New Consumer Protection for Telco Customers

On 1 September 2012, the new Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) came into force. This Code regulates telecommunications providers and the way they communicate their different phone plans, and will be phased in over twelve months to allow providers to upgrade their systems.

The new code follows an extensive review of the previous code commenced in 2010 by the Communications Alliance, and incorporates over 95% of the recommendations contained in ACMA’s Reconnecting the Customer report.

The changes to the code are designed to try and prevent consumers suffering from expensive bill shock, provide assistance to customers who are in hardship or dealing with an unexpectedly high bill, and provide some clarity when consumers are comparing phone plans. Particularly flowing from the Reconnecting the Customer report, the new code introduces detailed and streamlined complaints-handling rules