Payphones are an important public resource that helps us to connect. ACCAN has submitted comments about the Consumer Safeguard Instruments for payphone repairs, removals and installations to make sure they work in the interest of consumers.

Summary: ACCAN’s view of the proposed instruments is that they fail to achieve the goal of ensuring that consumers are protected. In some instances the instruments enshrine lower standards on Telstra (as the universal service provider) than currently exist. In other instances the instruments create new regulatory obligations on Telstra that fall short of community expectations. Of great concern is the failure to adequately address the needs of regional Australia. Before the instruments are tabled in Parliament we believe that, at a minimum, the following changes must be adopted:

• A nationwide maximum fault repair standard of 10 days.
• A nationwide performance benchmark for fault repairs of 80% in the interim period and 90% in the subsequent period.
• A mandatory ACMA review of any proposed payphone removal.
• Revised definition of net social benefit to be used in payphone location and removal.

Submission to: Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy 

Status: Submitted

Download: Payphones: Consumer Safeguard Instruments [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 141.42 KB]

Download: Payphones: Consumer Safeguard Instruments [Word Document - 998.5 KB]