{"id":"F2025L00396","name":"Telecommunications (Requirements for Customer Equipment with Hierarchical Digital Interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) Technical Standard 2025","slug":"telecommunications-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":106213,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2025L00396-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Telecommunications (Requirements for Customer Equipment with Hierarchical Digital Interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) Technical Standard 2025","content":"![Commonwealth of Australian coat of arms](image.001.png)\n\nTelecommunications (Requirements for Customer Equipment with Hierarchical Digital Interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) Technical Standard 2025\n\nThe Australian Communications and Media Authority makes the following technical standard under subsection 376(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\nDated: 20 March 2025\n\nAdam Suckling\n\n\\[signed\\]\n\nMember\n\nMichael Brealey\n\n\\[signed\\]\n\nGeneral Manager\n\nAustralian Communications and Media Authority  \n\nPart 1 – Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n(1) This technical standard is the Telecommunications (Requirements for Customer Equipment with Hierarchical Digital Interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) Technical Standard 2025.\n\n(2) This technical standard may also be cited as AS/ACIF S016-2025.\n\n2 Commencement\n\nThis technical standard commences on 30 March 2025.\n\n> Note: This technical standard is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation which may be accessed free of charge at www.legislation.gov.au.\n\n3 Authority\n\nThis technical standard is made under subsection 376(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\n4 Repeal of the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) 2015\n\nThe Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) 2015 \\[F2015L00181\\] is repealed.\n\n5 Objects\n\nThe objects of this technical standard are to specify requirements that are necessary or convenient for:\n\n(a) protecting the integrity of a telecommunications network or a facility;\n\n(b) protecting the health or safety of persons who:\n\n(i) operate;\n\n(ii) work on;\n\n(iii) use services supplied by means of; or\n\n(iv) are otherwise reasonably likely to be affected by the operation of,\n\na telecommunications network or a facility;\n\n(c) ensuring that customer equipment can be used to give access to an emergency call service; and\n\n(d) ensuring, for the purposes of the supply of a standard telephone service, the interoperability of customer equipment with a telecommunications network to which the equipment is, or is proposed to be, connected.\n\nPart 2 – Interpretation\n\n6 Definitions\n\nIn this technical standard:\n\n> ACMA transition period has the meaning given by section 8.\n\n> Act means the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\namendment instrument, in relation to the AS/ACIF Standard, means an instrument published by Communications Alliance Ltd that amends the AS/ACIF Standard.\n\n> AS/ACIF Standard means the Australian Standard AS/ACIF S016:2001 – Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to hierarchical digital interfaces, published by the Australian Communications Industry Forum Ltd (now known as Communications Alliance Ltd) in March 2002.\n\n> Note: Communications Alliance Ltd’s former name was Australian Communications Industry Forum Ltd. The AS/ACIF Standard is accessible, free of charge, on Communications Alliance Ltd’s website at http://www.commsalliance.com.au.\n\n> AS/ACIF transition period, for an amendment or the replacement of the AS/ACIF Standard, has the meaning given by section 9.\n\ndate a modified item is made has the meaning given by section 11.\n\nincluded in a class of items has the meaning given by section 10.\n\nitem means a thing that is customer equipment to which this technical standard applies, as provided by section 12, and includes a modified item.\n\nmodified item means an item that has been modified, by or on behalf of the manufacturer or importer of the item, after the item was manufactured or imported and, for the avoidance of doubt, is the item as modified.\n\n    original item has the meaning given by subsection 10(1).\n    original modified item has the meaning given by subsection 10(2).\n    replacement standard, in relation to the AS/ACIF Standard, means a standard published by Communications Alliance Ltd that replaces the AS/ACIF Standard.\n\n> Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument have the same meaning as in the Act, including:\n\n> Note: customer equipment (see sections 7 and 21)\n\n> Note: emergency call service (see section 7)\n\n> Note: facility (see section 7 and subsection 374(2))\n\n> Note: import (see section 7)\n\n> Note: manufacturer or importer of customer equipment or customer cabling (see section 406A)\n\n> Note: standard telephone service (see section 7)\n\n> Note: telecommunications network (see section 7 and subsection 374(1)).\n\n7 References to other legislative instruments\n\n  In this technical standard, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to any other legislative instrument is a reference to that other legislative instrument as in force from time to time.\n\nNote: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments. All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation. The Federal Register of Legislation may be accessed free of charge at www.legislation.gov.au.\n\n8 ACMA transition period\n\nIn this technical standard, if the AS/ACIF Standard is amended or replaced, there is an ACMA transition period, being:\n\n(a) in a case where there is an AS/ACIF transition period for the amendment or replacement of the AS/ACIF Standard – a period that is the same as the AS/ACIF transition period; or\n\n(b) in any other case – a period of two years commencing on the day the AS/ACIF Standard is amended or replaced.\n\n> Note 1: See subsections 14(3) and 15(5) in relation to an ACMA transition period.\n\n> Note 2: If the AS/ACIF Standard is amended or replaced during an ACMA transition period, there is another ACMA transition period which overlaps with the first-mentioned transition period. See subsections 14(4) and 15(6) in relation to overlapping ACMA transition periods.\n\n9 AS/ACIF transition period\n\n(1) If:\n\n1.  an amendment instrument or a replacement standard determines arrangements to deal with any issues of a transitional nature that may arise as a result of the amendment or replacement of the AS/ACIF Standard;\n2.  the arrangements are for a specified period commencing on the day the AS/ACIF Standard is amended or replaced; and\n3.  the arrangements have the effect of allowing a relevant item to comply with:\n\n> (i) the AS/ACIF Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the specified period; or\n\n> (ii) the AS/ACIF Standard, or the replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of the specified period;\n\nthe specified period is an AS/ACIF transition period for the amendment or replacement of the AS/ACIF Standard, for the purposes of section 8.\n\n(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), each of the following is a relevant item:\n\n(a) an item that is manufactured in Australia or imported during the specified period;\n\n(b) a modified item that is made in Australia or imported during the specified period.\n\n10 Class of items\n\n(1) In this technical standard:\n\n> (a) an item (other than a modified item) is included in a class of items if the item:\n\n> (i) is identical to each other item of the class (irrespective of when the items were manufactured or imported); and\n\n> (ii) has the same manufacturer or importer as each other item; and\n\n> (b) the original item, in relation to the class of items, is the item of the class that was the first to be manufactured in Australia or imported.\n\n(2) In this technical standard:\n\n> (a) a modified item is included in a class of items if:\n\n> (i) the modification which resulted in that item is identical to the modification which resulted in each other item of the class (irrespective of when the items were so modified);\n\n> (ii) the modified item is, in all other respects, identical to each other item (irrespective of when the items were manufactured or imported); and\n\n> (iii) the modified item has the same manufacturer or importer as each other item; and\n\n> (b) the original modified item, in relation to the class of items, is the item of the class that was the first to be so modified in Australia.\n\n11 Date a modified item is made\n\nIn this technical standard, a reference to the date a modified item is made is a reference to the date of making of the modification which results in that item.\n\nPart 3 – Application and requirements\n\n12 Application\n\nThis technical standard applies to customer equipment that has a hierarchical digital interface at 2,048 kbit/s, 8,448 kbit/s, 34,368 kbit/s or 139,264 kbit/s, and that is used, or is to be used, for connection to a telecommunications network.\n\nNote: In this technical standard, a reference to a telecommunications network is a reference to a telecommunications network in Australia that is operated by a carrier or carriage service provider (see section 7 and subsection 374(1) of the Act).\n\n13 Requirements\n\n(1) An item (other than a modified item) must meet the requirements of subsection 14(1), (2), (3) or (4).\n\n(2) A modified item must meet the requirements of subsection 15(1), (2), (3), (5) or (6).\n\n14 Standard for items (other than modified items)\n\n1.  If an item complies with the AS/ACIF Standard as in force on the date the item is manufactured in Australia or imported, the item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n2.  If an item:\n\n1.  is included in a class of items; and\n2.  complies with the AS/ACIF Standard as in force on the date the original item of the class was manufactured in Australia or imported;\n\nthe first-mentioned item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\n1.  If an item:\n\n1.  is manufactured in Australia or imported during an ACMA transition period; and\n2.  complies with:\n\n1.  the AS/ACIF Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the transition period; or\n\n1.  the AS/ACIF Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of the transition period;\n\nthe item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\n1.  If:\n\n1.  an ACMA transition period overlaps with another ACMA transition period;\n2.  an item is manufactured in Australia or imported during the period of overlap; and\n3.  the item complies with:\n\n1.  the AS/ACIF Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the earliest of those transition periods; or\n2.  the AS/ACIF Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of any one of those transition periods;\n\nthe item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\n15 Standard for modified items\n\n1.  If a modified item complies with the AS/ACIF Standard as in force on the date the modified item is made in Australia, the modified item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n2.  If a modified item:\n\n1.  is included in a class of items; and\n2.  complies with the AS/ACIF Standard as in force on the date the original modified item of the class was made in Australia;\n\nthe first-mentioned item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\n(3) If:\n\n(a) a modified item would have been included in a class of items but for the making of the modification which resulted in that item; and\n\n(b) the modification is not material and, in particular, the modified item complies with the AS/ACIF Standard as in force on the date the original item of the class was made in Australia or imported;\n\nthe first-mentioned item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\n(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), the modification is material if the modification would or could reasonably be expected to affect whether the modified item complies with the AS/CA Standard as in force on the date the original item of the class was made in Australia or imported.\n\n(5) If a modified item:\n\n1.  is made in Australia during an ACMA transition period; and\n2.  complies with:\n\n1.  the AS/ACIF Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the transition period; or\n2.  the AS/ACIF Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of the transition period;\n\nthe modified item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\n1.  If:\n\n1.  an ACMA transition period overlaps with another ACMA transition period;\n2.  a modified item is made in Australia during the period of overlap; and\n3.  the modified item complies with:\n\n1.  the AS/ACIF Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the earliest of those transition periods; or\n2.  the AS/ACIF Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of any one of those transition periods;\n\nthe modified item meets the requirements of this subsection.\n\nPart 4 – Savings and transitional arrangements\n\n16 Items manufactured, imported or modified before commencement\n\n(1) If an item (other than a modified item):\n\n1.  was manufactured in Australia or imported before the commencement of this technical standard; and\n2.  complies with the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) 2015 as in force immediately before the commencement of this technical standard;\n\nthe item is taken to comply with this technical standard.\n\n(2) If a modified item:\n\n1.  was made in Australia before the commencement of this technical standard; and\n2.  complies with the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces – AS/ACIF S016) 2015 as in force immediately before the commencement of this technical standard;\n\nthe modified item is taken to comply with this technical standard.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a straightforward re-enactment and update of the 2015 technical standard. The scope remains tightly focused on hierarchical digital interface equipment at specific bit rates. The 2025 version maintains the same core purpose—ensuring network protection, safety, emergency access, and interoperability—while updating the transitional mechanisms and repeal provisions. No scope creep is evident; it is a technical refresh of existing regulatory coverage."},"complexity_factors":["Nested conditional logic with multiple alternative compliance pathways (sections 14 and 15 each contain 4-6 subsections with alternative routes to compliance)","Complex transitional arrangements involving overlapping time periods (sections 8, 9, 14(3)-(4), 15(5)-(6))","Dual-layer referencing system: the instrument references an external industry standard (AS/ACIF S016) which itself can be amended or replaced, creating dynamic compliance requirements","Sophisticated 'class of items' concept with separate rules for original items vs modified items, and original modified items vs subsequent items in a class (section 10)","Materiality test for modifications requiring assessment of whether changes 'would or could reasonably be expected to affect' compliance (section 15(4))","Multiple defined terms (12+ defined terms in section 6) including recursive definitions (e.g., 'ACMA transition period' depends on 'AS/ACIF transition period')","Cross-references to the Telecommunications Act 1997 for fundamental definitions and the legislative framework"],"plain_english_summary":"This law sets technical requirements for specialised business-grade customer equipment using hierarchical digital interfaces to connect to Australia’s phone and data networks. It mandates compliance with the Communications Alliance standard AS/ACIF S016 to protect networks, ensure safety, preserve emergency-call access, and ensure interoperability.\n\nIt affects manufacturers, importers and businesses that modify such equipment and includes grandfathering and transition arrangements when standards change."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument does not expand the technical scope: it continues to regulate customer equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces at the same specified bit rates and for connection to Australian telecommunications networks (section 12). It repeals the 2015 standard and updates procedural rules — clarifying how compliance is assessed by reference to the AS/ACIF Standard as in force, adding ACMA transition-period mechanics and definitions for classes and modified items (sections 4, 5, 8–11, 14–16) — but does not broaden the categories of equipment covered."},"complexity_factors":["Reliance on an external technical standard (AS/ACIF S016) and subsequent amendment or replacement by Communications Alliance Ltd — compliance depends on that external text (see definitions and 'AS/ACIF Standard').","Multiple transition-period rules, including ACMA transition periods and AS/ACIF transition periods, and rules for overlapping periods which create layering of applicable dates (sections 8–9, 14(3)–(4), 15(5)–(6)).","Distinction between 'items' and 'modified items' with separate compliance routes and timing triggers (sections 6 definitions, 12, 13–15).","Class-of-items concept that allows later-made/imported items to rely on the compliance of an 'original item' or 'original modified item' — requires recordkeeping and evidentiary tracing by manufacturers/importers (section 10, 14(2), 15(2)–(3)).","Savings and transitional protection for items made or imported under the repealed 2015 standard, requiring cross-reference to prior instrument versions (section 4 repeal, section 16 savings).","Cross-references to the Telecommunications Act and other instruments mean practical application requires reading multiple sources (sections 3, 7; notes).","Operational compliance burden falls on manufacturers, importers and modifiers (who must decide which version of the AS/ACIF Standard applies at manufacture/import/modification dates), creating business-timing incentives (sections 12–15)."],"plain_english_summary":"Mechanically, this instrument repeals the 2015 AS/ACIF S016 technical standard and requires customer equipment with hierarchical digital interfaces (2,048; 8,448; 34,368; 139,264 kbit/s) to comply with the AS/ACIF S016 standard as in force at the date the item is manufactured, imported or modified, with specified transition periods for amendments. It affects manufacturers, importers and modifiers of such equipment, and is stated to protect network integrity, health and safety, emergency-call access and interoperability; ACMA administers timing and transitional rules."},"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-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-requirements-for-customer-equipment-with-hierarchical-digital-interfaces-as-acif-/documents"}}