The ACMA have proposed new rules to improve telecommunications service standards.

ACCAN supports the draft rules because they ensure telcos pass on to affected customers certain rebates received from wholesalers, such as NBN, when issues of delayed connections and fault repairs, and missed appointments occur. In our submission, we urged that the customer should receive the full amount of rebate, whether that be a direct financial payment or through a measure put in place by their telcos to fix the issue, such as 4G back-up modems.

The rules also proposed that retailers give clear commitments on the service levels they will provide, and the remedies they will offer customers when the standards are not met. ACCAN supports this proposal but recommends that the ACMA set the service standards. Service levels in relation to connection timeframes and fault rectification should be the same as the Customer Service Guarantee timeframes, rather than having the retailer decide them.

Importantly, ACCAN considers that these uniform retail service commitments should be underpinned by national wholesale service standards set by the Minister for Communications.

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