Vulnerable Telecommunications Customers Shielded by ACMA's Actions
ACMA Prioritises Support for Telco Consumers Facing Domestic and Family Violence
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced a new set of priorities for the upcoming year, with a focus on protecting telco consumers who are victims of domestic and family violence.
In a move aimed at enhancing support for vulnerable individuals, the ACMA will enforce new rules that require telcos to reconnect affected customers to their services without requiring them to interact with alleged perpetrators. This critical measure is designed to ensure that those in need can maintain their connections without fear or risk.
The ACMA's ongoing commitment to protecting vulnerable telco customers extends to enforcing telco complaint handling rules, minimising gambling harms, and ensuring compliance with emergency services requirements. The authority will closely monitor industry compliance with these new rules, with particular emphasis on the most fundamental requirement: that people should be able to connect to emergency services at all times.
When telco networks experience an outage, people should still be able to reach emergency help on the Triple Zero service. Compliance with this requirement will be enforced, ensuring consumers can connect to Triple Zero during outages.
In addition to these measures, the ACMA will combat spam and telco scams, with a focus on persistent unwanted spam or telemarketing. The authority will also tackle the supply of dodgy devices on e-commerce platforms and enforce a new Equipment Safety Product Pledge.
The ACMA will actively enforce the rules for BetStop - the National Self-Exclusion Register - and take action against illegal wagering providers targeting Australians. Mobile number fraud will also be monitored, with strong enforcement action taken against non-compliant telcos.
The ACMA's compliance priorities were informed by a public consultation process. The authority will conduct audits of industry compliance regarding the emergency call service and will continue its focus on new and updated obligations in relation to the emergency call service.
In a statement, ACMA Chairperson Nerida O'Loughlin emphasised the significance of these issues, stating, "Domestic violence and family violence cause significant harm, and access to telco services is a lifeline for those seeking safety and security."
The Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency), the authority responsible for monitoring and enforcing new rules supporting telco consumers regarding household and violent crimes, will oversee compliance and can impose measures within the next 12 months.
The ACMA's 2025-26 compliance and enforcement priorities also include working with device manufacturers and broadcasters to improve access to free-to-air TV services. The authority is committed to using its regulatory powers to hold telco providers accountable and ensure they meet their legal responsibilities to keep affected individuals safe and connected.
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