{"id":"F2023L01489","name":"Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023","slug":"telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442167,"registerId":"F2023L01489-fast-fetch-1775957244806","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nTelecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023\n\nI, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulations.\n\nDated   9 November 2023\n\nDavid Hurley\n\nGovernor‑General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command\n\nMichelle Rowland\n\nMinister for Communications\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Schedules\n\n5 Definitions\n\nPart 2—Customer equipment\n\n6 Specified customer equipment\n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\nTelecommunications (Equipment for the Disabled) Regulations 1998\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument 1 April 2024. 1 April 2024\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.\n\n4  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n5  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:\n\n(a) National Relay Service;\n\n(b) standard telephone service.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.\n\ncustomer equipment has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\ndisability has the same meaning as in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.\n\ntelecommunications network has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\nPart 2—Customer equipment\n\n \n\n6  Specified customer equipment\n\n (1) This section is made for the purposes of paragraph 9E(2)(a) of the Act.\n\nCustomer equipment enabling use of National Relay Service\n\n (2) The following customer equipment, that enables a person to use the National Relay Service to access a standard telephone service, is specified:\n\n (a) teletypewriter or any other equipment which facilitates text to text communication over a telecommunications network;\n\n (b) equipment which facilitates data transmission over a telecommunications network;\n\n (c) equipment which facilitates both of the following:\n\n (i) data transmission over a telecommunications network;\n\n (ii) the transfer of data into braille.\n\nOther customer equipment\n\n (3) The following customer equipment, that enables a person with disability to use a standard telephone service in spite of the person’s disability, to communicate effectively with a person without disability, is specified:\n\n (a) a standard rental telephone handset which includes one‑touch dial memory, a lightweight handset and a built‑in hearing aid coupler;\n\n (b) a telephone which amplifies the incoming caller’s voice to suit the listener;\n\n (c) a telephone which amplifies the speaker’s voice, allowing the speaker to adjust the speech level to suit the listener;\n\n (d) a handsfree telephone for a person who cannot hold a telephone handset;\n\n (e) an ancillary telecommunications product which has adjustable volume, tone and pitch controls to assist the user to hear the telephone ringing;\n\n (f) an ancillary telecommunications product which is a visual alert that there is an incoming call;\n\n (g) an ancillary telecommunications product which allows the connection of a second piece of equipment (such as a visual signal alert) in parallel with the existing telephone;\n\n (h) an ancillary telecommunications product in which the telephone handset is cradled, providing handsfree operation;\n\n (i) a telephone adapting device which allows a person with a cochlear implant to use the standard telephone service.\n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\n \n\nTelecommunications (Equipment for the Disabled) Regulations 1998\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original narrow purpose: specifying equipment for disability access to telecommunications. It is a direct replacement of the 1998 Regulations with updated terminology and equivalent scope."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (only 6 substantive sections plus Schedule 1)","Only 5 defined terms, all referencing definitions in other Acts (no new complex definitions created)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic — equipment is simply listed in straightforward subsections","No cross-references beyond basic references to the parent Act and related legislation","Clear structure: preliminary matters, equipment specification, repeal of old regulations","Single purpose instrument with no ancillary or administrative provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations require Australian telecommunications providers to supply specified phone and relay equipment so people with disabilities can access standard telephone services and the National Relay Service. By mandating accessible handsets, assistive adapters and relay-compatible devices, the rules protect access to emergency services, healthcare, work and social contacts. They replace the Telecommunications (Equipment for the Disabled) Regulations 1998 with an updated framework."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument replaces the 1998 Regulations (Schedule 1) and formally relocates and updates the list of specified customer equipment under the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 (s 6). It narrows the statutory specification to a defined set of devices (National Relay Service enabling equipment and listed assistive/ancillary products), with legal effect tied to paragraph 9E(2)(a) of the Act (s 6(1)). Commencement is fixed at 1 April 2024 (s 2)."},"complexity_factors":["Cross‑references to other statutes and definitions (Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999; Telecommunications Act 1997; Disability Discrimination Act 1992) — see s 5.","Made for the specific statutory purpose of paragraph 9E(2)(a) of the Act, so legal effect depends on that external provision — see s 6(1).","Technical, device‑specific lists that require interpretation (equipment enabling National Relay Service; amplified/assistive and ancillary products) — see s 6(2)–(3).","Complete repeal of the earlier Regulations (Telecommunications (Equipment for the Disabled) Regulations 1998), which shifts where specified items are prescribed — Schedule 1.","Simple commencement mechanics (fixed start date and table) but potential transitional or enforcement implications lie in the parent Act — see s 2."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations list which telephone and assistive devices count as “customer equipment” for the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999. They specify devices that enable use of the National Relay Service and a range of amplified, hands‑free, visual‑alert, braille‑conversion and ancillary products, repeal the 1998 regulations, and commence 1 April 2024. The list determines which products are recognised for regulatory purposes, affecting telecommunications providers, accessibility compliance and what equipment consumers can rely on under the Act."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-consumer-protection-and-service-standards-accessible-standard-telephone-services-/documents"}}