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The ACCC has resumed its inquiries into NBN’s access pricing and wholesale service standards. ACCAN has previously responded to these inquiries:

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Mobile Premium Services (MPS) allow consumers to pay for digital content (like apps or games) and services (like competition entries, voting and charity donations) on their mobile phone account or using pre-paid credit.

Rules about the delivery of MPS are in the MPS Industry Code and two regulations called MPS Determinations. The ACMA is looking to repeal the two MPS Determinations and transfer some protections to the MPS Industry Code: particularly the rule that requires telcos to allow their customers to bar access to MPS. You can read ACCAN’s feedback on the MPS Industry Code here.

ACCAN is not aware of any issues repealing MPS Determination 1, so long as all key consumer protections are transferred to the MPS Code. ACCAN has concerns about fully repealing Determination 2, as it contains some protections that remain important to safeguard consumers.

You can read ACCAN’s feedback on the separate consultation by industry group Communications Alliance on proposed changes to the 2019 MPS Industry Code here.

 

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ACCAN has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) consultation on consumer choice screens in search services and web browsers. The ACCC is interested in understanding the consumer impact of default web browsers and search engines.

ACCAN reiterated our support for the ACCC’s recommendation to facilitate consumer choice through the changes to default search engine and internet browser arrangements, as outlined in our 2019 submission to the Treasury inquiry into the implementation of the ACCC’s Inquiry into Digital Platforms.

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The Department of Social Services recently sought input to the National Disability Employment Strategy. This Strategy will have close ties to the forthcoming National Disability Strategy.

ACCAN made a submission to this consultation to outline the role of communications technologies in supporting greater inclusion and participation of people with disability in the workforce.

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ACCAN submitted a response to the ACCC’s discussion paper which commenced a public inquiry into whether the following services should continue to be declared:

  • Superfast broadband access service (SBAS)
  • Local bitstream access service (LBAS)


The SBAS and LBAS cover a range of non-NBN superfast fixed broadband networks. ACCAN is supportive of continuing the LBAS and SBAS declarations as superfast broadband networks are enduring bottlenecks. Due to a lack of infrastructure competition, without declaration consumers will be restricted in service provider choice and price.

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Communications are an essential service. ACCAN’s Pre-Budget Submission 2020-21 outlines policies, programs and areas of need for communications consumers that should be addressed in the Australian Government’s upcoming 2020-21 Budget. Affordability, accessibility, regional access and infrastructure, and empowered consumer decision-making are areas where continued government investment is vital to ensure all Australians benefit from connectivity.

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Communications Alliance, the peak body for the telco industry, is undertaking a routine review of C566:2005, the Industry Code on the Rights of Use of Numbers.

The Rights of Use of Numbers Code sets out rules and guidance for telcos when issuing, reserving, ‘quarantining’ and re-allocating telecommunications numbers to customers. A number goes into ‘quarantine’ – that is, it can’t be given to anyone else – for a period of usually 6-12 months once a service linked to that number is disconnected.

ACCAN’s submission outlines some of the issues customers have with numbers during the quarantine period, and how the Code could be improved to address these issues.

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ACCAN submitted to the inquiry into the business case for the NBN and the experiences of small businesses.

The Joint Standing Committee sought views on the experiences of NBN consumers throughout COVID-19, network performance and NBN’s response.

ACCAN raised the following points:

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The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is the external dispute resolution body for telecommunications consumers and small businesses who are unable to resolve complaints directly with their telco service providers. The TIO has consulted on changes to its Terms of Reference to allow for evolving technologies, changing consumer need and growth of smart devices.

ACCAN’s submission welcomed the proposed changes to the TIO’s remit and Terms of Reference including:

  • an increase in the amount of compensation available to consumers;

  • extending the jurisdiction for complaints and dispute resolution to include smart devices provided by TIO members;

  • allowing more than one service provider to be dealt with in the same complaint to make resolution easier;

  • compensating consumers for non-financial loss; and

  • aligning the TIO’s definition of small business with that in the Australian Consumer Law.

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The Federal Government is reviewing consumer safeguards in telecommunications. The third and final part of their review, Part C: Choice and Fairness, looks at consumer protections. Consumer protections rules govern the lifecycle of a customer’s relationship with their telco. The rules outline how a provider must treat their customers, what sort of information it needs to provide, and what it needs to do when things go wrong.

Consumer Safeguards Review Part C examines:

  • The issues that should be covered in consumer protections rules,

  • The way that the rules should be made,

  • The way that the rules should be enforced,

  • What should happen to old rules that have existed for a long time, and

  • What should be done about the affordability of telecommunications services.

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Standards Australia is an independent non-government organisation responsible for the development of Australian Standards. Standards Australia is reviewing its corporate governance and membership system to assess whether it is fit for purpose.

Our submission acknowledges Standards Australia’s existing commitment to consumer representation in standards development. ACCAN encourages Standards Australia to make changes to its corporate governance structure and membership system to expand the role of consumer organisations, and increase their participation in Standards Australia’s governance.

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The telco regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), is updating two parts of the NBN Consumer Experience Rules: the Service Migration Determination, and the Service Continuity Standard. These rules set out how providers should move customers from their old service over to the NBN, including making sure not to turn off the old service before the new one is working, and developing a plan if the new service isn’t working after 20 days. The proposed changes to these rules seek to clarify key terms and obligations.

ACCAN supports most of the proposed changes. However, ACCAN doesn’t support changes about information a provider needs to tell a customer about the cause of and solution for a problem with their new NBN service. ACCAN has previously commented on the NBN Consumer Experience Rules, and you can read more about this here.

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