Federal Government Plans Telco Safeguards For Small Business.
Federal Government Plans Telco Safeguards – Australia’s Federal Government has introduced legislation to improve telecommunications safeguards for Australian small businesses and consumers vital given the importance of connectivity to ongoing digital transformation and reliable communications.
The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards and Other Measures) Bill is designed to improve the statutory infrastructure provider (SIP) regime that drives the access of Australians to high-speed broadband while incorporating protections.
The new Bill will deliver greater certainty to customers where their current SIP chooses to stop offering services. The SIP will be required to provide sufficient notice to NBN Co. As the default SIP, NBN Co will have sufficient time to provide alternative infrastructure before the incumbent provider vacates the premises.
The Bill also includes measures to bring private networks that service new developments, such as retirement villages, into the SIP regime. This will ensure that all consumers, no matter where they live, have access to quality broadband services on request.
The Bill will give the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman a clearer role in resolving disputes about service connections. Under the new laws, the Ombudsman will be able to work with customers and providers to resolve problems.
The Bill also sets out new powers for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which will be able to require developers to remediate defective infrastructure that supports telecommunications services in their new developments at their own cost.
Federal Government Plans Telco Safeguards For SMEs
The ACMA will also be able to publish telecommunications providers’ performance metrics in its public reports, providing consumers to make more informed choices about the telecommunications provider best suited to them.
“Reliable connectivity is essential in our increasingly digital society, and consumer safeguards need to keep pace to help keep Australians online,” said Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland.
“This new Bill will ensure consumers are able to access the service they need and deserve – and provide appropriate protections where that service fails.”
You can read the transcript of the Bill’s release on the Hansard here or find more SEN news here.
“Federal Government Plans Telco Safeguards For Small Business.”
