TELECOMMUNICATIONS (CONSUMER PROTECTION AND SERVICE STANDARDS) ACT 1999

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS (CONSUMER PROTECTION AND SERVICE STANDARDS) ACT 1999

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Long Title

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

1. Short title
2. Commencement
3. Objects and regulatory policy
4. Simplified outline
5. Definitions
6. Standard telephone service
7. Application of this Act
7A. Application of the Criminal Code

PART 2--PUBLIC--INTEREST TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

Division 1--Introduction

8. Simplified outline of this Part
8A. Definitions
8BA. Special meaning of standard telephone service
8J. Declaration about alternative contractual arrangements relating to standard telephone services
8K. Declaration about alternative contractual arrangements relating to payphones

Division 2--Universal service obligation

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

Subdivision B--Primary universal service provider

12A. Determination of primary universal service providers
12B. Effect of determination
12C. Obligations of primary universal service providers
12D. Transitional: when Telstra Limited is taken to be a primary universal service provider
12E. Former universal service provider may be required to provide information to current universal service provider

Subdivision C--USO standards and rules

12EB. Performance standards--standard telephone service
12EC. Performance benchmarks--standard telephone service
12ED. Performance standards--payphones
12EE. Performance benchmarks--payphones
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

Division 3--Public interest telecommunications service contracts and grants

Subdivision A--Policy objectives

13. Policy objectives

Subdivision B--Contracts and grants

14. Contracts and grants
15. Terms and conditions of grants
16. Condition about compliance with Ministerial determination
17. Exemption of designated transitional contracts from Ministerial determination
18. Secretary has powers etc. of the Commonwealth
19. Conferral of powers on the Secretary
20. Monitoring of performance
21. Executive power of the Commonwealth
21A. Directions--facilitation of Telstra USO Performance Agreement
22. Transitional--pre - commencement contracts

Subdivision C--Relevant contracts entered into by designated Telstra successor companies

22A. Relevant contract
22AA. Transfer of asset
22B. Authorised officer
22C. Notification of relevant contracts
22CA. Notification of proposed contracts
22D. Copies of relevant contracts--requirement imposed by Ministerial notice
22E. Copies of relevant contracts--requirement imposed by rules

Division 4--Disclosure of information

Subdivision A--Access to information or documents held by a carriage service provider

23. Access to information or documents held by a carriage service provider
24. Copying documents--compensation
25. Copies of documents
26. Secretary may retain documents
27. Law relating to legal professional privilege not affected
28. Disclosure of information
29. Consent to customer contact

Subdivision B--Access to information or documents held by an NBN corporation

30. Access to information or documents held by an NBN corporation
31. Copying documents--compensation
32. Copies of documents
33. Secretary may retain documents
34. Law relating to legal professional privilege not affected
35. Severability

Subdivision C--Disclosure of information to certain bodies or persons

36. Disclosure of information to certain bodies or persons

Division 5--Public Interest Telecommunications Services Special Account

37. Public Interest Telecommunications Services Special Account
38. Credits to the Account
39. Purposes of the Account
40. Distribution of remaining balance of the Account

Division 6--Assessment, collection and recovery of levy

Subdivision A--Overall levy target amount

41. Overall levy target amount
42. Statement of overall levy target amount

Subdivision B--Eligible revenue of participating persons

43. Participating person must lodge return of eligible revenue
44. Participating person
45. Eligible revenue
46. ACMA may inquire into correctness of return
47. ACMA to assess eligible revenue
48. Assessment based on estimate of eligible revenue
49. Levy contribution factor

Subdivision C--Levy amount

50. Levy amount of a participating person
51. ACMA to make written assessment
52. Publication of assessment

Subdivision D--Assessments

53. Variation of assessments
54. ACMA may accept statements
55. Multiple assessments in the same document

Subdivision E--Collection and recovery of levy

56. When levy payable
57. Recovery of levy
58. Validity of assessment
59. Evidence of assessment
60. Onus of establishing incorrectness of assessment
61. Set - off
62. Refund of overpayment of levy
63. Cancellation of certain exemptions from levy
64. Commonwealth not liable to levy
65. Performance bonds and guarantees

Subdivision F--Disclosure of information

66. Public may request information
67. Request for information that is unavailable under section 66
68. How the ACMA is to comply with a request

Subdivision G--Other matters

69. Offence of failing to lodge eligible revenue return
70. Late payment penalty

Division 7--Other matters

71. Register of Public Interest Telecommunications Contracts
72. Register of Public Interest Telecommunications Grants
73. Delegation by the Minister
74. Delegation by the Secretary

PART 3--FUNDING--OF FIXED WIRELESS BROADBAND AND SATELLITE BROADBAND

Division 1--Introduction

75. Simplified outline of this Part
76. Definitions
76A. Local access line
76AA. Designated broadband services
76AB. Fixed wireless broadband service
77. Satellite broadband service
78. Eligible funding recipients
78A. Financial year
79. Eligible financial year
79A. Premises

Division 2--Contracts and grants relating to fixed wireless broadband and satellite broadband

80. Contracts and grants
81. Terms and conditions of grants
82. Condition about compliance with Ministerial determination
83. Secretary has powers etc. of the Commonwealth
84. Conferral of powers on the Secretary
85. Monitoring of performance
86. Nominal funding entitlement certificate
87. Secretary to comply with rules
88. Executive power of the Commonwealth

Division 3--Regional Broadband Scheme Special Account

89. Regional Broadband Scheme Special Account
90. Credits to the Account
91. Distribution of whole or part of balance of the Account
92. Purposes of the Account
92A. Offset for designated administrative costs--transfer to general CRF

Division 4--Chargeable premises associated with a local access line

93. Chargeable premises associated with a local access line
94. Potentially chargeable premises
95. Exempt premises--small networks
96. Exempt lines--local access lines transitioning to the NBN
96A. Potentially concessional premises
96B. Recently connected greenfield premises

Division 5--Anti-avoidance

97. Anti - avoidance

Division 6--Charge offset certificate

98. Charge offset certificate
99. Remission or refund of charge

Division 7--Assessment, collection and recovery of charge

Subdivision A--Reporting obligations

100. Reporting obligations
101. Offence of failing to lodge report

Subdivision B--Assessments

102. Assessments
102A. Notification of assessment
102B. Variation of assessments
102C. ACMA may accept statements

Subdivision C--Collection and recovery of charge

102D. When charge payable
102E. Recovery of charge
102F. Validity of assessment
102G. Evidence of assessment
102H. Onus of establishing incorrectness of assessment
102J. Refund of overpayment of charge
102K. Cancellation of certain exemptions from charge
102L. Commonwealth not liable to charge

Subdivision D--Other matters

102N. Late payment penalty

Division 8--Disclosure of information

Subdivision A--Access to information or documents held by a carrier or carriage service provider

102P. Access to information or documents held by a carrier or carriage service provider
102Q. Copying documents--compensation
102R. Copies of documents
102S. ACMA may retain documents
102T. Law relating to legal professional privilege not affected

Subdivision B--Access to information or documents held by an eligible funding recipient

102U. Access to information or documents held by an eligible funding recipient
102V. Copying documents--compensation
102W. Copies of documents
102X. ACCC may retain documents
102Y. Law relating to legal professional privilege not affected

Subdivision C--Disclosure of information to certain bodies

102Z. Disclosure of information by the ACMA to certain bodies
102ZA. Disclosure of information by the ACCC to certain bodies

Division 9--Other matters

102ZB. Register of Contracts for the Funding of Fixed Wireless Broadband and Satellite Broadband
102ZC. Register of Grants for the Funding of Fixed Wireless Broadband and Satellite Broadband
102ZD. Publication of charge payments and charge offsets
102ZE. ACMA may give certain information to the ACCC
102ZF. Report about the number of premises supplied with designated broadband services during the applicable reporting period
102ZFA. Review of this Part etc.
102ZFB. Disallowance of determinations
102ZG. Delegation by the Secretary
102ZH. Meaning of capable

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

PART 5--CUSTOMER--SERVICE GUARANTEE

Division 1--Introduction

113. Simplified outline
114. Interpretation
114A. Wholesale carriage service and wholesale customer

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

Division 3--Wholesale performance standards and benchmarks

117D. Performance standards
117E. Performance benchmarks
117F. Compliance with performance benchmarks

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

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

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

PART 9--PRICE--CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS FOR DESIGNATED TELSTRA SUCCESSOR COMPANIES

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

PART 9B--INDEPENDENT--REVIEWS OF REGIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Division 1--Independent reviews of regional telecommunications

158P. Reviews of regional telecommunications to be conducted by the RTIRC
158Q. Report of review

Division 2--Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (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

PART 10--MISCELLANEOUS

160. Regulations

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