ACMA moves to tighten access to phone number database

Stuart Corner
Monday, 29 January 2007 11:09

IT Policy - Regulation

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released a draft of a new scheme for controlling access to the Integrated public phone number database, along with a consultation paper.

In October 2006 the Government introduced the Telecommunications Amendment (Integrated Public Number Database) Bill 2006 to clarify arrangements for access to the IPND. The scheme now being introduced by the ACMA represents the means by which that legislation will be applied

The database is the master list of all phone numbers in Australia - public and private. It came into operation on 1 July 1998 and is maintained by Telstra under the Carrier Licence Conditions (Telstra Corporation Limited) Declaration 1997.

The database includes the telephone number itself; the name of the customer; address of the customer; the name of the carriage service provider (CSP); the purpose for which the telephone number is used (for example, government, business, charitable or private). It is used by telecoms service providers, and others to provide directory assistance services, operator services, to produce public number directories; and to operate location dependent carriage services.

Its use for other purposes is, with few exceptions, prohibited. However there have been allegations in the past that access has been gained to it, most notably during the 2004 federal election when the ALP alleged that Liberal party campaigners had gained access, because a number of people with unlisted numbers received calls. However, The ACA (predecessor the ACMA) found the allegations to be groundless.

The new scheme also enable the database to be accessed for research purposes, but only on ministerial authorisation where the research is judged to be in the public interest, such as health and medical research.

ACMA will conduct a series of public information sessions on the draft IPND Scheme. Sessions are planned for Sydney on 6 and 7 February 2007 and Melbourne on 12 and 13 February 2007.