Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination 2023
1Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination 2023
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Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination 2023
I, Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications, make the following determination.
Dated 6 March 2023
Michelle Rowland
Minister for Communications
Contents
1 Name
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Interpretation
5 Schedules
6 Requirements for a request for supply of a standard telephone service
7 No obligation to supply a standard telephone service in certain circumstances
8 Notification requirements
9 Repeal
Schedule 1—Repeals
Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination (No. 1) 2011
1 Name
This instrument is the Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination 2023.
2 Commencement
(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.
Commencement information
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Provisions Commencement Date/Details
The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered.
Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made.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.
(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.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under subsections 9(2D) and 9(3) of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.
4 Interpretation
Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the definitions section of the Act, including the following:
(a) primary universal service provider (section 12A);
(b) satellite service (subsection 106(4));
(c) standard telephone service (section 6);
(d) Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (section 5).
(1) In this instrument:
Act means the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.
carriage service provider has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1997.
CSG Standard means the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011.
national broadband network has the same meaning as in section 577BA of the Telecommunications Act 1997.
NBN Co means NBN Co Limited (ACN 136 533 741), as the company exists from time to time (even if its name is later changed).
NBN Co fixed line network means any fixed line telecommunications network that is:
(a) deployed as part of, or which otherwise becomes part of, the national broadband network; and
(b) accepted into operation by NBN Co; and
(c) owned, controlled or operated by or on behalf of an NBN corporation.
NBN corporation has the same meaning as in the National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011.
principal place of residence means the place that, as at the date of the request, the person making the request resides, or intends to reside, for 183 days or more per annum.
Priority Assistance has the meaning given by subsection 19(3) of Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1997.
public mobile telecommunications service has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1997.
request means a request for a standard telephone service made using a primary universal service provider’s website, by telephone, or in person at a retail centre.
specified service has the same meaning as in the CSG Standard.
(2) For the purposes of this instrument, premises are excluded premises if the premises satisfy one or more of the following criteria:
(a) the premises are under construction;
(b) the premises are not fully completed;
(c) the premises do not comply with all applicable planning laws;
(d) the premises are a structure other than a residence, dwelling or business premises (for example, a builder’s pole or fence);
(e) the premises are not self-contained;
(f) the premises are not a permanent structure;
(g) the premises do not have access to permanent sanitation facilities;
(h) the premises are:
(i) a portable home; or
(ii) a shelter; or
(iii) a shed (including a site shed, dairy shed, farm shed, garden shed, or worker’s shed); or
(iv) a rotunda; or
(v) a lean-to, humpy, or tent; or
(vi) a building site office; or
(vii) a donga, unless it is a distinct residence of a kind mentioned in subsection (3); or
(viii) an elevator; or
(ix) a vehicle (other than a motorhome or caravan described under paragraph (3)(e) or (3)(f)); or
(x) evacuation centres, tents, demountable structures or barracks erected in time of emergency that are not intended to be for permanent accommodation; or
(xi) a boat on dry land; or
(xii) a moored boat (other than a permanently moored boat); or
(xiii) a shipping container, unless it is a distinct residence of a kind mentioned in subsection (3); or
(xiv) a cubby house; or
(xv) an outhouse or a shower block; or
(xvi) an annexe;
(i) the premises are residential premises but are not the principal place of residence of the person making the request;
(j) the premises are residential premises but do not have access to facilities capable of supporting independent living;
(k) the premises are business premises but a person making the request does not intend to carry on business for 6 months or more per annum at the premises; or
(l) the premises are residential premises but are not a distinct residence.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2), a distinct residence includes, but is not limited to:
(a) a distinct house, flat or apartment; or
(b) a distinct dwelling (even if the dwelling does not have a separate land title to the main residence on the relevant land, for example, a granny flat); or
(c) a separate farm dwelling; or
(d) a distinct residence within a retirement village or nursing home; or
(e) a caravan, motorhome or cabin permanently situated at a caravan park, where the person requesting the supply of a standard telephone service to the premises is a permanent or long-term resident of the caravan park; or
(f) a caravan, motorhome, or cabin situated on owner occupied land or leased land, provided the person making the request has resided, or intends to reside, in the caravan, motorhome, or cabin at that site for 183 days or more per annum; or
(g) a permanently moored boat; or
(h) a distinct residence in a mining or isolated community occupied, or intended to be occupied, for 183 days or more per annum.
(4) For the purposes of this instrument, where a person is authorised to make a request for a standard telephone service on behalf of another person, the request is deemed to have been made by the person on whose behalf the request was made.
5 Schedules
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.
6 Requirements for a request for supply of a standard telephone service
For the purposes of subsection 9(2C) of the Act, a request for the supply of a standard telephone service (whether or not bundled with other products or services) must comply with all of the following requirements:
(a) the request must include the full name of the person making the request;
(b) the request must include the location of the premises where the standard telephone service is to be supplied;
(c) the request must state the date upon which the person making the request requires the standard telephone service at the premises;
(d) if the request relates to the supply of a standard telephone service to business premises, where reasonably required by a primary universal service provider, the request must be accompanied by written documentation verifying that a business is carried on permanently at the premises specified in the request;
(e) the request must be accompanied by all other information a primary universal service provider has requested that it reasonably requires for the purpose of supplying a standard telephone service and a service connection for that standard telephone service;
(f) the request must be accompanied by all other information a primary universal service provider has requested that it reasonably requires to be satisfied that the circumstances specified in subsections 7(1) and (4) do not apply.
7 No obligation to supply a standard telephone service in certain circumstances
(1) For the purposes of subsection 9(2E) of the Act, an obligation to supply a standard telephone service on request does not arise under paragraph 9(1)(a) or subsection 9(2) of the Act if:
(a) any of the following circumstances applies to a request:
(i) the premises specified in the request at which the standard telephone service is to be supplied are excluded premises;
(ii) subject to subsection (2), at the time the request (the subsequent request) is made, there is a request which is pending (the pending request) for the supply of a standard telephone service at the same premises, whether the pending request is with a primary universal service provider or another carriage service provider, and whether it was made by the person making the subsequent request or a third party;
(iii) the person making the request does not have the legal right to occupy the premises specified in the request;
(iv) both:
(A) the guaranteed maximum connection periods in Division 2 of Part 2 of the CSG Standard apply to a primary universal service provider in relation to the request; and
(B) a primary universal service provider is exempt from complying with the guaranteed maximum connection periods under section 20 of the CSG Standard;
(v) a primary universal service provider believes, on reasonable grounds, that the request for the standard telephone service is fraudulent;
(vi) the person making the request is under 18 years of age and is not the legal owner or lessee of the premises specified in the request for the standard telephone service;
(vii) the request is a request by a carriage service provider other than a primary universal service provider for the supply of a standard telephone service for the purpose of that carriage service provider supplying a standard telephone service to its customer;
(viii) the installation or supply of the standard telephone service would contravene a law of the Commonwealth, or the applicable State or Territory;
(ix) subject to subsection (3) a primary universal service provider has made a reasonable offer to supply the standard telephone service to the premises and the person making the request has refused to accept the supply of the standard telephone service; and
(b) except where subparagraphs (1)(a)(iv) or (1)(a)(v) apply, a primary universal service provider complies with the notification requirements at subsection 8(3); and
(c) where subparagraph (1)(a)(iv) applies, a primary universal service provider complies with the notification requirements at subsections 8(4) and (5); and
(d) where subparagraph (1)(a)(v) applies, a primary universal service provider complies with the notification requirements at subsection 8(6).
(2) Subparagraph (1)(a)(ii) does not apply where:
(a) the subsequent request would require the supply of equipment, or other goods or services, under subsection 9E(1) of the Act in order to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992; and
(b) the pending request would not require the supply of such equipment, or such goods or services.
(3) An offer is not a reasonable offer for the purposes of subparagraph (1)(a)(ix) if a primary universal service provider would be required to supply equipment, or other goods or services, under subsection 9E(1) of the Act in order to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the offer does not include an offer to supply such equipment, or such goods or services.
(4) For the purposes of subsection 9(2E) of the Act, if a primary universal service provider complies with the notification requirements at subsection 8(7), an obligation to supply a standard telephone service on request does not arise under paragraph 9(1)(a) or subsection 9(2) of the Act for any period during which any of the following circumstances applies to a request:
(a) the person making the request does not make available, at the expense of the person making the request, an electricity supply sufficient for the technology used (or proposed to be used) to provide the standard telephone service at the premises;
(b) where lead-in cabling is required to be installed to permit a primary universal service provider to supply a standard telephone service in response to the request, the person making the request does not:
(i) supply, agree to pay the reasonable costs of supplying, or arrange for the payment of the costs of supplying, suitable trenching to house underground cabling between the point that the cable enters the property and the point that the cable enters the building; or
(ii) erect, agree to pay the reasonable costs of erecting, or arrange for the payment of the costs of erecting, poles at the premises if it is not reasonably feasible to have underground cables;
(c) the person making the request does not agree to a primary universal service provider’s standard form of agreement for the installation and supply of the standard telephone service;
(d) the person making the request does not provide identification;
(e) unimpeded ingress and egress to the premises or the land leading to the premises is not available to enable a primary universal service provider to access power or infrastructure as necessary for the installation of a standard telephone service;
(f) the premises specified in the request for the standard telephone service are not sufficiently secure for the housing of telecommunications equipment, taking into consideration the nature of the premises (including whether the premises are in a remote area and whether the premises are permanently occupied);
(g) the installation or supply of a standard telephone service at the proposed location would put employees or contractors of a primary universal service provider or the public at risk of exposure to unreasonable health or safety risks;
(h) all of the following conditions are met:
(i) the guaranteed maximum connection periods in Division 2 of Part 2 of the CSG Standard apply to a primary universal service provider in relation to the request;
(ii) a primary universal service provider is exempt from complying with the guaranteed maximum connection periods under section 21 or section 22 of the CSG Standard;
(iii) a primary universal service provider has complied with the applicable requirements of sections 23, 24 and 27 of the CSG Standard;
(i) the installation of a standard telephone service at the proposed location would not be in the interests of public safety;
(j) installation or supply of a standard telephone service would put employees or contractors of a primary universal service provider at risk of being exposed or subject to:
(i) threatening or intimidating conduct or behaviour by either of the following:
(A) the person making the request;
(B) other persons or animals at the premises specified in the request for the standard telephone service or on the property on which the premises are located; or
(ii) unhealthy or unsanitary environments at the premises specified in the request for the standard telephone service or at the property on which the premises are located, including those which arise from waste, infestation, chemical hazards or other hazardous conditions; or
(iii) injury due to poor building structures, an unsafe building space or substandard electrical fittings;
(k) a primary universal service provider is prevented from installing a standard telephone service at the proposed location because the installation activity would have significant adverse environmental impacts and a primary universal service provider is unable to undertake the installation activity in compliance with Schedule 3 of the Telecommunications Act 1997, or is prevented from undertaking the installation activity by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;
(l) both:
(i) the consent or authority of any person other than the person making the request is required before a primary universal service provider is authorised to perform the works necessary to install the standard telephone service, including any consent or authority that is required:
(A) to access any premises or facilities (such as common property); or
(B) to temporarily or permanently locate equipment at a location (such as an equipment room or a part of premises not owned by the person making the request); and
(ii) that consent or authority is not provided;
(m) subject to subsections (6) and (7), the premises specified in the request for the supply of a standard telephone service is already supplied with a standard telephone service (the existing standard telephone service):
(i) by a carriage service provider other than a primary universal service provider except where:
(A) the person making the request, or another person residing at the premises, requests Priority Assistance; and
(B) that carriage service provider does not offer Priority Assistance; or
(ii) by a primary universal service provider in fulfilment of the universal service obligation as set out at paragraph 9(1)(a) of the Act.
(5) For the purposes of subparagraph 7(4)(h)(ii), if the ‘another carriage service provider’ referred to in subsection 21(3) of the CSG Standard is an NBN corporation, then:
(a) subsection 21(3) of the CSG Standard will not apply; and
(b) the circumstances beyond the control of a primary universal service provider referred to in subsection 21(2) of the CSG Standard may include damage to, or failure of, the NBN Co fixed line network that:
(i) causes mass outages of specified services; and
(ii) restricts connection to a specified service or rectification of a fault or service difficulty.
(6) Subparagraph (4)(m)(i) does not apply where the existing standard telephone service is:
(a) a public mobile telecommunications service; or
(b) a mobile satellite service.
(7) Subparagraph (4)(m)(ii) does not apply where:
(a) the relevant request for the supply of a standard telephone service would require the supply of equipment, or other goods or services, under subsection 9E(1) of the Act in order to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992; and
(b) the existing standard telephone service does not require the supply of such equipment, or such goods or services.
8 Notification requirements
(1) Subsections (3), (4), (5) and (6) set out the notification requirements applying to subsection 7(1).
(2) Subsection (7) sets out the notification requirements applying to subsection 7(4).
(3) A primary universal service provider must, within 10 business days of deciding that one or more of the circumstances in paragraph 7(1)(a) (except for the circumstances in subparagraphs 7(1)(a)(iv) and (v)) applies to the request, send to the person making the request a statement in writing setting out:
(a) which of the circumstances listed in paragraph 7(1)(a) the primary universal service provider is relying on in coming to its decision that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not arise; and
(b) the grounds on which the primary universal service provider has based its judgment that that circumstance, or each of those circumstances, applies to the request; and
(c) the entitlement of the person making the request to dispute that the circumstance applies to the request by:
(i) requesting the primary universal service provider to reconsider whether the grounds referred to in paragraph (3)(b) exist or are a proper basis for the primary universal service provider to form the view that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not arise; or
(ii) complaining to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, following such a request for reconsideration; and
(d) how the person making the request can contact the primary universal service provider and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Note: The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will not investigate or facilitate the resolution of a complaint made following a request for reconsideration where it determines that:
(a) the person making the request is not a person who may make a complaint to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; or
(b) the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman does not have the jurisdiction to investigate or facilitate the resolution of that complaint.
(4) A primary universal service provider must, within 10 business days of deciding that the circumstance in subparagraph 7(1)(a)(iv) applies to the request, send to the person making the request a statement in writing setting out:
(a) the decision of the primary universal service provider not to provide a service to that person based on:
(i) the personal credit history of the person making the request; or
(ii) any other relevant grounds; and
(b) the entitlement of that person to request that the primary universal service provider reconsider the decision not to provide a service to that person.
(5) If a person makes a request under paragraph (4)(b) that the primary universal service provider reconsider the decision not to provide a service to that person, and the primary universal service provider decides that the circumstance in subparagraph 7(1)(a)(iv) continues to apply to that person’s request for a standard telephone service, the primary universal service provider must, within 10 business days of deciding that the circumstance continues to apply, send to the person making the request, a statement in writing setting out:
(a) the decision of the primary universal service provider that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not apply to the request; and
(b) the reliance of the primary universal service provider in basing its decision not to supply a standard telephone service on:
(i) the personal credit history of the person making the request; or
(ii) any other relevant grounds; and
(c) the entitlement of the person making the request to dispute that the circumstance in subparagraph 7(1)(a)(iv) applies to the request by:
(i) requesting the primary universal service provider to reconsider whether the grounds referred to in paragraph (b) exist or are a proper basis for the primary universal service provider to form the view that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not arise; or
(ii) complaining to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, following such a request for reconsideration; and
(d) how the person making the request can contact the primary universal service provider and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Note: The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will not investigate or facilitate the resolution of a complaint made following a request for reconsideration where it determines that:
(a) the person making the request is not a person who may make a complaint to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; or
(b) the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman does not have the jurisdiction to investigate or facilitate the resolution of that complaint.
(6) A primary universal service provider must, within 10 business days of deciding that the circumstance in subparagraph 7(1)(a)(v) applies to the request, send to the person making the request a statement in writing setting out:
(a) the decision of the primary universal service provider that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not apply to the request; and
(b) the reliance of the primary universal service provider in basing its decision not to supply a standard telephone service on information provided by the person making the request to the primary universal service provider; and
(c) the entitlement of the person making the request to dispute the decision not to supply a standard telephone service by:
(i) requesting the primary universal service provider to reconsider whether the grounds referred to in paragraph (b) exist or are a proper basis for the primary universal service provider to form the view that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not arise; or
(ii) complaining to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, following such a request for reconsideration; and
(d) how the person making the request can contact the primary universal service provider and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Note: The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will not investigate or facilitate the resolution of a complaint made following a request for reconsideration where it determines that:
(a) the person making the request is not a person who may make a complaint to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; or
(b) the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman does not have the jurisdiction to investigate or facilitate the resolution of that complaint.
(7) A primary universal service provider must, within 10 business days of deciding that one or more of the circumstances in subsection 7(4) applies to the request, provide to the person making the request a statement in writing setting out:
(a) which of the circumstances listed in subsection 7(4) the primary universal service provider is relying on in coming to its decision that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not arise for a period; and
(b) the grounds on which the primary universal service provider has based its judgment that that circumstance, or each of those circumstances, applies to the request; and
(c) if practicable, an estimate by the primary universal service provider of the period of time for which that circumstance, or each of those circumstances, applies to the request; and
(d) the entitlement of the person making the request to dispute that the circumstance applies to the request by:
(i) requesting the primary universal service provider to reconsider whether the grounds referred to in paragraph (b) exist or are a proper basis for the primary universal service provider to form the view that the obligation to supply a standard telephone service does not arise; or
(ii) complaining to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, following such a request for reconsideration; and
(e) how the person making the request can contact the primary universal service provider and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Note: The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will not investigate or facilitate the resolution of a complaint made following a request for reconsideration where it determines that:
(a) the person making the request is not a person who may make a complaint to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; or
(b) the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman does not have the jurisdiction to investigate or facilitate the resolution of that complaint.
(8) In estimating, for the purposes of paragraph (7)(c), the period of time for which the circumstance, or each of the circumstances, applies to the request, a primary universal service provider must have regard to:
(a) the effect, on the ability of the provider to comply with the obligation to supply a standard telephone service on request under paragraph 9(1)(a) or subsection 9(2) of the Act, of the grounds identified by the provider in paragraph (7)(b) on which it has based its judgment that the circumstance, or each of the circumstances, applies to the request; and
(b) to the extent practicable, the resources that the provider would have to commit, proportionate to that effect, to:
(i) mitigate the consequences of those grounds; and
(ii) minimise the duration of those grounds.
9 Repeal
This instrument is repealed at the start of 1 July 2026.
Schedule 1—Repeals
Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service – Requirements and Circumstances) Determination (No. 1) 2011