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Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999
In force
Administered by
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
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C2014C00636
28 August 2014
-
16 October 2014
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Part 1—Preliminary
1 Short title
2 Commencement
3 Objects and regulatory policy
4 Simplified outline
5 Definitions
6 Standard telephone service
6A When a standard telephone service is supplied in fulfilment of the universal service obligation
7 Application of this Act
7A Application of the Criminal Code
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Part 2—Universal Service Regime
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Division 1—Introduction
8 Simplified outline
8A Objects
8B Special meaning of Australia
8BA Special meaning of standard telephone service
8C Meaning of service area
8D Meaning of claim period
8E Meaning of alternative telecommunications services, or ATS
8F Meaning of approved auditor
8G Meaning of disability
8H Meaning of designated STS area
8J Declaration about alternative contractual arrangements relating to standard telephone services
8K Declaration about alternative contractual arrangements relating to payphones
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Division 2—Universal service obligation
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Subdivision A—What is the universal service obligation?
9 Universal service obligation
9B What is a service obligation?
9C Payphones
9E Supply of standard telephone services
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Subdivision B—Universal service areas
9G Universal service areas
9H Effect of determination
9J Transitional arrangements may be determined
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Division 4—The arrangements for fulfilling the universal service obligation
11 The arrangements that apply to universal service areas
11A Universal service providers
11B Former universal service provider may be required to provide information to current universal service provider
11C Determination of contestable service obligation
11D Effect of determination
11E Transitional arrangements may be determined
11F Section 11C temporarily limited to pilot areas
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Division 5—The default arrangements: primary universal service providers
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Subdivision A—What are the default arrangements?
12 The default arrangements
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Subdivision B—Primary universal service providers
12A Determination of primary universal service providers
12B Effect of determination
12C Obligations of primary universal service providers
12D Transitional: when Telstra is taken to be a primary universal service provider
12E Effect of certain agreements under the Telstra Corporation Act 1991
12EA Exclusive access to universal service subsidy
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Subdivision BA—Standard telephone service requirements
12EB Performance standards
12EC Performance benchmarks
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Subdivision BB—Payphone requirements
12ED Performance standards
12EE Performance benchmarks
12EF Rules about the location of payphones
12EG Rules about the process for public consultation on the location or removal of payphones
12EH Rules about the process for resolution of complaints about the location or removal of payphones
12EI Directions by the ACMA about the removal of payphones
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Subdivision C—Policy statements and standard marketing plans of primary universal service providers
12F Meaning of expressions
12G Minister may determine requirements for drafts
12H Obligation to submit a draft policy statement and draft standard marketing plan
12J Public consultation required on draft policy statement and draft standard marketing plan
12K Approval of draft policy statement
12L Approval of draft standard marketing plan
12M Notice of decision
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Subdivision D—ATS marketing plans of primary universal service providers
12P Meaning of expressions
12Q Minister may determine requirements for drafts
12R Primary universal service provider may submit a draft ATS marketing plan
12S Public consultation required on draft ATS marketing plan
12T Approval of draft ATS marketing plan
12U Notice of decision
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Subdivision E—Replacement, variation and revocation of policy statements, standard marketing plans and ATS marketing plans
12V Replacement of approved policy statement, approved standard marketing plan or approved ATS marketing plan
12W Variation of approved policy statement, approved standard marketing plan or approved ATS marketing plan
12X Notice of decision
12Y Minister may direct variation or replacement of policy statement or standard marketing plan
12Z Minister may revoke approved ATS marketing plan
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Division 6—The standard contestability arrangements: competing universal service providers
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Subdivision A—What are the standard contestability arrangements?
13 The standard contestability arrangements
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Subdivision B—Competing universal service providers
13A Application to be approved as a competing universal service provider
13B Approval of person as a competing universal service provider
13C Date of effect of approval, or variation or revocation of approval
13D Obligations of competing universal service providers
13E Surrender of approval as a competing universal service provider
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Subdivision C—Policy statements and standard marketing plans of competing universal service providers
13F Meaning of expressions
13G Minister may determine requirements for drafts
13H Public consultation on draft policy statement or standard marketing plan
13J Approval of draft policy statement
13K Approval of draft standard marketing plan
13L Notice of decision
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Subdivision D—ATS marketing plans of competing universal service providers
13M Meaning of expressions
13N Minister may determine requirements for drafts
13P Public consultation required on draft ATS marketing plan
13Q Approval of draft ATS marketing plan
13R Notice of decision
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Subdivision E—Replacement, variation and revocation of policy statements, standard marketing plans and ATS marketing plans
13S Replacement of approved policy statement, approved standard marketing plan or approved ATS marketing plan
13T Variation of approved policy statement, approved standard marketing plan or approved ATS marketing plan
13U Notice of decision
13V Minister may revoke approved ATS marketing plan
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Division 7—Determination of alternative arrangements for fulfilling the universal service obligation
14 Determination of alternative arrangements
14A Effect of determination
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Division 9—Universal service subsidy
16 Determination of universal service subsidy
16A Minister must seek ACMA’s advice
16B Effect of the determination
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Division 11—Regulation of universal service charges
18 Universal service charges
18A Determination subjecting universal service charges to price control arrangements
18B Price control determinations
18C Content of price control determinations
18D Price control determinations subject to determinations under Part 9
18E Compliance with price control determinations
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Division 13—Assessment, collection, recovery and distribution of levy
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Subdivision A—Eligible revenue of participating persons
20 Participating person must lodge return of eligible revenue
20A Who is a participating person?
20B What is eligible revenue?
20C What is an eligible revenue period?
20D Audit report of eligible revenue return
20E ACMA may inquire into correctness of return
20F ACMA to assess eligible revenue
20G Assessment based on estimate of eligible revenue
20H Levy contribution factor
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Subdivision B—Levy credits
20J Claims for levy credit
20K Audit report of claim
20L ACMA to publish claims or a summary of claims
20M ACMA may inquire into correctness of claim
20N ACMA to assess levy credit
20P Principles for assessing and adjusting claims
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Subdivision C—Entitlement to levy distributions and liability for levy
20Q No levy payable unless at least one claim for a levy credit is made
20R Levy debit of a participating person
20S Levy debit balance
20T Levy credit balance
20U ACMA to make written assessment
20V Publication of assessment
20W Variation of assessments
20X ACMA may accept statements
20Y Multiple assessments in the same document
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Subdivision D—Collection and recovery of levy
20Z When levy payable
20ZA Levy a debt due to the Commonwealth
20ZB Validity of assessment
20ZC Evidence of assessment
20ZD Onus of establishing incorrectness of assessment
20ZE Refund of overpayment of levy
20ZF Cancellation of certain exemptions from levy
20ZG Commonwealth not liable to levy
20ZH Performance bonds and guarantees
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Division 14—The Universal Service Account and distributions of levy
21 Universal Service Account
21A Credits to Universal Service Account
21B Purposes of Universal Service Account
21C Levy distribution
21D Distribution of remaining balance of the Universal Service Account
21E Recovery of overpayments
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Division 15—Disclosure of information
22 Public may request information
22A Request for information that is unavailable under section 22
22B How the ACMA is to comply with a request
22C Minister’s information-gathering powers
22D Minister may modify way in which this Division applies
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Division 16—Other matters
23 ACMA must maintain Register/s
23A Delegation to the ACMA
23B Effect of failure to publish notices in the Gazette
23C Offence of failing to lodge eligible revenue return
23D Penalty for late payment of levy
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Part 3—The National Relay Service
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Division 1—Introduction
93 Simplified outline
94 Definitions
94A Who is a participating person?
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Division 2—The National Relay Service
95 The National Relay Service (the NRS)
96 Publication of costs of providing the NRS
97 ACMA reports and advice about NRS service plans
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Division 3—The NRS levy
98 Levy quarters
99 Persons liable to pay levy (taxpayers)
100 Amount of levy
100A Variation of taxpayer’s NRS contribution amount
101 Payment of levy
101A Penalty for late payment of levy
101B Performance bonds and guarantees
101C Meaning of most recent eligible revenue assessment
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Division 4—The NRS Account
102 The NRS Account
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Part 4—Continued access to untimed local calls
103 Simplified outline
104 Requirement to provide an untimed local call option
105 Untimed local call option
106 Eligible local calls
107 Benefits for customers outside standard zones
108 Standard zones
109 Applicable zones
110 Eligible customer
111 Points
112 Application of this Part
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Part 5—Customer service guarantee
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Division 1—Introduction
113 Simplified outline
114 Interpretation
114A Wholesale carriage service and wholesale customer
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Division 2—Retail performance standards and benchmarks
115 Performance standards
116 Damages for breach of performance standards
117 Scale of damages for breach of performance standards
117A Time for payment of damages for breach of performance standards
117B Performance benchmarks
117C Compliance with performance benchmarks
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Division 3—Wholesale performance standards and benchmarks
117D Performance standards
117E Performance benchmarks
117F Compliance with performance benchmarks
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Division 4—Other provisions
118 Remedial directions—compliance with performance standards
118A Right of contribution
119 Evidentiary certificate issued by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
120 Waiver of customer service guarantee
120A Carriage service may be supplied on condition that the customer waives the customer service guarantee
121 Savings of other laws and remedies
122 Breach of performance standard is not an offence
122A Failure to meet or exceed a minimum benchmark is not an offence
123 Clause 1 of Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1997 does not apply to a breach of a performance standard
124 Minister may direct the ACMA about the use of its powers under this Part
125 Review of performance standards following Ministerial direction
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Part 6—The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
126 Simplified outline
127 Eligible carriage service providers
128 Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman scheme
129 Exemptions from requirement to join scheme
130 Direction to join scheme
131 Determination that a class of carriage service providers must join scheme
132 Members of scheme must comply with scheme
133 Register of members of scheme
133A Reviews of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman scheme
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Part 7—Protection for residential customers against failure by carriage service providers to provide standard carriage services
134 Simplified outline
135 Scope of Part
136 Standard residential customer
137 Protected payments
138 Compliance with protection schemes for protected payments
139 Protection schemes for protected payments—alternative supply of standard carriage services
140 Protection schemes for protected payments—third party guarantee
141 Protection schemes for protected payments—insurance cover
142 Protection schemes for protected payments—holding of payments in trust accounts
143 Waiver of protection by customers
144 Incidental rules
145 Enforcement of protection schemes
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Part 8—Provision of emergency call services
146 Simplified outline
147 Provision of emergency call services
148 Compliance with determination
149 Access to emergency call services
150 Ministerial pricing determinations
151 Access to be provided
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Part 9—Price control arrangements for Telstra
152 Simplified outline
153 Definitions
154 Minister may determine price control arrangements
155 Effect of price control arrangements
156 Alteration of charges subject to price control arrangements
157 Carrier charges subject to notification and disallowance
158 Alteration of charges subject to notification and disallowance
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Part 9A—Telephone sex services
158A Simplified outline
158B Unacceptable conduct in relation to a telephone sex service
158C Supply of goods or services not to be tied to the supply of telephone sex services
158E Aiding, abetting etc.
158F Evidentiary certificate—telephone sex service
158H Approved prefix
158J Telephone sex service
158K Telephone sex service provider
158L Voice call
158M Savings of other laws
158N Transitional
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Part 9B—Independent reviews of regional telecommunications
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Division 1—Independent reviews of regional telecommunications
158P Reviews of regional telecommunications to be conducted by the RTIRC
158Q Report of review
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Division 2—Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC)
158R Establishment of the RTIRC
158S Functions of the RTIRC
158T Membership of the RTIRC
158U Appointment of RTIRC members
158V Acting appointments—RTIRC Chair
158W Procedures
158X Disclosure of interests
158Y Remuneration and allowances
158Z Leave of absence
158ZA Resignation
158ZB Termination of appointment
158ZC Other terms and conditions
158ZD Assistance to RTIRC
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Part 10—Miscellaneous
159 Direction to Telstra to comply with this Act
160 Regulations
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Endnotes
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history
Endnote 5—Uncommenced amendments [none]
Endnote 6—Modifications [none]
Endnote 7—Misdescribed amendments [none]
Endnote 8—Miscellaneous [none]