Telco Sector Committed to Rebuilding Trust and Delivering for Australians

The telecommunications sector is committed to rebuilding trust and delivering for Australians, following the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) decision not to register the proposed Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code.

“Every Australian relies on the services provided by telcos every day, and as an industry, we are committed to rebuilding trust and confidence in the essential connectivity we provide,” said Luke Coleman, CEO of the Australian Telecommunications Alliance (ATA).

“Australians are increasingly reliant on phone and internet services, and consumer expectations have increased significantly as connectivity has become an essential part of everyday life. Telcos are committed to working with regulators and Government to deliver the best outcomes for consumers, and we will work constructively with the ACMA as it develops the new industry standard.”

“The telecommunications industry is the one and only sector in the Australian economy to deliver more and better services at lower prices over the past decade,” Mr Coleman said. “When many Australian families are feeling cost-of-living pressures, telco prices are down by more than 20% on the Consumer Price Index relative to 2016. Consumers continue to benefit from a vibrant competitive market that is delivering world-class mobile and broadband networks offering more data and faster connectivity year after year.”

The ACMA already enforces a number of consumer protection standards in the telecoms sector, including for complaints handling, financial hardship, and domestic, family, and sexual violence.

The Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code was first introduced in 2007 and has been updated over time with stronger community safeguards covering sales, service and contracts, billing, credit and debt management, and a range of other issues. The ACMA will now prepare an industry standard to address matters previously covered by the Code.

Telco complaints are at their lowest point in two decades, down by 66% since their peak. Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman have been under 60,000 for two years straight – meaning that out of 42 million mobile and broadband services in Australia, just 0.1% of total services were the subject of a complaint to the TIO.