In 2019, the telco industry is reviewing the Mobile Premium Services (MPS) Code. 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.

The MPS Code aims to safeguard consumers from an industry which has a history of poor practice.

ACCAN believes that many of the additional protections proposed in the public consultation will have little or no substantive effect on consumer outcomes due to their limited scope and applicability.

Accordingly, ACCAN believes that the following measures should be included in the Code to ensure that there are appropriate safeguards for consumers and small businesses. In our submission, we recommend that:

• Consumers should be told about Mobile Premium Services and how to bar these services when they acquire a new phone service;
  
  
• Consumers should receive timely spend notifications, including reminders about ongoing subscriptions;
  
  
• The default spend limit on Mobile Premium Services should be set to $0, with consumers asked to set their default spend limit;
  
  
• The default spend limit and spending notification protections should apply to all existing and new mobile customers including small businesses.

Download: Draft Mobile Premium Services Code submission819.3 KB
Download: Draft Mobile Premium Services Code submission650.73 KB