ACMA Service Migration Determination and Service Continuity Standard

Details

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.

Part of the Service Migration Determination and Service Continuity Standard focus on what needs to happen if a customer has transitioned from an old internet service to the NBN, and their new NBN service isn’t working. If the service isn’t working after 20 days, the internet provider must develop a plan to fix the problem as soon as possible.

Currently, this plan needs to include an explanation of the cause of the problem, and the steps that need to be taken to fix it. The ACMA is proposing changes that would only require this information to be provided if the customer requests it.

ACCAN’s submission says that the existing rules should remain. This is because consumers should always be told why their service isn’t working, and what the provider needs to do to fix it. This reasons for this are because:

  • Customers may not know the right questions to ask about what is wrong with their service,
  • Customers may want to verify the accuracy of the information provided, and
  • Consumers may need this information when making a complaint about their service later.


Download:  docxACCAN feedback on Draft NBN Consumer Experience Rules86.84 KB
Download:  pdfACCAN feedback on Draft NBN Consumer Experience Rules246.59 KB