Communications Alliance Pty Ltd

Industry Pushes for Faster Introduction of Free Mobile Calls to 1800 Numbers

Sydney, 22 May 2013

Communications Alliance welcomes the decision of the ACMA to vary the Numbering Plan to enable customers to call freephone 1800 numbers from their mobile phones at no charge

Removing charges for mobile calls to 1800 numbers was a key component in the industry (alternative) proposal made to the ACMA in November 2012. That proposal also included a package of measures to enable consumers to better understand and manage their spend when calling both 1800 and 13/1300 services.

Our members are also pleased that the ACMA is giving further consideration to the other 13/1300 elements of the industry proposal. Communications Alliance is now responding to ACMA requests for additional information on how these industry proposals would be given effect.

Consistent with the industry proposal, we are focusing on delivering free mobile calls to 1800 numbers earlier than the 1 January 2015 timeframe previously proposed by the ACMA. Industry’s ability to deliver these benefits to consumers more rapidly is made possible because the industry proposal involves fewer changes to call types, commercial arrangements and tariffing than would be the case under the alternative ACMA proposal. The industry proposal also removes the risk that consumers would actually end up paying more for mobile calls to 13 and 1300 numbers.

Under the industry proposal consumers will continue to be able to take advantage of mobile plans that enable 13/1300 calls from mobile handsets to be part of the included value allowance of the plan. For the vast majority of consumers this means that mobile calls to these services are already at zero additional cost to the consumer. This would not be the case under the original ACMA proposal, which was developed before the widespread availability and take up of these plans by mobile subscribers

Over the past two years Industry has taken a proactive approach to emerging issues around the cost of mobile calls to 13/1300 services, by ensuring that a wide range of “13/1300-Friendly” mobile plans are in the marketplace and available to all categories of consumers, whether they are looking for a plan that is pre-paid, post-paid, high-usage or lower usage.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Falling complaint numbers are good news for Telco consumers

Sydney, 14 March 2013 – Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) about mobile services fell by 30 per cent over the past year as the industry’s new consumer protection code took effect, Communications Alliance said today.

Figures released today by the TIO for the period October to December 2012 – the first full quarter since the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code came into force – also showed that total complaints dropped by 20.3 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, said the welcome reductions in complaints pointed to the fact that service providers were working hard to comply with the upgraded consumer protections in the TCP Code.

“Complaints about billing, complaint handling, credit management and contracts have all fallen over each of the last four quarters, and the volume of complaints that are not resolved at the initial level are also down by more than 34 per cent since the beginning of 2012,” Mr Stanton said.

“It is encouraging that these reductions are being achieved during a period when public awareness of the TIO has risen dramatically – a factor that itself will tend to generate higher complaint volumes.”

The TCP Code was put in place by Communications Alliance and the industry itself, with help from consumers and regulator representatives and is the most comprehensive upgrade ever achieved for consumer protection in the telecommunications industry.

Additional obligations around billing information and pre-sale delivery of information to consumers took effect on 1 March 2013, as part of the phased introduction of key measures in the Code.

“The challenge now is to ensure we can achieve industry-wide compliance with the Code provisions and continue to achieve higher customer satisfaction and further falls in complaint levels,” Mr Stanton said.

The industry has established an independent code compliance monitoring company called Communications Compliance Ltd, which is working with service providers, regulators and consumer groups to help build a broad culture of compliance.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

2013 ACOMM Awards - Communications industry awards open for entries

Sydney, 4 March 2013 – Nominations have opened for the Australian communications industry’s premier awards, the ACOMMS, with 11 categories reflecting the development, innovation and service focus that underpin the sector.

The ACOMM Awards are jointly presented by Communications Alliance and Communications Day and recognise excellence among communications industry participants including individuals, service providers, content providers, carriers, technology partners, consultants and third party suppliers.  Sponsoring the ACOMM Awards are Optus, VASP and DGiT Consultants.

The ACOMMS will this year be awarded to companies that have excelled in

• Innovation (Large)
• Innovation (SME)
• Services to Industry - Professional Services
• Commitment to Customer Service (Corporate / Business)
• Commitment to Customer Service (Consumer)
• Innovation in Content Delivery
• Partnerships for growth
• Satellite Provider of the Year Award
• Community Contribution
• Young Achiever
• Communications Ambassador

A new category in 2013 is Satellite Provider of the Year.  This award recognises excellence in the provision of satellite communications or satellite-related products and services in Australia.  It is open to Satellite initiatives and/or projects undertaken by a company or an individual in Australia.

The Communications Ambassador Award and Young Achiever Award continue to recognise two outstanding individuals who have promoted the industry’s interests during the preceding year.

Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said: “The ACOMMS have a justified reputation as the ultimate in industry recognition for excellence.

“I encourage companies small and large to submit their work in relevant categories. Once again we expect the awards to produce strong competition and look forward to honouring the organisations that have showcased the highest standards and industry best practice over the past year.”

“We are continuing with our Communications Ambassador Award and the Young Achiever Award to recognise future industry leaders as well as the storied service and leadership that senior figures in our industry have given to the telco sector.”

"Competition in past years for the awards has been intense and we have no doubt that this year's ACOMMS will again showcase the excellence in Australian telecoms," said CommsDay publisher Grahame Lynch.

Nominations for the awards close on 22 April 2013.  Full details of the awards and criteria are available at http://www.acomms.com.au/nominations.php

The ACOMMS will be announced and presented at the 7th Annual ACOMMS Dinner to be held on 18 July 2013 at the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel, Sydney and attended by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.
 
Registrations for the dinner can be made at http://www.acomms.com.au/register.php .

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Better Information for Telco Customers Under TCP Code Requirements Effective 1 March

Sydney, 28 February 2013 – Australian consumers will receive comprehensive, consistent and clear information about telecommunications products and services before they purchase, under stronger consumer protections taking effect on 1 March 2013.

The new Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code (http://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/codes/c628) requires all Australian service providers to give customers a standardised format “Critical Information Summary” (CIS) outlining everything needed to make an informed purchase, and/or to readily compare offers from different providers.

In addition, new billing requirements also taking effect on 1 March mean that all telecommunications bills for included-value products must now list the total billed amount for each of the two previous billing periods, making it easier for consumers to track their spend.

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, said the new requirements were part of the progressive implementation of upgraded consumer protections following the registration of the new TCP Code by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in 2012.

“Many service providers have taken the initiative to introduce Critical Information Summaries ahead of the Code schedule. This improved information flow is helping customers better understand what they are buying and is contributing to the strong recent falls in complaints to the industry Ombudsman”, Mr Stanton said.

The TCP Code includes requirements in a wide range of customer facing areas including advertising, customer information, billing, credit management and complaint handling.

The CIS is a plain-language document no longer than two pages, in which service providers must provide, for each of their current offers, details including:

• a clear description of the telecommunications service to be provided under the offer;
• any minimum term applying to the product set out in the offer;
• inclusions, exclusions and any important conditions, limitations, restrictions or qualifications;
• the minimum and maximum monthly charge payable under the offer (where calculable);
  the maximum charge payable for early termination of the offer;
• unit pricing information for included value mobile plans, including the cost of making a 2 minute Standard National Mobile Call, the cost of sending a Standard National Mobile SMS and the cost of using one megabyte of data within Australia;
• whether the offer depends on a bundling arrangement with other telecommunications services;
• whether any telecommunications equipment forms part of the offer;
• for an included value plan, an estimate of the maximum number of 2 minute standard national mobile calls that can be made within the included-value allowance;
• a link to the area on the service provider’s website where the customer can obtain call and data usage information or instructions on where the customer can obtain call and data usage information;
• warnings about domestic and international roaming costs; and
• customer service contact details, information about how to access the Service Provider’s internal dispute resolution processes and contact details for the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).
• Service providers are required to make the CIS readily accessible on their website and to make the CIS available free of charge at their retail stores, where applicable.

Providing the CIS to customers and meeting the new billing requirements form part of the overall compliance requirements for all Australian service providers. On 1 April this year all providers need to attest to Communications Compliance (a new, independent code monitoring body), that they are compliant with the TCP Code, or submit an action plan detailing how they will become compliant.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Revised Australian Standard for Customer Cabling Installation

Sydney, 14 February 2013 – New rules for the safe installation of optical fibre communications in customer premises are part of a revised Australian Standard for telecommunications wiring published by Communications Alliance.

The AS/CA S009 Installation Requirements for Customer Cabling (Wiring Rules) Standard (in its various guises) has been the backbone of the cabling industry in Australia for several decades. The Standard sets out the minimum requirements to ensure the safety and integrity of a cabling installation in customer premises and of the telecommunications network to which it is connected.

Australia‟s 65,000 registered cablers treat the Standard as their cabling „Bible‟.

John Stanton, CEO of Communications Alliance, said the revised Standard included important new safety rules for cabling of optical fibre systems in customer premises, along with updated rules covering cabling in hazardous areas, water immersion issues, aerial cabling and cabling between buildings.

He said that more than 20 stakeholder organisations and individuals across the communications sector and broader industry had contributed to the updated rules.

“The cabling sector touches the lives of every Australian and it is important that Standards remain „fit for purpose‟, particularly as the roll-out of the National Broadband Network gathers pace”, Mr Stanton said.

The revised Standard will be submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) with the recommendation that it be substituted for the previous version, created in 2006.

The Working Committee responsible for the revision was chaired by Mr Murray Teale from VTI Services and has produced a revised draft which reflects the quality of the feedback received from the review.

The Standard proposes new and revised requirements in a number of key areas, including the following:

• expanded provisions covering cabling in hazardous areas and explosive atmospheres
• new requirements for the separation of customer cabling from non-electrical hazardous services
• expanded requirements for optical interface cleaning and inspection
• new provisions for the labelling of panels, enclosures and outlets in optical fibre systems
• updated guidance for cabling in domestic installations, including the installation of Category 5 cabling as a minimum
• new requirements for cabling between buildings to address potential hazards associated with lightning activity and power earth differentials
• additional requirements for cables that are immersed in water within a conduit or duct
• small assemblies of sockets (up to 6) can now be installed by „Restricted‟ cabling providers to facilitate basic NBN installations
• a new appendix providing guidance on the installation of aerial customer cabling

The Standard is available on the Communications Alliance website.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Consumers Face Higher Prices Under ACMA Proposal on 1800/13/1300 Calls

Sydney, 20 December 2012 – Most consumers would pay more for mobile calls to 13 and 1300 numbers under regulatory changes proposed today by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), industry body Communications Alliance has warned.

The telco industry has thrown its weight behind a proposal to make mobile calls to 1800 numbers free of charge, but is concerned that the ACMA proposal regarding calls to 13 and 1300 numbers has been overtaken by market developments and would actually increase charges for most Australians.

The ACMA today released a Consultation Paper on the cost of mobile calls to 13,1300 and 1800 numbers. The paper contains two proposals. The first is from the ACMA while the second is a market-based solution developed by industry and designed to ensure that:

• every Australian consumer will enjoy free mobile calls to 1800 numbers – and that this will be available to consumers earlier than proposed by the ACMA; and
• all consumers are able to avoid high costs for mobile calls to 13 or 1300 numbers by choosing an included value plan from their service provider.

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, welcomed the ACMA‟s willingness to continue working with industry and other stakeholders to identify the best solution to what is without question a complex set of issues.

Mr Stanton said it seemed clear that the key stakeholders in the „1813‟ issue – including consumer representatives, the telecommunications industry, the ACMA and government – shared a common core objective.

“That objective is to ensure that Australian consumers need not pay high costs to make calls from a mobile phone to 1800, 13 or 1300 numbers.

“The market-based industry proposal clearly delivers on that objective and can accelerate the benefits to consumers,” Mr Stanton said.

“But the risk is that the ACMA proposal would add costs for consumers and adversely impact the providers of 13/1300 numbers, and service providers as well.”

Mr Stanton explained that in the two years since the ACMA had begun considering this issue, the Australian mobiles marketplace had changed dramatically.

“Two years ago very few mobile phone plans included calls to 1800/13/1300 numbers as part of the normal „included value‟ allowance under the plan. Today almost all new mobile plans do include such calls in the allowance – treating them the same as any other standard call.”

“This means that most consumers on new plans effectively pay no additional charge for calling 1800/13/1300 numbers from their mobiles as the charges are covered by their standard plan cost. Pre-paid customers can also sign up to plans that offer unlimited calls to standard and 1800/13/1300 numbers for as little as $1per day,” Mr Stanton said.

“The Industry proposal includes a commitment to ensure that every consumer understands that they can choose an included value plan that provides low-cost access to these numbers.

“One of the problems with the ACMA proposal is that it would introduce untimed call rates into mobile plans for the first time in the history of the industry and mean that carriers would almost certainly need to place calls to 13 and 1300 numbers outside the included value allowance.

“This would mean consumers would end up paying additional charges for every such mobile call – instead of having them included in their allowance at no additional charge.”

“Another problem with the ACMA proposal – which also introduces a new sub-proposal to limit charges from fixed services to 13/1300 numbers to 22 cents – is that it threatens to cripple the viability of companies who provide 13/1300 numbers to make calling convenient for their customers.

“If this occurs, those companies now making 13 and 1300 numbers available to their customers will revert to using geographic-based or mobile numbers – making life less convenient and more costly for consumers – which is counter to the ACMA‟s stated intentions,“ Mr Stanton said.

“Industry has endorsed the proposal to make mobile calls to 1800 free of charge to the calling party, and has offered that if the market-based solution is accepted, industry will work to implement this element earlier than the 1 January 2015 schedule proposed by the ACMA.

“All stakeholders also need to recognise that there is a range of existing commercial and contractual arrangements that need to be addressed before fundamental changes can be made to calling arrangements. These include commercial interconnect agreements between carriers, who cooperate to deliver calls to these types of services across multiple networks. ”

Mr Stanton said the industry remained committed to discussions with consumers, regulators and all other all stakeholders to reach agreement on a solution that benefits consumers without causing unnecessary damage to other players. He said industry would respond in detail to the ACMA paper.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Communications Alliance welcomes Privacy Amendment Bill 2012

Sydney, 29 November 2012 – Communications Alliance welcomes the passing of the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012 by Parliament today, which is due to come into effect in March 2014.

The reforms introduce a number of changes including changes to credit reporting laws, to privacy principles where the one set of principles will now apply to Australian Government agencies and the private sector, and to the powers of the Privacy Commissioner.

Communications Alliance and members acknowledge the efforts of the Attorney General, her staff and Department for their efforts in working with industry to come to a successful conclusion on the Australian Link issue. [The introduction of provisions restricting the ability of credit providers to disclose credit eligibility to entities that do not have an “Australian link” appeared in the Bill. The prohibition on disclosure of any credit-related information to organisations that do not have an Australian link would have major impacts for companies with existing off-shore call centres and data processing facilities.]

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Protecting Our Customers Brochure to Assist Consumers

Sydney, 29 October 2012 – Crucial improvements to the protections available to telecommunications consumers have been detailed in a new guide published today by the telecommunications industry and consumer representatives.

The “Protecting Our Customers” brochure, produced by Communications Alliance in collaboration with the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), summarises the key reforms to customer service and complaint handling contained in the new Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code that came into force in September this year.

The brochure is being widely distributed to consumers by telco service providers throughout Australia and serves to alert consumers to the protections they are now entitled to whenever they purchase and use communications services.
The brochure is also available on the Communications Alliance website here .

The guide outlines the upgraded requirements in areas including:

• the information consumers receive about a product or service prior to purchasing;
• rules to ensure advertising is accurate and contains unit-pricing information;
• accuracy and transparency of telecommunications bills;
• mandatory tools to help consumers track and manage their monthly spend;
• faster and more responsive handling of complaints;
• customer rights when ending a contract; and
• the new framework designed to ensure that all service providers comply with the Code.

Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said the brochure would assist consumers to be fully informed of what to expect from their service provider in a much improved customer service environment.

“Better and easily digestible information helps empower consumers to make the most of their telecommunications services, maintain a productive relationship with their service provider and avoid any unwanted surprises,” Mr Stanton said.

ACCAN CEO Teresa Corbin added: “It’s important that customers are aware of what their rights are in relation to telecommunications products and services and making this brochure available in-store for customers is a welcome initiative.”

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

New Consumer Protection Code a Boon for Telecommunications Users

Deirdre Mason Appointed Chair of Communications Compliance Ltd

Sydney, 11 July 2012 – Communications Alliance today welcomed the Australian and Communications Media Authority’s (ACMA’s) decision to register the revised Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code – a new benchmark for customer service and complaint handling in the communications sector.

Communications Alliance also announced the appointment of experienced Director and telco industry veteran Ms Deirdre Mason as the Independent Chair of Communications Compliance Ltd – the company newly created to foster and monitor industry-wide compliance with the TCP Code.

Ms Mason – a former Director of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), former Chief Executive of the Committee for Sydney and a long-time Telstra executive, responsible for consumer relations – is one of three Directors appointed to Communications Compliance (CC) by the Board of Communications Alliance Ltd.

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, said the new TCP Code was the most comprehensive upgrade of consumer protections ever achieved in the telco sector.

“From much-improved complaint handling and customer service, the introduction of unit-pricing, stronger controls on advertising and billing content, better pre-sale information for consumers and improved credit management, through to a strong, pro-active approach to ensuring compliance, this Code heralds a sea-change in the telco consumer experience in Australia,” Mr Stanton said.

Mr Stanton paid tribute to the stakeholders who played an integral role in the development of the Code, including the ACMA, Minister Stephen Conroy and his Department and advisers, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and a talented team of consumer and industry representatives from more than 20 service providers and organisations.

A summary of the key improvements and initiatives in the Code is at Attachment 1. The Code can be downloaded free of charge from http://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/codes/c628 . Communications Alliance Chair and former Federal Minister for Communications, Mr Michael Lee, will also serve on the Communications Compliance Board.

Communications Compliance will call for expressions of interest from consumer representatives to occupy the third non-executive Director position on its Board. Ms Margaret Fleming will serve on the CC Board in a transitional role until the consumer-representative Director is appointed. The CC Board will also search for an Executive Director to lead the day-to-day operations of the new company.

Mr Stanton described the creation of CC as a landmark event in the transformation of telco industry customer service and complaint handling.

“Communications Compliance fills a vital gap in the co-regulatory framework – that of a strong independent body to verify that service providers nationwide are complying with the comprehensive and expanded set of consumer protections enshrined in the revised TCP Code.

“With founding Directors of the stature and experience of Ms Mason and Mr Lee, CC is on course to play a key role in ensuring an industry-wide culture of compliance that will materially improve the service experience of telecommunications consumers across Australia – to the benefit of customers and service providers alike.

“CC is a company limited by guarantee and independent of Communications Alliance and the industry, and will benefit from direct consumer input at the Board and management levels.”

Ms Mason said that she was looking forward to the development of a valuable tool-kit for the industry as service providers gear up for the 1 September implementation date of the Code.

 “I anticipate that Communications Compliance will be able to supply easy to use processes that simplify adherence to the new Code,” she said.
Mr Stanton urged all industry players who have not already undertaken training to assist them to achieve compliance with the TCP Code to do so by registering their interest http://www.commsalliance.com.au/events/Calendar/2012-Event-06 . 

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS COMPLIANCE

Communications Compliance has been established to create a national compliance monitoring regime to underpin the revised TCP Code, which takes effect on 1 September 2012.

CC will receive verified attestations from all Australian Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) as to whether they are compliant with the Code provisions, which cover key customer interfaces including consumer service and contracts, advertising, billing, credit and debt management, provision of information to customers, changing suppliers and complaint handling.

CSPs that are not fully compliant will be required to submit an ‘action plan’ detailing areas of non-compliance and how the CSP will remedy these to achieve compliance.

CC will publicly identify suppliers who have achieved compliance as well as naming those CSPs that are not compliant – including the nature of the non-compliance. CC will focus on ways to help CSPs become compliant, including via monitoring of progress against Action Plan milestones, external investigations of compliance problems where necessary, and recommendations of corrective actions by CSPs.

CC will also have the power at any time to refer CSPs to the ACMA for investigation and/or enforcement when CSPs cannot or will not change their practices to achieve compliance.

(NB: CC is not a regulatory enforcement body – a function that will appropriately continue to reside with the ACMA. Neither is CC an external complaint-handling body – a function primarily the responsibility of the TIO).

CC will be assisted in its work by Memoranda of Understanding that it will establish with the ACMA, TIO and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), to ensure that it receives complaints data in useable formats and has coordination procedures in place with the regulators.
An advisory committee of two consumer and two industry representatives will also be created to assist the CC Executive Director in the ongoing operation of the company. CC will benefit from initial seed funding provided by Communications Alliance on commercial terms, but it is expected to become financially self-sustaining through membership and/or usage fees levied on industry participants.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Attachment 1: Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code 2012

Key Features & Improvements

Unit-pricing: Advertisements for ‘included value’ mobile plans must prominently display standard pricing elements, i.e. the cost of a 2 minute standard mobile call, the cost of a standard sms and the cost of 1MB data.

Critical Information Summary: A standardised summary of key product and pricing information (including the number of 2 minute calls customers can make using their included value), delivered prior to sale to help consumers understand products better and compare different offers before they buy.

Phase-out of “Cap”: Use of the term “cap” for new plans will be prohibited unless the “cap” is a hard cap that cannot be exceeded.

Stronger prohibitions on potentially misleading terms and stronger controls on network coverage/speed claims.

Usage notifications: Consumers will receive usage notifications when 50%, 85% and 100% of the allowance of the included value of a mobile or broadband internet plan has been used.

Billing: Bills will now also shows historic billing information (i.e. the amount of the last two bills) for included value mobile plans and must include any charges that exceed spend limits or included value thresholds. Stronger rules on free-of-charge provision of historic billing information. Back-billing period decreased to 160 days.

Complaint handling: Customers receive a unique reference number/identifier to track their complaint and an indicative timeframe for resolution. Immediate acknowledgement of a telephone or in-person complaint and all other complaints to be acknowledged within 2 working days. Complaints will be resolved within 15 working days from receipt of the complaint or as soon as practicable in all circumstances. Faster handling of urgent complaints. More explicit advice to consumers on external avenues of recourse, including the TIO.

Communications Compliance (CC): A new, independent body for compliance monitoring of the entire industry. Verified compliance attestations must be filed with CC. Suppliers who do not comply with the Code face public ‘naming and shaming’ and/or referral to the ACMA for investigation and enforcement.

NB: Due to their complex nature, some of the above improvements are subject to a phased implementation. For details, please refer to Clause 1.5 of the TCP Code.

Public Wi-Fi Networks and the Mobile Data Explosion – Communications Alliance Information Paper Released

Sydney, 28 May 2012 - Communications Alliance today released an information paper on the issues being generated by the emergence of Public Wi-Fi Networks in Australia.

The paper, produced by the Public Wi-Fi Networks Group within Comms Alliance, provides an overview of the current state of the Public Wi-Fi industry in Australia and the legal and regulatory obligations and technical requirements to be considered by existing and new operators of Public Wi-Fi networks.

The document, available on the Communications Alliance web-site at www.commsalliance.com.au also looks at the commercial models being employed around such networks, the emergence of new protocols that may significantly boost the capability of Wi-Fi Networks, and end-user issues associated with Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Chair of the Public Wi-Fi Networks Group, Mr Rob Haylock, said the proliferation of ‘smart’ mobile handsets, tablet computers and always-connected applications has contributed to what is being billed the “Mobile Data Explosion”; a phenomenon seen throughout the developed world and front of mind for most telecommunications carriers as they prepare their networks and growth strategies to meet the challenge and best harness this transformation of the mobile environment.

“Public Wi-Fi networks have long been available throughout office environments and public areas such as airports and shopping centres for use as either a free or commercial service for mobile workers, travellers and shoppers, and appear likely to play a larger role in the national ‘connectivity matrix’ in years to come, “ Mr Haylock said.

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton said that because the technical, regulatory and planning guidelines for Public Wi-Fi networks are not as well defined in Australia as they are for mobile networks, the information paper would prove a valuable resource for both existing and new participants in the sector.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613

Communications Alliance Welcomes High Court Decision re iiNet. Will continue to pursue an Industry-Led Scheme

Sydney, 22 April 2012 -  Communications Alliance welcomed today’s unanimous High Court decision to dismiss the appeal by film and television companies against iiNet Limited.

The High Court ruled that the conduct of iiNet did not constitute authorisation of online copyright infringements undertaken by internet users.

Communications Alliance was granted leave by the High Court to be heard as amicus curiae (“friend of the Court”) in support of iiNet’s position and made written and oral submissions to the Court at the hearing in December 2011.

Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton said the judgement provided welcome clarity for all Australian ISPs on the legal situation where copyright infringement by their customers is alleged to have occurred.

“The Court’s unanimous finding that the conduct of iiNet did not constitute authorisation of infringing activity is a particularly welcome piece of guidance for all players in the industry,” Mr Stanton said.

Mr Stanton said Communications Alliance and Australia’s major ISPs were ready to continue discussions already underway with Rights Holders and the Australian Government to see whether a cooperative industry-led scheme could be implemented to address online copyright issues.

“We hope that the High Court judgment will help us accelerate the process of agreeing with rights holders the basis for an industry-led scheme that will discourage copyright infringement, appropriately protect customers’ rights and benefit the industry as a whole,” Mr Stanton said.

Communications Alliance has been in discussion throughout 2011 with a range of rights holders from industries including film, music, publishing, software and gaming. More recently these discussions have also involved the Federal Attorney-General’s Department.

Communications Alliance produced an ISP-supported proposal for an industry-led scheme in late 2011 and has maintained efforts since then to reach agreement on a trial scheme to establish a workable methodology and funding arrangements to effectively combat online copyright infringement.   

Communications Alliance has maintained a dialogue on these issues with consumer representatives and believes it will be important that they be given the opportunity to contribute to the development of any future scheme. 

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Communications Alliance is the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, search engines, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to provide a unified voice for the telecommunications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services. The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance. For more details about Communications Alliance, see www.commsalliance.com.au.

Media information contact:

Kreab Gavin Anderson
Amanda Buckley abuckley@kreabgavinanderson.com 0419 801 349
Lucy Mudd lmudd@kreabgavinanderson.com 0402 106 613