1Telecommunications (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to a Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) Technical Standard 2025

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Telecommunications (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to a Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) Technical Standard 2025

The Australian Communications and Media Authority makes the following technical standard under subsection 376(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Dated: 20 March 2025

Adam Suckling

[signed]

Member

Michael Brealey

[signed]

General Manager

Australian Communications and Media Authority

Part 1 – Preliminary

1 Name

(1) This technical standard is the Telecommunications (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to a Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) Technical Standard 2025.

(2) This technical standard may also be cited as AS/CA S002-2025.

2 Commencement

This technical standard commences on 30 March 2025.

Note: This technical standard is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation which may be accessed free of charge at www.legislation.gov.au.

3 Authority

This technical standard is made under subsection 376(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

4 Repeal of the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) 2015

The Telecommunications Technical Standard (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) 2015 [F2015L00184] is repealed.

5 Objects

The objects of this technical standard are to specify requirements that are necessary or convenient for:

(a) protecting the integrity of a telecommunications network or a facility;

(b) protecting the health or safety of persons who:

(i) operate;

(ii) work on;

(iii) use services supplied by means of; or

(iv) are otherwise reasonably likely to be affected by the operation of,

a telecommunications network or a facility;

(c) ensuring that customer equipment can be used to give access to an emergency call service; and

(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.

Part 2 – Interpretation

6 Definitions

In this technical standard:

ACMA transition period has the meaning given by section 8.

Act means the Telecommunications Act 1997.

amendment instrument, in relation to the AS/CA Standard, means an instrument prepared by Communications Alliance Ltd that amends the AS/CA Standard.

analogue switched telephone network two-wire service means an analogue service that is delivered over a switched telephone network by means of a circuit based on two metal wires.

AS/CA Standard means the Australian Standard AS/CA S002:2010 – Analogue interworking and non-interference requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network published by Communications Alliance Ltd in October 2010.

Note: The AS/CA Standard can be accessed free of charge on Communications Alliance Ltd’s website at www.commsalliance.com.au.

AS/CA transition period, for an amendment or the replacement of the AS/CA Standard, has the meaning given by section 9.

date a modified item is made has the meaning given by section 11.

included in a class of items has the meaning given by section 10.

item means a thing that is customer equipment to which this technical standard applies, as provided by section 12, and includes a modified item.

modified 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.

original item has the meaning given by subsection 10(1).
original modified item has the meaning given by subsection 10(2).
replacement standard, in relation to the AS/CA Standard, means a standard prepared by Communications Alliance Ltd that replaces the AS/CA Standard.

switched telephone network means a telecommunications network which enables a customer to establish a connection for voice frequency communication with another customer, either automatically or with operator assistance.

Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument have the same meaning as in the Act, including:

Note: customer equipment (see sections 7 and 21);

Note: emergency call service (see section 7);

Note: facility (see section 7 and subsection 374(2));

Note: import (see section 7);

Note: manufacturer or importer of customer equipment or customer cabling (see section 406A);

Note: standard telephone service (see section 7);

Note: telecommunications network (see section 7 and subsection 374(1)).

7 References to other legislative instruments

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.

Note: 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.

8 ACMA transition period

In this technical standard, if the AS/CA Standard is amended or replaced, there is an ACMA transition period, being:

(a) in a case where there is an AS/CA transition period for the amendment or replacement of the AS/CA Standard – a period that is the same as the AS/CA transition period; or

(b) in any other case – a period of two years commencing on the day the AS/CA Standard is amended or replaced.

Note 1: See subsections 14(3) and 15(5) in relation to an ACMA transition period.

Note 2: If the AS/CA 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.

9 AS/CA transition period

(1) If:

1. 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/CA Standard;
2. the arrangements are for a specified period commencing on the day the AS/CA Standard is amended or replaced; and
3. the arrangements have the effect of allowing a relevant item to comply with:

(i) the AS/CA Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the specified period; or

(ii) the AS/CA Standard, or the replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of the specified period;

the specified period is an AS/CA transition period for the amendment or replacement of the AS/CA Standard, for the purposes of section 8.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), each of the following is a relevant item:

(a) an item that is manufactured in Australia or imported during the specified period;

(b) a modified item that is made in Australia or imported during the specified period.

10 Class of items

(1) In this technical standard:

(a) an item (other than a modified item) is included in a class of items if the item:

(i) is identical to each other item of the class (irrespective of when the items were manufactured or imported); and

(ii) has the same manufacturer or importer as each other item; and

(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.

(2) In this technical standard:

(a) a modified item is included in a class of items if:

(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);

(ii) the modified item is, in all other respects, identical to each other item (irrespective of when the items were manufactured or imported); and

(iii) the modified item has the same manufacturer or importer as each other item; and

(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.

11 Date a modified item is made

In 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.

Part 3 – Application and requirements

12 Application

This technical standard applies to customer equipment that is used, or is to be used, for connection to an analogue switched telephone network two-wire service.

Note: 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).

13 Requirements

(1) An item (other than a modified item) must meet the requirements of subsection 14(1), (2), (3) or (4).

(2) A modified item must meet the requirements of subsection 15(1), (2), (3), (5) or (6).

14 Standard for items (other than modified items)

1. If an item complies with the AS/CA Standard as in force on the date the item is manufactured in Australia or imported, the item meets the requirements of this subsection.

2. If an item:

3. is included in a class of items; and

4. complies with the AS/CA Standard as in force on the date the original item of the class was manufactured in Australia or imported;

the first-mentioned item meets the requirements of this subsection.

1. If an item:

2. is manufactured in Australia or imported during an ACMA transition period; and

3. complies with:

4. the AS/CA Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the transition period; or

5. the AS/CA Standard or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of the transition period;

the item meets the requirements of this subsection.

1. If:

2. an ACMA transition period overlaps with another ACMA transition period;

3. an item is manufactured in Australia or imported during the period of overlap; and

4. the item complies with:

5. the AS/CA Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the earliest of those transition periods; or

6. the AS/CA Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of any one of those transition periods;

the item meets the requirements of this subsection.

15 Standard for modified items

1. If a modified item complies with the AS/CA Standard as in force on the date the modified item is made in Australia, the modified item meets the requirements of this subsection.

2. If a modified item:

3. is included in a class of items; and

4. complies with the AS/CA Standard as in force on the date the original modified item of the class was made in Australia;

the first-mentioned item meets the requirements of this subsection.

(3) If:

(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

(b) the modification is not material and, in particular, 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;

the first-mentioned item meets the requirements of this subsection.

(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.

(5) If a modified item:

1. is made in Australia during an ACMA transition period; and

2. complies with:

3. the AS/CA Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the transition period; or

4. the AS/CA Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of the transition period;

the modified item meets the requirements of this subsection.

(6) If:

1. an ACMA transition period overlaps with another ACMA transition period;

2. a modified item is made in Australia during the period of overlap; and

3. the modified item complies with:

4. the AS/CA Standard as in force immediately before the commencement of the earliest of those transition periods; or

5. the AS/CA Standard, or a replacement standard, as in force at the commencement of any one of those transition periods;

the modified item meets the requirements of this subsection.

Part 4 – Savings and transitional arrangements

16 Items manufactured, imported or modified before commencement

(1) If an item (other than a modified item):

1. was manufactured in Australia or imported before the commencement of this technical standard; and
2. complies with the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) 2015 as in force immediately before the commencement of this technical standard;

the item is taken to comply with this technical standard.

(2) If a modified item:

1. was made in Australia before the commencement of this technical standard; and
2. complies with the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Analogue Interworking and Non-interference Requirements for Customer Equipment for Connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network – AS/CA S002) 2015 as in force immediately before the commencement of this technical standard;

the modified item is taken to comply with this technical standard.