Commonwealth Numbered Acts

TELECOMMUNICATIONS (CONSUMER PROTECTION AND SERVICE STANDARDS) ACT 1999

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

   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 

   PART 2--UNIVERSAL SERVICE REGIME

   8.      Simplified outline 
   9.      Objects  
   10.     Special meaning of Australia 
   11.     Payphones 
   12.     Prescribed carriage services 
   12A.    Digital data services 
   13.     Supply of standard telephone services 
   14.     Supply of prescribed carriage services 
   14A.    Supply of digital data services 
   15.     Service area 
   16.     Participating carriers  
   17.     Eligible revenue 
   18.     Approved auditor 
   19.     Universal service obligation 
   19A.    Digital data service obligation 
   19B.    General digital data service areas 
   19C.    Special digital data service areas 
   20.     Universal service providers  
   21.     Effect of universal service provider declaration 
   22.     Selection system for national universal service provider 
   23.     Selection system for regional universal service providers 
   24.     Selection systems--information-gathering powers 
   25.     Multiple national universal service providers 
   26.     Multiple regional universal service providers 
   26A.    Digital data service providers 
   26B.    Effect of digital data service provider declaration 
   26C.    Selection system for general digital data service providers 
   26D.    Selection system for special digital data service providers 
   26E.    Selection systems--information-gathering powers 
   27.     Universal service provider must submit universal service plan 
   28.     Universal service plans 
   29.     Replacement of approved universal service plan 
   30.     Approval of draft universal service plan by Minister 
   31.     Public comment--draft plan 
   32.     Minister to have regard to certain matters 
   33.     Minister may formulate requirements for draft plans 
   34.     Notification of decision 
   35.     Variation of approved universal service plan 
   36.     Public comment--variation of plan 
   37.     Minister may direct the ACA to give reports and/or advice 
   38.     Minister may direct variation or replacement of plan 
   39.     Compliance with approved universal service plan 
   40.     Register of universal service plans 
   40A.    Digital data service provider must submit digital data service 
   40B.    Digital data service plans 
   40C.    Replacement of approved digital data service plan 
   40D.    Approval of draft digital data service plan by Minister 
   40E.    Public comment--draft plan 
   40F.    Minister to have regard to certain matters 
   40G.    Minister may formulate requirements for draft plans 
   40H.    Notification of decision 
   40J.    Variation of approved digital data service plan 
   40K.    Public comment--variation of plan 
   40L.    Minister may direct the ACA to give reports and/or advice 
   40M.    Minister may direct variation or replacement of plan 
   40N.    Compliance with approved digital data service plan 
   40P.    Register of digital data service plans 
   41.     Universal service charges 
   42.     Declaration subjecting universal service charges to price control 
   43.     Price control determinations  
   44.     Content of price control determinations 
   45.     Price control determinations subject to determinations under Part 
   46.     Compliance with price control determinations 
   46A.    Digital data service charges 
   46B.    Declaration subjecting digital data service charges to price control 
   46C.    Price control determinations  
   46D.    Content of price control determinations 
   46E.    Price control determinations subject to determinations under Part 
   46F.    Compliance with price control determinations 
   47.     Simplified outline 
   48.     Financial year 
   49.     Universal service provider must propose service areas for declaration as 
   50.     Net cost areas--ordinary declarations 
   51.     Universal service provider may propose service areas for declaration as 
   52.     Net cost areas--special declarations 
   53.     Minister may give directions about declaring net cost areas 
   54.     Claims for levy credit 
   55.     No levy payable unless at least one claim for a levy credit is 
   56.     ACA to give copies of claims to other participating carriers  
   57.     Net universal service cost of a universal service provider for a 
   58.     Reduction of excessive costs etc.  
   59.     Shortfalls in revenue earned 
   60.     ACA determinations about working out a universal service provider's net 
   61.     Application of determinations under section 60 
   61A.    Digital data cost of a digital data service provider for a financial 
   61B.    Reduction of excessive costs 
   62.     Participating carriers must lodge returns of eligible revenue  
   63.     ACA may inquire into the correctness of a claim or return 
   64.     ACA to assess liabilities and entitlement 
   65.     Explanation to the Minister if assessment not made within 270 
   66.     Amendment of assessments 
   67.     Levy debit of a participating carrier for a financial year 
   68.     Levy debit balance of a participating carrier for a financial 
   69.     Levy credit balance for a financial year 
   70.     Publication of assessment 
   71.     Public may request information 
   72.     Request for information that is unavailable under section 71 
   73.     How the ACA is to comply with a request 
   74.     When levy payable 
   75.     Levy a debt due to the Commonwealth 
   76.     Validity of assessment 
   77.     Evidence of assessment 
   78.     Onus of establishing incorrectness of assessment 
   79.     Refund of overpayment of levy 
   80.     Cancellation of certain exemptions from levy 
   81.     Commonwealth not liable to levy 
   82.     Universal Service Reserve 
   83.     Payments into Universal Service Reserve 
   84.     Purposes of Universal Service Reserve 
   85.     Levy distribution 
   86.     Levy not to be distributed until paid 
   87.     Recovery of overpayments 
   88.     Advance on account of distribution of levy 
   89.     Repayment of excess advances 
   90.     Levy guarantee 
   91.     Exemptions from levy guarantee 
   92.     Compliance with levy guarantee obligations 

   PART 3--THE NATIONAL RELAY SERVICE

   93.     Simplified outline 
   94.     Definitions 
   95.     The National Relay Service (the NRS) 
   96.     Publication of costs of providing the NRS 
   97.     ACA reports and advice about NRS service plans 
   98.     Levy quarters 
   99.     Persons liable to pay levy (taxpayers) 
   100.    Amount of levy 
   101.    Payment of levy 
   102.    The NRS Reserve 

   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

   113.    Simplified outline 
   114.    Interpretation 
   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 
   118.    Remedial directions--compliance with performance standards 
   118A.   Right of contribution 
   119.    Evidentiary certificate issued by the Telecommunications Industry 
   120.    Waiver of customer service guarantee 
   121.    Savings of other laws and remedies 
   122.    Breach of performance standard is not an offence  
   123.    Clause 1 of Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1997 does 
   124.    Minister may direct the ACA about the use of its powers under this 
   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 
   132.    Members of scheme must comply with scheme 
   133.    Register of members of scheme 

   PART 7--PROTECTION FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AGAINST FAILURE BY CARRIAGE

   134.    Simplified outline 
   135.    Scope of Part 
   136.    Standard residential customer 
   137.    Protected payments 
   138.    Compliance with protection schemes for protected payments 
   139.    Protection schemes for protected payments--alternative supply of 
   140.    Protection schemes for protected payments--third party 
   141.    Protection schemes for protected payments--insurance cover 
   142.    Protection schemes for protected payments--holding of payments in trust 
   143.    Waiver of protection by customers 
   144.    Incidental rules 
   145.    Enforcement of protection schemes 

   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 TELSTRA

   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 9A--TELEPHONE SEX SERVICES

   158A.   Simplified outline 
   158B.   Unacceptable conduct in relation to a telephone sex service 
   158C.   Supply of goods or services not to be tied to the supply of telephone 
   158D.   Regulations may prohibit or regulate certain telephone sex 
   158E.   Aiding, abetting etc. 
   158F.   Evidentiary certificate--telephone sex service 
   158G.   Onus of proof--agreement and limiting access 
   158H.   Approved prefix 
   158J.   Telephone sex service 
   158K.   Telephone sex service provider 
   158L.   Voice call 
   158M.   Savings of other laws 
   158N.   Transitional 

   PART 10--MISCELLANEOUS

   159.    Direction to Telstra to comply with this Act 
   160.    Regulations