61Decision on application

61  Decision on application

 (1) The ACMA must decide to approve or not to approve an application under section 60 no later than 10 business days after the day on which the application is received by the ACMA, but may, if the ACMA needs to consult on the application, extend that period to a total of no more than 40 business days by giving notice in writing of the extension to the applicant.

 (2) The ACMA must decide not to approve an application under section 60 to vary the standard zone unit (the first standard zone unit) to which one or more geographic numbers are allocated if the ACMA is satisfied of any of the following:

 (a) the numbers were deliberately issued for use in an inappropriate standard zone unit;

 (b) the variation would be inconsistent with the number analysis capabilities of telecommunications networks operated in Australia;

 (c) the numbers do not relate to:

 (i) the charging district (the terminating charging district) in which calls to the numbers terminate, or appear to terminate, for charging purposes; or

 (ii) a standard zone unit that is adjacent to the first standard zone unit and is in a charging district that has the same prefix as the terminating charging district;

 (d) the use of the numbers would substantially reduce the geographic significance of the numbers;

 (e) the decision to vary the allocation would have disadvantages, for another carriage service provider, customer or end‑user, that outweigh the advantages of varying the numbers.

 (3) The ACMA may approve an application to vary the standard zone unit to which one or more geographic numbers are allocated if:

 (a) the ACMA is satisfied that the carriage service provider making the application has issued the numbers; and

 (b) the carriage service provider has given the ACMA adequate information to allow the ACMA to make the decision;

unless the ACMA is required not to approve the application under subsection (2).

 (4) The ACMA must notify the carriage service provider of its decision in writing.

 (5) If the ACMA does not make a decision within the period required under subsection (1), the ACMA is taken to have made a decision to refuse the application.

 (6) If the ACMA is not the designated authority, the ACMA must notify the designated authority of its decision.