Issue No 14: 26 June 2018
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Improvements to NBN Consumer Migration Rules
Communications Alliance has welcomed a range of improvements to new regulatory instruments published today and designed to assist consumers moving to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The industry regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has published two new Standards covering:
- the provision of information to consumers about NBN-based services; and
- arrangements for providing service continuity if a new NBN-based service is initially not operational.
“The ACMA has taken on board a range of improvements suggested by industry, to make the standards more consumer-friendly and workable,” Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, said today.
“In particular, we are pleased that the ACMA has recognised that it is not sensible to go down the path of re-connecting legacy services in circumstances where fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) or fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) experience initial connection issues.
“This is because these connections use the same copper infrastructure that previously supported legacy services such as ADSL2 – making it impossible to restore the old service and fix the new one at the same time.”
Other improvements to the two standards, flowing from the constructive engagement with the regulator, include:
- more realistic timeframes to reinstate legacy services where this proves necessary;
- refinements to the ways that providers can offer interim services to consumers;
- better arrangements for all players in the supply chain to work together to resolve issues; and
- closer alignment between the ACMA rules and existing industry practice based on guidance by the competition regulator, the ACCC.
Major challenges remain in terms of the short implementation deadlines that pertain to the five new regulatory instruments that are being placed on industry.
Nonetheless, collaboration with the regulator has proved useful and we believe that, combined with existing industry initiatives, a smoother transition to the NBN will result.
Comments Sought on Draft Industry Code: Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment
A revised draft version of the Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code has been released by Communications Alliance for public comment.
- allow the community and councils to have greater participation in decisions made by Carriers when deploying mobile phone base stations; and
- provide greater transparency to local community and Councils when a Carrier is planning, selecting sites for, installing and operating Mobile Phone Radiocommunications Infrastructure.
The obligations on Carriers set out in the Code are also meant to supplement existing regulatory and legislative requirements which Carriers abide by.
Revision of the Code includes updates to notifications provided when more than one site address exists, updates to address changes made to Australia Post’s standard delivery times, blackout periods for notifications and the inclusion of electronic communications, refinements to the handling of Complaints, changes to address the current way stakeholders are notified via newspaper, electronically and social media, amendments to address the introduction of new technologies; and the review and revision of the appendices to ensure the information provided is relevant and up to date.
Information on the Working Committee that developed the variation, including the Terms of Reference, can be found here.
The draft Code and the submitted comments form can be found here.
All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT CLOSES AT 5:00 P.M. (AEST) ON FRIDAY 20 JULY 2018.
Comments Sought on Industry Guideline: Communication Support for Emergency Response
Communications Alliance is seeking comments for a scheduled review of the:
G596:2013 Communication Support for Emergency Response Industry Guideline. The purpose of the Guideline is to provide a standard procedure for the cooperative handling by Carriers and Carriage Service Providers of incidents that require the coordination and communication support of Emergency response.
The Guideline can be downloaded from
http://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/guidelines/g596
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; and
- whether a need exists to amend, reconfirm or withdraw the Guideline.
Further information can be found on the Documents under review webpage.
Submissions received will be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.
ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY 5:00 P.M. (AEST) ON FRIDAY 20 JULY 2018.
Further Assistance to Helplines and Suppliers in Handling Life Threatening and Unwelcome Communications
A variation to the Handling of Life Threatening and Unwelcome Communications Industry Code has been registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The variation to the Code was developed by Communications Alliance and its members, in close collaboration with consumer representatives and Lifeline Australia, which represented the interests of Australian Helpline groups.
The Code puts in place standard procedures for the cooperative handling, management and investigation by suppliers of communications connected with life-threatening communications or a pattern or specified number of unwelcome communications received by consumers and Helplines.
Following the registration and implementation of the 2017 Code, industry identified potential enhancements to some of the processes prescribed in the Code. Now implemented through the variation, these provide for better consultation between Suppliers and Helplines and greater clarity and consistency to the handling of general Unwelcome Communications and Unwelcome Communications received by a Helpline.
The International Institute of Communications event that brings together local and international regulators, industry, academia and civil society to share views on the role of regulation in today’s world – with local and international speakers and delegates providing comparisons and regional experiences.
3-4 July 2018
University of Technology Sydney
Register here
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