Issue No 3: 18 February 2019
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Like us on Facebook ACOMMS 2019 Launched
Nominations have opened for the Australian communications industry’s premier awards - the ACOMMS - with 11 categories celebrating performance excellence in innovation, customer service, marketing and product solutions across the breadth of the telecommunications sector.
Australia’s leading national newspaper, The Australian is once again the official Media Partner of the ACOMMS in 2019.
The ACOMM awards will be presented at the 13th Annual ACOMMS Dinner on 15 August, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency, Sydney, attended by more than 400 senior players from industry, the media, regulators and the Parliamentary sphere.
Visit the 2018 ACOMMS photo gallery here and highlights video here. And see the 2018 winners here.
2019 KEY DATES
Launch: Monday 18 February
Nominations Close: Friday 10 May
Early Bird Registrations Close: Friday 31 May
Shortlist Announced: Thursday 4 July
ACOMM Awards Presentation Dinner: Thursday 15 August
ACOMMS 2019 - Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsoring the ACOMMS provides a unique opportunity for brand positioning. As a sponsor, you will have your organisation highlighted in front of a sell-out audience of more than 450 - including some of the most influential professionals and decision-makers in the Telco industry, Government and the regulatory sphere. Please contact Carolyn Todd on +61 3 9663 3093 or email info@acomms.com.au to discuss sponsorship opportunities at the 2019 ACOMM Awards.
www.acomms.com.au
Registration of Industry Code for Managing Interference Among DSL Services on the NBN
The ACMA has included the Next-Generation Broadband Systems Deployment in Customer Cabling Industry Code (C658:2019) on its register of industry codes. The date of registration is 4 February 2019.
C658:2019 is designed to prevent performance-degrading Unacceptable Interference within Customer Cabling that carries Legacy Systems (e.g. ADSL2+ technology) and/or Next Generation Broadband Systems (e.g. VDSL2 technology).
As part of the initial code implementation processes, for the first two months after code registration Systems meeting the requirements in C658:2019 can have the same effective Priority Date. This can have added importance should a System Provider consider a future System upgrade e.g. in determining Priority Order among two or more Systems for a system update. Refer to C658:2019 for more information on this.
Communications Alliance manages for the industry the ‘List of Participants’ defined in C658:2019. This is to assist System Providers with Notification processes in C658:2019. Please contact Communications Alliance if you want more information on this.
C658:2019 is available from the Communications Alliance website at:
http://commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/codes/c658
The webpage for C658:2019 also links to a presentation slide pack to introduce the main concepts in how the code helps to manage interference between services.
The list of industry codes registered under Part 6 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 is available from the ACMA website at:
https://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/Library/Corporate-library/Forms-and-registers/register-of-codes
Submissions on ACMA Spectrum Consultations
The Communications Alliance Satellite Service Working Group (SSWG) has recently provided responses to a number of spectrum-related consultations issued by the ACMA.
The ACMA is proposing changes to a Radiocommunications Assignment and Licensing Instruction (RALI MS 44) on the frequency coordination procedures for the earth station protection zones. In its response the SSWG reaffirmed its support for the concept of protection zones, providing the appropriate certainty for satellite industry investments. The simplification of coordination requirements in protection zones are welcomed by the satellite industry.
The SSWG provided a response to the ACMA on a second consultation on coordinating radiocommunications licencing requirements for body scanners, as used at airports. The SSWG reaffirmed its support for the proposed change by the ACMA to the Radiocommunications Assignment and Licensing Instructions (RALI MS 38) to remove the requirements for body scanners, as they are now authorised via class licences.
The SSWG also strongly supports the ACMA’s intention to bring regulation into line with contemporary international frameworks. This has the dual benefits of flexibility and economic advantages for the scanner community, whilst taking into account modern needs and developments in aviation communications.
In a third consultation, the SSWG provided a response to the ACMA consultation on frequency coordination arrangements between apparatus-licensed microwave fixed point-to-point links and earth stations. The initial focus is on coordination procedures for the 6 GHz and 6.7 GHz microwave fixed point-to-point bands and earth station transmitters communicating with geostationary satellite (GSO) systems in the fixed-satellite service (FSS).
Review of Regulation of Telecommunications Customer Cabling
Communications Alliance provided a submission on the ACMA Review of regulation of telecommunications customer cabling. The submission highlights a number of drivers for change which make this ACMA review timely, including developments in technology, consumer expectations moving from a PSTN-centric environment to ubiquitous fast broadband, the advent of smart homes and the era of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Communications is increasingly seen as an essential service provided by the telecommunications sector over critical infrastructure. The telecommunications industries and the technologies being deployed are evolving. The Consultation Paper urges caution against any premature winding back or softening of customer cabling regulations that may adversely affect the health and safety of persons using/working with cabling installations. The Consultation Paper also highlights the growing use of communications cabling for power distribution and that cabling within customer premises may become increasingly difficult to manage, as the regulatory demarcation lines of electrical and communications cabling systems increasingly blur.
Communications Alliance Submission on the ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry Preliminary Report
The submission re-states our industry’s commitment to the protection of privacy and personal information but also raises some high-level concerns around the scope of some of the preliminary recommendations of the Report that are aimed at broader regulatory reform and changes to legislation, e.g. the Privacy Act 1968. These recommendations may thereby impact the whole economy, i.e. numerous sectors which are not, or ought not be, the subject of the Inquiry which is focused on online search engines, social media and digital platforms.
Communications Alliance points out that the Report does not provide guidance as to what particular ‘harm’ the suggested economy-wide changes propose to address in the sectors that are not subject of the Inquiry, nor does it make clear what protective advantages the proposed changes would provide.
The submission, therefore, recommends further evidence-based analysis and consultation on these issues, including the development of an Issues Paper and recommendations for review.
Communications Alliance Seeking Review Comments on C647:2017 NBN Access Transfer Industry Code
Communications Alliance is seeking comments for a scheduled review of the following Code:
C647:2017 NBN Access Transfer Industry Code.
This Code describes the minimum processes between Customers, RSPs, Access Seekers and Access Providers for the post-migration transfer of fibre access services over the NBN and seeks to minimise Customer impacts during the Transfer of an active NBN Service between RSPs.
The aim of the review is to identify any existing issues with the Code;
- whether any process improvement is required, from operational experience in dealing with the Code;
- any gaps in the Code;
- 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 Code.
The Code can be downloaded from here.
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.
Further information can be found on the Documents under review webpage. All submissions are due by 5:00 p.m. (AEST) on Friday 15 March 2019. Submissions received will be made publicly available on the Communications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise
Interested in the Consumer Data Right Debate?
Read the updated Status Report on the Consumer Data Right, Open Banking and Federal Government Data Release and Sharing In Australia by Peter Leonard, Principal, Data Synergies.
Also read the joint Communications Alliance – AiiA – DIGI submission on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2018.
New Members
Communications Alliance is pleased to welcome the following new member:
VoIPLine Telecom
| In 2013, VoIPLine Telecom obtained its own AS numbers with APNIC and later with RIPE (autonomous system number) and we currently peer with multiple IP Transit providers and have direct cross connects with major UK, Australian and New Zealand Telephony carriers. Being independent allows VoIPLine to negotiate much better deals and pass on the savings to our clients. VoIPLine have eliminated complex support escalation processes and address customer enquiries directly to the person in charge. VoIPLine are here to help your business grow and there is nothing better than hearing about success of our clients. |
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