ITWire

In November last year the ACMA completed its 18 month enquiry into customer service in the telecoms industry, 'Reconnecting The Customer' (RTC), putting the industry on notice that unless it could respond adequately to the shortcomings identified by the enquiry, the ACMA would impose regulation.

The TCP code was already under revision at the time but the ACMA's edict gave new urgency and a sharpened focus to that process. Communications Alliance released a draft of the new code in October and yesterday released the final version, simultaneous with its submission to the ACMA.

Comms Alliance said it was confident that the new code met the objectives set by the RTC Inquiry and those of the Section 125 notice. "Communications Alliance is equally confident that implementation of the Code will generate a greatly improved environment for Australian consumers," it said.

The Australian Communications Consumers Action Network (ACCAN) however says it falls well short of what is needed and it is calling on the ACMA to set standards. ACCAN CEO, Teresa Corbin, told ExchangeDaily "We believe the ACMA cannot register the code. It fails to implement the five RTC recommendations in full, particularly in the area of expenditure management and advertising."

She identified the two changes called for by the ACMA that the code had failed to address as being "Clearer pricing information in advertisements allowing consumers to more easily compare services." and "Tools for consumers to monitor usage and expenditure."

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