ACMA Varies Compliance and Monitoring Arrangements for the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code

Abstract

In March 2016, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) approved amendments proposed by the Communications Alliance, the Australian telecommunications sector's self-regulatory body, to the compliance and monitoring arrangements for the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code). The compliance and monitoring arrangements set out the steps that suppliers of telecommunications services to residential and small business customers (suppliers) must take in order to comply with the substantive obligations of the TCP Code - the provisions dealing with consumer sales, service and contracts; billing; credit and debt management; change of suppliers; and complaint handling. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has broadly welcomed the amendments. However, it has expressed disappointment that there remains no obligation requiring Communications Compliance (CommsCom), the industry body responsible for monitoring TCP Code compliance by suppliers, to disclose information about the customer service performance of each supplier to the public.