Publications

Documents under review

All Communications Alliance published documents (Code/Guideline/Standard) are reviewed from time to time.

Review aims

To identify:
  • any existing issues with the document;
  • whether any process improvement is required, from operational experience in dealing with the document;
  • any gaps in the document;
  • clarifications that improve requirements;
  • whether the document is meeting the needs of industry and the community satisfactorily; and
  • expected impact of technology changes.
The document review will focus on its obligations and what it delivers, rather than compliance with the document, noting that it operates in the current legislative framework.

Review process

The Communications Alliance Document Maintenance Policy and Process defines the policy on the review of Communications Alliance documents.

All comments received will be considered by representatives of stakeholders to prepare a specific recommendation and reasons to revise, reconfirm or withdraw the published document.

Outcomes of the review

The outcome of the review of a document will be a decision to revise, amend (in the case of Standards), reconfirm or withdraw the published document.

Note that a review will not necessarily lead to the document being changed with a new version being published.

Want to submit a comment on document under review?

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post or fax.

All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Documents under review – open for comment

Communications Alliance is seeking comments from interested parties on the following Standard:

AS/CA S004 specifies the technical requirements for Customer Equipment (CE) that is designed or intended to transmit and receive voice frequency signals for voice communication, voice messages or tones by direct or indirect electrical or electro acoustic means, and for connection to a Telecommunications Network. AS/CA S004 is a mandatory Standard under the Telecommunications Act 1997, and is called up under ACMA Telecommunications (Labelling Notice for Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Instrument 2015. Further regulatory information can be found on the ACMA website at https://www.acma.gov.au/technical-standards.

Specific comment is sought on the following issues which have been brought to our attention:

Applicability of AS/CA S004 to devices connected to the telecommunications network

Australian technical regulations apply equipment used for voice communications within in a customer’s premises which are connected to a telecommunications network. AS/CA S004 in the applicable Standard, which includes requirements for signal levels, frequency responses, loudness ratings and acoustic safety. In addition to devices that are traditionally thought of as telephone devices, other devices such as videoconference units and gaming consoles can fall within the scope of this Standard. Comment is sought on what devices need to comply with AS/CA S004.

Acoustic safety

The requirements for acoustic safety are specified in two AS/CA Standards: AS/CA S004 Clause 5.4.3.7 for landline (non-PMTS) devices, and AS/CA S042.1 Clause 5.5 for mobile (PMTS) devices. Although AS/CA S042.1 is not subject to this review, it is currently being revised by the Communications Alliance WC107 Working Committee and better alignment of the acoustic safety requirements of these two Standards has been proposed. Issues raised in the context of AS/CA S042.1 include further protection from loud audible alerts, and increasing the frequency testing range to 8 kHz to cater for wideband codecs (which is becoming more relevant now with the closure of the 3G networks and the move to 4G/5G networks). It is noted that these acoustic safety requirements in these two Standards are unique to Australia.

All submissions are due by 5 p.m. on Monday 20 November 2023. Submissions received will be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

 

Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code review is currently underway. Click here for more information.

Documents under review – comment period expired

The comment period has expired for the documents under review listed below.

C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment
(C564:2020) https://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/codes/c564

The Code is designed to:

  • provide greater transparency to local community and councils when a Carrier is planning, selecting sites for, installing and operating mobile phone radiocommunications infrastructure; and
  • allow the community and councils to have greater participation in the decision-making process of Carriers when deploying mobile phone base stations.

Comments received will be considered by representatives of stakeholders , to prepare a specific recommendation for Communications Alliance. The outcome of the review will be a decision to revise, reconfirm or withdraw the Code.

Comments on the document were requested by 5 p.m. (AEST) on Friday 14th July 2023.

All submissions received may be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

G591:2006 – Telecommunications in Road Reserves – Operational Guidelines for Installations
(G591:2006) http://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/guidelines/g591

The Guideline provides:
  • guidance for Road Authorities and Carriers to manage their respective facilities in road reserves safely, effectively and efficiently; and
  • guidance on co-ordination, considerations for positioning telecommunications facilities in road reserves, attachment of telecommunications facilities to road authority structures, planning and sharing information.
Comments received will be considered by representatives of stakeholders , to prepare a specific recommendation for Communications Alliance. The outcome of the review will be a decision to revise, reconfirm or withdraw the Guideline.

Comments on the document were requested by 5 p.m. (AEST) on Friday 14th July 2023.

All submissions received may be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Communications Alliance is seeking comments for a scheduled review of the below documents:


Mobile Number Portability Incorporating Amendment No.1/2015 Industry Code - C570 - MNP Code
The MNP Code has been developed to specify the procedural arrangements required to Port a Mobile Service Number between Carriage Service Providers, where there is a change in Mobile Carrier network. Elements of the Code could be utilised by Carriers and Carriage Service Providers in other customer transfer scenarios. Carriers and Carriage Service Providers (including long distance CSPs) must fulfil their routing obligations under the Numbering Plan. The MNP Code provides for automated interfaces between Mobile Carriers/Carriage Service Providers to support Mobile Number Portability in the distribution of routing information.

Mobile Number Portability also has a number of operational guidelines which accompany the MNP Code. These will be reviewed at the same time on a case-by-case basis, dependent on any concerns raised during the review or to ensure alignment with the MNP Code.
  • G573.1:2009     MNP IT Specification Part 1- Transaction Analysis
  • G573.1:2009     Appendix E  XML Messaging Formats
  • G573.2:2009     MNP IT Specification Part 2 – Architecture and Messaging Requirements
  • G573.3:2020     MNP IT Specification Part 3 – Common Network
  • G574:2009       Mobile Number Portability – Customer Information
  • G575:2009       Mobile Number Portability Ported Number Register
  • G579:2015       Mobile Number Portability Operations Manual
  • G592:2009       Mobile Number Portability IT Test Strategy
  • G593:2009       Mobile Number Portability IT Test Plan
Inbound Number Portability Industry Code – C657 INP Code
Specifies the minimum operational procedures between Carriers/Carriage Service Providers (jointly CSPs) and other industry participants for the implementation of Inbound Number Portability. (The portability of Freephone (18/1800) and Local Rate Numbers (13/1345/1300))

The aim of each review is to identify:
  • any existing issues with the Code(s);
  • whether any process improvement is required, from operational experience in dealing with the Code(s);
  • any gaps in the Code(s);
  • clarifications that improve requirements;
  • whether the document is meeting the needs of industry and the community satisfactorily; expected impact of technology changes or overlap with any new or existing industry regulations.
Comments received will be considered by representatives of stakeholders , to prepare a specific recommendation for Communications Alliance. The outcome of the review will be a decision to revise, reconfirm or withdraw the Code(s).

Comments on the above documents were requested by 5 p.m. (AEST) on Monday 15 MAY 2023.

All submissions received may be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Comments


Communications Alliance is seeking comments from interested parties on the following Standards:


• AS/CA S002:2010 Analogue interworking and non-interference requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network

• AS/ACIF S016:2001 Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to hierarchical digital interfaces

• AS/ACIF S031:2001 Requirements for ISDN Basic Access Interface

• AS/ACIF S038:2001 Requirements for ISDN Primary Rate Access Interface

• AS/CA S043.2:2016 Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 2: Broadband

AS/CA S002:2010 specifies the technical requirements for customer equipment (CE), and in the case of compound CE the parts of the compound CE, that are designed or intended for connection to an analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) two-wire service. The Standard was amended in 2012 and reconfirmed in May 2017. This Standard is called up under telecommunications regulations providing compliance requirements for new CE to meet for connection to the PSTN. Although some of the requirements in AS/CA S002 are becoming out-of-date, due to the deceasing applicability of this Standard to products coming to market, its status remains as a reconfirmed Standard unless urgent work is identified to initiate a revision.

AS/ACIF S016:2001 applies to Customer Equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces at 2048 kbit/s, 8448 kbit/s, 34 368 kbit/s or 139 264 kbit/s that is designed or intended for connection to a Telecommunications Network. The CE-Network requirements in this Standard describe a point-to-point configuration comprising two connections, one for digital transmission from the CE to Network and one for digital transmission from the Network to CE. It was last reconfirmed February 2018. Due to the deceasing applicability of this Standard to new CE coming to market, it remains as a reconfirmed Standard until such time that a decision to withdraw the Standard is made.

AS/ACIF S031:2001 specifies the technical conditions and performance requirements for certain CE at the Physical, Data Link and Network Layers (Layers 1, 2 and 3) when connected to an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Access interface at the S/T reference point. The equipment covered by this Standard is all CE that is intended for connection to an ISDN Basic Access for the purpose of receiving information from, or transmitting information to, the ISDN. It was last reconfirmed in February 2018.

AS/ACIF S038:2001 specifies the technical conditions and performance requirements, at the Physical, Data Link and Network Layers (Layers 1, 2 and 3), for CE that is intended for connection to an ETSI ISDN Primary Rate Access Digital Subscriber Signalling No. 1 (DDS 1) interface for the purpose of receiving information from, or transmitting information to, the ISDN at the T reference point. It was last reconfirmed in February 2018.

On 14 December 2022, the ACMA repealed the regulatory instruments (the ACMA technical standards) that make AS/ACIF S031 and AS/ACIF S038 mandatory Standards under telecommunications regulations. Although some enterprises and businesses are still using equipment on legacy ISDN networks, as these two Standards are no longer called up under regulations, consideration is being given to withdrawal the two Standards, noting that withdrawn Standards, now voluntary, are still available on request.

AS/CA S043.2:2016 applies to CE that is designed or intended for connection to a Telecommunications Network via a metallic local loop interface and has a broadband capability. The Standard was published in August 2016 with two further amendments in October 2017 and October 2018. An existing Communication Alliance Working Committee, WC93, is carrying out a targeted review of the C658 Next-Generation Broadband Systems Deployment in Customer Cabling Industry Code and AS/CA S043.2 to align these two publications with international developments in G.fast technology. WC93 has concluded that specifically with respect to G.fast technology, AS/CA S043.2 is not in need of revision. The AS/CA S043.2 Standard in its entirety is now out for review.

For any of the listed Standards listed above, the aim of the review are to identify:

  • any existing issues with the Standard
  • whether any process improvement is required, from operational experience in dealing with the Standard;
  • any gaps in the Standard;
  • clarifications that improve requirements;
  • whether the Standard is meeting the needs of industry and the community satisfactorily; and
  • expected impact of technology changes.

This review follows our Document Maintenance Policy and Process procedure.

The publications can be downloaded from https://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/Standards  

Further information can be found on the Documents under review webpage.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments, submit via email (info@commsalliance.com.au) or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post or fax.

All submissions were due by 5 p.m. on Friday 21 APRIL 2023. Submissions received will be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Scheduled Review of Customer Authorisation Industry Guideline

Communications Alliance is seeking comments for a scheduled review of the following industry Guideline:
Customer Authorisation Industry Guideline (G651:2017).

The Customer Authorisation Industry Guideline is designed to provide:
  • common information to be provided to all telecommunications Customers before they agree to a Transfer; and
  • information to be obtained from the customer or their Authorised Representative for the gaining Carriage Service Provider (CSP) to obtain a valid Customer  Authorisation (CA).
The aim of the review is to identify:
  • any existing issues with the Guideline;
  • whether any process improvement is required, from operational experience in dealing with the Guideline;
  • any gaps in the Guideline;
  • clarifications that improve requirements;
  • whether the document is meeting the needs of industry and the community satisfactorily;
  • expected impact of technology changes or overlap with any new or existing industry regulations.
The Guideline can be downloaded from here.

Note that a review will not necessarily lead to the document being changed with a new version being published.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments, submit via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post.

All submissions received may be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

COMMENTS ON THE DOCUMENT WERE REQUESTED BY 5 p.m. (AEDST) ON WEDNESDAY 22nd MARCH 2023 

Comments


Communications Alliance Revising Guideline G660:2018, Assisting Customers Experiencing Domestic and Family Violence

The Guideline is a reference document for how providers can assist customers who are experiencing domestic or family violence. It was published in October 2018, and provides a range of methods and tools providers can consider, in addition to education for everyone in the telecommunications industry on the types and impacts of domestic and family violence.

Communications Alliance reviewed the document in 2019 and 2020, with an initial public comment period that closed on Friday 10 January 2020.

We sought input on experiences using the Guideline by both telecommunications suppliers and consumers, new information or practices to consider, or recommended changes. We welcomed input from all relevant parties, including consumers, specialists in domestic and family violence services, law enforcement, and industry.

A Working Group, consisting of industry and consumer representatives, is now revising the document, and anticipates further consultation at a later stage.

The current Guideline can be found here

Send input or questions via email to info@commsalliance.com.au.