a relatively large numeric keypad and a small display with large digits.