ACCAN has today released our Retail Registration Position.
Developed in consultation with consumers and other stakeholders, the Retail Registration Position outlines how a telecommunications registration scheme administered by the ACMA could be implemented.
Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) in Australia do not currently need to register or apply for a licence to sell services before entering the telecommunications market. Without minimum standards for market entry, it is difficult to prevent non-compliance and consumer detriment due to CSP conduct before it occurs.
Introducing a retail registration scheme will centralise information on market participants, reducing the source burden of compliance and enforcement action, and preventing market entry and re-entry by non-genuine market participants.
A retail registration scheme will provide material benefits by:
- better protecting consumers by barring market entry of ‘fly-by-night' or non-genuine firms;
- reducing industry burden by simplifying and strengthening existing registration arrangements;
- improving visibility of market participants, promoting competition.
