Originally published in the Canberra Times.
By Bruce Billson.
No one is happy when you buy a coffee, a meal or even an item of furniture and as you tap your card a few extra cents or dollars are drained from your account.
Typically, a small business merchant is only passing on this surcharge because it is imposed upon them through our opaque and mysterious payments system with no help to their bottom-line.
Published in The Daily Telegraph and the Courier-Mail.
By Bruce Billson
Next Monday (October 28) is D-Day for the 3G network as it will be shut down, but I'm worried it could also put many small, family and farming businesses out of business because they don't think it will affect them.
18 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Rick Hind.
ABC Radio Darwin
17 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Steve Austin.
ABC Radio Brisbane
Subject: payment surcharges and need for least-cost routing to cut fees
Steve Austin
16 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with John Mackenzie.
Radio 4CA Cairns
Subject: what small, family and farming businesses need to know about 3G shutdown
John Mackenzie
16 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with David Penberthy and Will Goodings.
Radio 5AA, Adelaide
Subject: payment surcharges and need for least-cost routing to cut payment fees
Will Goodings
15 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Deb Knight.
Money News
Subject: growing number of small business disputes with big tech digital platform providers, workplace relations complexity for small businesses
Deb Knight
15 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.
Radio 2CC Canberra
Subject: growing number of small business disputes with big tech digital platform providers, Ghostbusters, John McEnroe, weaponised product takedowns and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Leon Delaney
Small and family businesses have just 12 days to make sure they do not have their vital business systems and equipment fail when the 3G network is switched off on 28 October, says the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.
“Many of us do not realise there is an awful lot of technology and equipment we use every day that's enabled by 3G as the wireless comms link and that it will stop working when the system is turned off later this month unless it is upgraded,” Mr Billson said.
15 October 2024
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Annie Guest.
ABC Radio AM Program
Subject: small business disputes with Big Tech digital platform providers
Nick Grimm (presenter)