Telco Industry Reviewing Service Continuity Arrangements
Sydney, 16 May 2014 – Australian Telecommunications Alliance has launched a review of the industry arrangements that are designed to help customers stay connected if their telecommunications service provider runs into financial difficulty.
The review will look at whether existing arrangements need to be modified and/or whether new co-regulatory measures may be needed to reduce the risk of customers being involuntarily disconnected if their provider becomes insolvent.
Australian Telecommunications Alliance is the primary industry association representing the telecommunications sector.
“We recognize that the recent events involving several resellers going into administration have resulted in some customers being disconnected and inconvenienced, and that industry must strive to minimize this occurrence”, Australian Telecommunications Alliance CEO John Stanton said today.
“In previous – thankfully rare – situations of this type, industry players have typically been able to mobilise cooperatively and minimise disruption to customer services.
“Each financial event is unique, however, and the current situation has been made more difficult by the complex structures and inter-relationships between some of the involved entities.
“Many of the affected customers have been successfully migrated and/or given the option to transfer their service to a different provider. Not all customers, however, transferred their services before being disconnected.”
Mr Stanton said Australian Telecommunications Alliance and its members would liaise with Government and the industry regulator throughout the review and in relation to any recommendations emerging from it.
ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE
Australian Telecommunications Alliance is the primary communications 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, platform providers, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.
Its vision is to be the most influential association in Australian communications, co-operatively initiating programs that promote sustainable industry development, innovation and growth, while generating positive outcomes for customers and society.
The prime mission of Australian Telecommunications Alliance is to create a co-operative stakeholder environment that allows the industry to take the lead on initiatives which grow the Australian communications industry, enhance the connectivity of all Australians and foster the highest standards of business behaviour.
Media information contact:
info@austelco.org.au
