Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages) Industry Standard Variation 2025 (No.1)
The Australian Communications and Media Authority makes the following industry standard under subsection 125AA(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.
Samantha Yorke
[signed]
Caroyln Lidgerwood
[signed]
Member
Australian Communications and Media Authority
This instrument is the Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages) Industry Standard Variation 2025 (No.1).
This instrument commences on 30 June 2025.
This instrument is made under subsection 125AA(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997 and in accordance with subsections 5(3) and 5(5), and section 6, of the Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages Industry Standards) Direction 2024.
Note: The Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages Industry Standards) Direction 2024 (the Direction) was given to the ACMA by the Minister under subsection 125AA(4) of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The Direction is a legislative instrument registered on the Federal Register of Legislation. Subsection 5(5) of the Direction provides that the ACMA may vary the standards required by section 5 of the Direction as it considers necessary from time to time, provided that the standards, as varied, comply with the Direction.
The instrument that is specified in Schedule 1 is varied as set out in the applicable items in that Schedule.
(section 4)
1 Section 3
Omit “subsection 5(1) and section 6”, substitute “sections 5 and 6”.
2 Paragraph 4(a)
Omit “supply carriage services” (wherever occurring), substitute “supply relevant carriage services”.
3 Paragraphs 4(b) and (c)
After “major outage” (wherever occurring) insert “or a significant local outage”.
4 Section 5
Insert:
ABS Remoteness Structure means the Remoteness Structure described as such in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS), Edition 3, July 2021-June 2026, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Note: The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) divides Australia into five classes of remoteness. The ASGS is available, free of charge, on the website of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and could, at the time of the making of this instrument, be accessed at the following website: www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/latest-release.
internet of things data-only service means a carriage service that:
(a) is only accessible on a carriage service provider’s network;
(b) is used for consumer and enterprise connected internet of things devices; and
(c) only requires access to data (internet protocol and non-internet protocol) services.
internet of things devices means devices and objects with sensors, processing ability, software or other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet or other communication networks.
National Emergency Management Agency means the body known as the National Emergency Management Agency established by the Order to Establish the National Emergency Management Agency as an Executive Agency.
Note: The Order to Establish the National Emergency Management Agency as an Executive Agency was an order made under section 65 of the Public Service Act 1999 and can be accessed, free of charge, at www.legislation.gov.au.
plain language means the use of simple, clear and straightforward language that simplifies complex ideas for easier understanding, keeps sentences short, and avoids complicated words.
regional Australia means the area classified as Inner Regional Australia or Outer Regional Australia under the ABS Remoteness Structure.
relevant carriage service means a carriage service, excluding an internet of things data-only service.
remote Australia means the area classified as Remote Australia or Very Remote Australia under the ABS Remoteness Structure.
significant local outage means any unplanned adverse impact to a telecommunications network used to supply relevant carriage services to end-users, that:
(a) results in an end-user being unable to establish and maintain a relevant carriage service;
(b) affects, or is likely to affect:
(i) 1,000 or more services in operation in regional Australia; or
(ii) 250 or more services in operation in remote Australia; and
(c) is expected to be, or is, of a duration longer than:
(i) if the services in operation are in regional Australia – 6 hours; or
(ii) if the services in operation are in remote Australia – 3 hours; and
(d) is not a major outage.
5 Section 5 (definition of easily accessible form)
Repeal the definition, substitute:
easily accessible form means a form of communicating, notifying or informing that uses plain language, is easy to understand, and is readily available including to a person with disability, from a culturally or linguistically diverse background or with other accessibility requirements.
6 Section 5 (definition of major outage)
Before the word “carriage” (wherever occurring), insert “relevant”.
7 Section 5 (definition of material change)
Repeal the definition, substitute:
material change means a change to the scale, geographic area, number or type of relevant carriage services impacted, or to the expected time of restoration of the relevant carriage services affected, by a major outage or a significant local outage, that is likely to result in a significant increase or decrease in the severity of the outage, or in the time taken to restore the relevant carriage services affected by the outage.
8 Section 5 (definition of natural disaster)
Repeal the definition, substitute:
natural disaster means an emergency event caused by a natural hazard (such as a fire, flood, storm, cyclone or an earthquake) that causes, or is likely to cause, widespread disruption to:
(a) a community; and
(b) the provision of relevant carriage services.
Note: Examples of widespread disruption to a community include:
(a) disruption to government services;
(b) disruption to air, ground or sea transport;
(c) damage to major infrastructure;
(d) power grid failure.
9 Section 5 (at the end of paragraph (b) of the definition of other media)
Insert “and”.
10 Section 5 (paragraphs (c) and (d) of the definition of relevant stakeholders)
Repeal the paragraphs, substitute:
(c) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Act;
(d) the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; and
(e) the National Emergency Management Agency.
11 Section 5 (definition of responsible carrier)
After “major outage”, insert “or a significant local outage”.
12 Section 5 (definition of services in operation)
Repeal the definition, substitute:
services in operation means relevant carriage services that are:
(a) connected to a telecommunications network, or would, but for a major outage or a significant local outage, be connected to a telecommunications network; and
(b) provided to an end-user under an arrangement between a carriage service provider and the end-user.
13 Section 5 (paragraph (a) of the definition of social media)
Omit “and”.
14 Section 6
Repeal the section, substitute:
In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears:
(a) a reference to any other legislative instrument is a reference to that other legislative instrument as in force from time to time; and
(b) a reference to any other kind of instrument is a reference to that other instrument as existing from time to time.
Note 1: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments.
Note 2: All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.
Note 3: For paragraph (b), see also section 589 of the Act.
15 After subsection 7(2)
Insert:
(3) Unless otherwise specified, the requirements in this Subdivision apply whether or not the sole or predominant cause of a major outage or a significant local outage is a natural disaster.
16 Section 8
Repeal the section, substitute:
(1) As soon as practicable after a carrier detects a major outage or a significant local outage, or receives a notification about a major outage or a significant local outage, the carrier (the first carrier) must:
(a) notify each other carrier or carriage service provider with whom the first carrier has a commercial arrangement for the supply of relevant carriage services, if:
(i) where the first carrier’s arrangement is with another carrier – end-users of relevant carriage services supplied by a carriage service provider using that carrier’s network are affected by the outage; and
(ii) where the first carrier’s arrangement is with a carriage service provider – end-users of relevant carriage services supplied by that provider are affected by the outage; and
(b) include in the notification, the information set out in subsection 13(1).
(2) The first carrier must provide each carrier or carriage service provider that the first carrier notifies under subsection (1) with such assistance as the carrier or carriage service provider reasonably requires in order to comply with its obligations under this Part.
17 Section 9
Repeal the section, substitute:
(1) Subject to subsection (2), as soon as practicable after a carrier detects a major outage, or receives a notification about a major outage, the carrier must communicate information (in an easily accessible form) about the major outage to the public using:
(a) either:
(i) the carrier’s website; or
(ii) if the carrier does not have a website:
(B) another website that the carrier considers is more suitable for communicating information to the public; and
(b) at least one of the following channels:
(i) the carrier’s primary social media account; or
(ii) one or more types of other media.
(2) If the sole or predominant cause of the outage is a natural disaster, the carrier:
(a) must comply with paragraph (1)(a); and
(b) is not required to comply with paragraph (1)(b).
(3) The information communicated under subsections (1) or (2) must include the information set out in subsection 13(1).
(1) As soon as practicable after a carrier detects a significant local outage, or receives a notification about a significant local outage, the carrier must communicate information (in an easily accessible form) about the outage to the public using:
(a) the carrier’s website; or
(b) if the carrier does not have a website:
(i) another carrier’s website; or
(ii) another website that the carrier considers is more suitable for communicating information to the public.
(2) The information communicated under subsection (1) must include the information set out in subsection 13(1).
Note: In this section, where a significant local outage is detected, the obligations on carriers are the same regardless of whether the sole or predominant cause of the outage is a natural disaster or not.
18 Section 10
Repeal the section, substitute:
A responsible carrier who detects a major outage or a significant local outage must communicate to relevant stakeholders:
(a) the information set out in subsection 13(1), as soon as practicable after the carrier detects the outage;
(b) updates about the outage provided at the same times as specified under subsection 14(3); and
(c) information about the restoration of all relevant carriage services affected by the outage as soon as practicable after the services are restored.
19 Section 12 (heading)
At the end of the heading insert “– major outage not caused by natural disaster”.
20 Subsection 12(1)
Omit “As soon as practicable after a carriage service provider receives a notification, the carriage service provider must”, substitute: “If a carriage service provider receives a notification about a major outage, and the sole or predominant cause of the outage is not a natural disaster, the provider must, as soon as practicable after receiving the notification”.
21 Subsection 12(1) (Note)
Omit the words:
“Products may include an Internet of Things device, machine to machine devices”
22 Subsection 12(5) (including the Note)
Repeal the subsection and the note, substitute:
(5) Where the carriage service provider supplies relevant carriage services to a person other than an individual (the relevant customer), the relevant customer is taken to be the end-user for the purposes of complying with paragraph (1)(a).
Note: If, for example, the relevant customer is a government entity that obtains relevant carriage services for its staff, the carriage service provider may attempt to notify the relevant account holder rather than each member of the entity’s staff.
23 At the end of Subdivision 1.2 of Part 2
Insert:
(1) If a carriage service provider receives a notification about a significant local outage, and the sole or predominant cause of the outage is not a natural disaster, the provider must, as soon as practicable after receiving the notification:
(a) in accordance with subsection (2), and subject to subsection (5), attempt to notify each of its end-users affected or likely to be affected by the significant local outage, of the outage;
(b) in accordance with subsection (3), communicate with the public about the significant local outage; and
(c) include in a notification or communication under paragraph (a) or (b), the information set out in subsections 13(1) and (2).
Note: An end-user may include the customer or relevant account holder of a carriage service provider’s services or products.
(2) The carriage service provider must attempt to notify (in an easily accessible form) its end-users using at least one of the following methods of communication:
(a) an application that the carriage service provider makes available to its end-users to subscribe to, which relates to the carriage service it provides to the end-user;
(b) email; or
(c) SMS.
Note: SMS is short for short message service.
(3) The carriage service provider must also make information (in an easily accessible form) about the significant local outage available to the public using the carriage service provider’s website and call centres.
(4) The carriage service provider must take reasonable steps to ensure that the methods of communication used under subsection (2) and the communication channels used under subsection (3), include the method or channel that it considers is most likely to reach an end-user or the public, based on the carriage service provider’s understanding of the significant local outage.
(5) Where the carriage service provider supplies relevant carriage services to a person other than an individual (relevant customer), the relevant customer is taken to be the end-user for the purposes of complying with paragraph (1)(a).
Note: If, for example, the relevant customer is a government entity that obtains carriage services for its staff, the carriage service provider may attempt to notify the relevant account holder rather than each member of the entity’s staff.
(1) If a carriage service provider receives a notification about a major outage or a significant local outage, and the sole or predominant cause of the outage is a natural disaster, the provider must, as soon as practicable after receiving the notification, make information (in an easily accessible form) about the outage available to the public using the carriage service provider’s website.
(2) The information communicated under subsection (1) must include the information set out in subsection 13(1).
24 Section 13
Repeal the section, substitute:
(1) A carrier or carriage service provider required to notify or communicate under Subdivision 1.1 or 1.2 must include as much of the following information about the major outage or the significant local outage as is available to the carrier or carriage service provider at the time of notifying or communicating:
(a) the scale or suspected scale of the outage, including the number of relevant carriage services impacted;
(b) subject to subsection (3), the cause or likely cause of the outage;
(c) the geographic areas impacted or likely to be impacted by the outage;
(d) the types of relevant carriage services impacted or likely to be impacted by the outage;
(e) the estimated timeframes for updates in relation to the outage; and
(f) the estimated timeframe for restoration of the relevant carriage services affected by the outage.
(2) A carriage service provider required to notify or communicate under sections 12 or 12A must also include in the notification or communication, in an easily accessible form, the following details about how end-users can obtain additional information or assistance during the major outage or the significant local outage:
(a) contact information such as an email address, a phone number or social media account details;
(b) a website or webpage that the public can view during the outage; and
(c) where available –contact channels that are easy to access and enable an end-user to contact the carriage service provider using real-time communications or near real-time communications, if the end-user requires urgent assistance during the outage.
Note: Section 16 provides that a carriage service provider who is required to comply with Subdivision 1.2, must, during a major outage or a significant local outage, and as far as is reasonably practicable, make available to its end-users one or more contact methods to enable the end-user to seek assistance from the carriage service provider using real-time communications or near real-time communications.
(3) The carrier or carriage service provider is not required to give information about the cause or likely cause of a major outage or a significant local outage if it has reasonable grounds to believe that disclosing this information could compromise its telecommunications network security or national security.
25 Section 14
Repeal the section, substitute:
14 Requirement to provide regular updates – carriers and carriage service providers
(1) This section applies to:
(a) a carrier who is required to:
(i) notify a carrier or carriage service provider under section 8; or
(ii) communicate with the public under sections 9 or 9A; and
(b) a carriage service provider who is required to:
(i) notify an end-user under paragraphs 12(1)(a) or 12A(1)(a); or
(ii) communicate with the public under paragraphs 12(1)(b) or 12A(1)(b), or subsection 12B(1).
(2) Until the relevant carriage services affected by a major outage or a significant local outage are fully restored, the carrier or carriage service provider must provide updates about the outage, at the times specified in subsection (3), and containing the information specified in subsection (4), to the following persons:
(a) in the case of a carrier:
(i) the carriers and carriage service providers the carrier was required to notify under section 8; and
(ii) the public; and
(b) in the case of a carriage service provider:
(i) each end-user the carriage service provider was required to notify under paragraphs 12(1)(a) or 12A(1)(a); and
(ii) the public.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the times are:
(a) if there is a material change that relates to the outage – as soon as practicable after the carrier or carriage service provider becomes aware of the material change; or
(b) otherwise, as frequently as the carrier or carriage service provider considers an update is necessary, and at least:
(i) once every six hours for the first 24 hours of the outage; and
(ii) once during each subsequent 24-hour period.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) the information is:
(a) if the update relates to a material change – details about the material change; or
(b) otherwise – a statement that there has been no material change to the outage.
(5) An update provided under subsection (2) to a person or the public must be notified or communicated in the same manner as a notice or communication previously provided under sections 8, 9, 9A, 12, 12A or 12B to the person or the public.
26 Section 15
Repeal the section, substitute:
(1) This section applies to:
(a) a carrier who is required to:
(i) notify a carrier or carriage service provider under section 8; or
(ii) communicate with the public under sections 9 or 9A; and
(b) a carriage service provider who is required to:
(i) notify an end-user under paragraphs 12(1)(a) or 12A(1)(a); or
(ii) communicate with the public under paragraphs 12(1)(b) or 12A(1)(b), or subsection 12B(1).
(2) As soon as practicable after a carrier or carriage service provider considers that all relevant carriage services affected by a major outage or a significant local outage have been restored, the carrier or carriage service provider must notify, and communicate to, the following persons about the restoration:
(a) in the case of a carrier:
(i) the carriers and carriage service providers the carrier was required to notify under section 8; and
(ii) the public; and
(b) in the case of a carriage service provider:
(i) each end-user the carriage service provider was required to notify under paragraphs 12(1)(a) or 12A(1)(a); and
(ii) the public.
(3) A notification or communication provided to a person or the public under subsection (2) must be provided in the same manner as a notification or communication previously provided under sections 8, 9, 9A, 12, 12A or 12B to the person or the public.
27 Subsection 16(1)
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
(1) A carriage service provider who is required to comply with a requirement in Subdivision 1.2 during a major outage or a significant local outage must, as far as is reasonably practicable, make available to its end-users one or more contact methods to enable the end-user to seek assistance from the carriage service provider during the outage using real-time communications or near real-time communications.
28 Paragraphs 16(3)(a) to (d)
Repeal the paragraphs, substitute:
(a) is easy to access;
(b) is resourced adequately;
(c) is capable of responding immediately to requests for urgent assistance from end-users; and
(d) allows an end-user to live chat with, or talk to, a representative of the carriage service provider.
29 Division 3 of Part 2
Repeal the Division.
30 Part 3 (heading)
Omit “a major outage” substitute “major outages or significant local outages”.
31 Section 18 (heading)
After “major outages” insert “or significant local outages”.
32 Subsection 18(1)
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
(1) Carriers that own a telecommunications network that is used to supply relevant carriage services to an end-user must have written procedures in place that outline how the carrier will communicate with the public, other carriers, carriage service providers and relevant stakeholders during a major outage or a significant local outage.
33 Section 19 (heading)
After “major outages” insert “or significant local outages”.
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
(1) Carriage service providers who supply relevant carriage services to end-users must have written procedures in place that outline how they will:
(a) communicate with end-users and the public during a major outage or a significant local outage; and
(b) manage real time communications or near real-time communications with end-users who require urgent assistance during a major outage or a significant local outage.
35 Subsection 19(3)
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
(3) Subject to subsection (4), a carriage service provider must comply with the written procedures, if the carriage service provider receives a notification from a carrier that there is a major outage or a significant local outage.