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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
This instrument sets out detailed operational rules for telephone services under the Post and Telegraph Act: how to apply, connection and disconnection rules, who pays (rentals, per‑call charges, mileage, construction, deposits and guarantees), technical and maintenance obligations, and penalties. The Postmaster‑General and Deputy Postmaster‑General hold broad approval and enforcement powers (see Regs 4, 5, 11, 17, 37, 106–111). It matters because it allocates costs to subscribers, creates inspection and compliance duties, and restricts how telephones and private lines may be used.
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Direct links to the current provisions in Telephone Regulations (Provisional).
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
STATUTORY RULES.
1911. No. 215.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901–1910.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the undermentioned amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1910, namely:—
Telephone Regulations.
should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulations to come into operation forthwith as Provisional Regulations.
Dated this 22nd day of December, One thousand nine hundred and eleven.
DENMAN,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
C. E. FRAZER.
TELEPHONE REGULATIONS.
General.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Telephone Regulations, and are divided into Parts, as follows:—
Part I.—Telephone Exchanges
Part II.—Public Telephone Trunk Lines.
Part III.—Transmission of Telegrams by Telephone.
Part IV.—Public Telephones.
Part V.—Telephones to Steamships or Wharves.
Part VI.—Telephone Junction and Trunk Lines.
Part VII.—Use of Subscribers’ Telephones by the Public on the Ticket System or on Payment.
Part VIII.—Fire Brigade Lines.
Part IX.—Military Lines.
Part X.—Burglar Alarms.
Part XI.—Time Signals and Weather Forecasts.
Part XII.—Telephone Lines not connected with Exchanges.
Part XIII.—Telephone Lines connecting with Trunk Line Switchboards or Telegraph Offices only.
Part XIV.—Telephone Lines in Country Districts not erected, or only partly erected, by the Postmaster-General.
Part XV.—Telephone Lines in Country Districts partly erected by the Postmaster-General, and which connect with Telephone Exchanges.
Part XVI.—Telephone Lines in Country Districts erected at the cost of the users upon poles of the Postmaster-General.
Part XVII.—Erection of Public Telegraph or Telephone Lines under guarantee.
C.5882.—Price 8d.
Part XVIII.—Public Telegraph Lines erected by persons desiring such lines, instead of by the Department, under guarantee.
Part XIX.—Miscellaneous.
PART I.—TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.
2. All applications for telephone services must be made to the Deputy Postmaster-General.
3. (1) Where connexion to a Telephone Exchange is desired, such connexion shall be made to the Exchange nearest the premises referred to in the application, except for departmental convenience, or at the request of the subscriber approved by the Deputy Postmaster-General.
(2) When at the request of the subscriber the connexion is made to an exchange other than the exchange nearest the premises referred to in the application, the charges shall be as follows:—
(a) For the line, the charges prescribed by Part XII. of these Regulations;
(b) For the connexion to the Switchboard, the charges prescribed by Regulation 28 for one jack and one shutter;
(c) For calls, the charges prescribed by Regulaton 5;
provided that where the charges prescribed by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Regulation shall be less than the minimum annual charge prescribed by Regulation 5 the minimum annual charge prescribed by that Regulation shall be charged instead of the charges prescribed by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Regulation.
4. The Postmaster-General reserves the right to refuse to comply with any application for connexion with any telephone system, or for the construction of any telephone line or service.
5.* (1) All telephone lines, instruments, and fittings in connexion with the telephone system, except where otherwise provided by these Regulations, shall be erected and supplied by the Postmaster-General, the cost being borne by the Government, and no persons, except employés of the Department, provided with proper means of identification, are to be allowed to interfere with or make any additions or alterations to any wires, instruments, or fittings under the Department’s control. In the event of any such interference the subscriber concerned will be liable to have his line disconnected.
(2) The following shall be the charges payable for each of the different classes of service specified:—
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width:100%; margin-bottom:0pt; border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr style="height:1pt"><td colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">In Telephone Networks having a population of—</span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:14.5%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Radius of Network with Main Exchange as Centre.</span></p></td><td colspan="9" style="border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Minimum Annual Charge.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td colspan="3" style="border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">For an Exclusive Service.</span></p></td><td colspan="3" style="border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">For each Subscriber or Instrument on a Two party Service.</span></p></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">For each Subscriber or Instrument on a Three or more Party Service.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td colspan="2" style="border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td style="width:14.5%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Miles.</span></p></td><td style="width:5.12%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">£</span></p></td><td style="width:3.98%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif; font-style:italic">s.</span></p></td><td style="width:6.64%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif; font-style:italic">d.</span></p></td><td style="width:8.24%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">£</span></p></td><td style="width:3.9%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif; font-style:italic">s.</span></p></td><td style="width:6.64%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif; font-style:italic">d.</span></p></td><td style="width:8.48%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">£</span></p></td><td style="width:4.36%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif; font-style:italic">s.</span></p></td><td style="width:5.94%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif; font-style:italic">d.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td colspan="2" style="border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">From 1 to 10,000</span><span style="width:58.61pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">........</span></p></td><td style="width:14.5%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:21.6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">5</span></p></td><td style="width:5.12%; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">3</span></p></td><td style="width:3.98%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td><td style="width:6.64%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td><td style="width:8.24%; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">2</span></p></td><td style="width:3.9%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">10</span></p></td><td style="width:6.64%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td><td style="width:8.48%; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">2</span></p></td><td style="width:4.36%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td><td style="width:5.94%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td style="width:4.4%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">„</span></p></td><td style="width:27.8%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-left:7.2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">10,001 to 100,000</span><span style="width:27.69pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">....</span></p></td><td style="width:14.5%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:21.6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">10</span></p></td><td style="width:5.12%; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">3</span></p></td><td style="width:3.98%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">10</span></p></td><td style="width:6.64%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td><td style="width:8.24%; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">2</span></p></td><td style="width:3.9%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">15</span></p></td><td style="width:6.64%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td><td style="width:8.48%; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">2</span></p></td><td style="width:4.36%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">5</span></p></td><td style="width:5.94%; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">0</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td style="width:4.4%; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">„</span></p></td><td style="width:27.8%; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin
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