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Consumer Safeguards Review Part C / Choice and Fairness

Details
Submissions

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.

ACCAN supported most of the proposals and principles outlined in the Part C: Choice and Fairness discussion paper. In our submission, we argued that:

  • Phone and internet services are essential, and so rules about telecommunications should reflect this,

  • Changes are needed to make sure consumers have choice about their phone and internet services and are treated fairly by their telcos,

  • Changes need to be made about the way telecommunications consumer protections rules are made and enforced,

  • Many older rules about phone and internet services continue to deliver benefits for consumers, while those no longer relevant due to market and structural changes should be removed.

  • Telstra should continue to provide products for people on limited incomes. The Government should separately review the affordability of telecommunications and assess what more needs to be done to support people on limited incomes.

Download:  docxACCAN Submission to Consumer Safeguards Review Part C V1.1866.27 KB
Download:  pdfACCAN Submission to Consumer Safeguards Review Part C V1.1525.49 KB

 Note: V1.1 updates the previous version in which data on page 14 was incorrect. The figures for time and cost to consumers and other references have been corrected.