Alert: Changes to ACMA labelling arrangements from 1 March 2013.New single compliance mark – RCM. Further information is available. |
- How is customer cabling regulated?
- What labelling requirements apply to cable assemblies supplied as separate items?
- What labelling requirements apply to cable assemblies supplied with customer equipment?
- Do the alternative labelling arrangements apply to cable assemblies?
- Are there penalties for non-compliance?
- Where can I obtain more information?
How is customer cabling regulated?
Under the Telecommunications Act 1997 (the Act), the ACMA is responsible for the regulation of telecommunications customer equipment and customer cabling. To achieve this, the ACMA has introduced industry self-regulatory arrangements based on compliance with applicable standards and labelling.
The ACMA regulates these arrangements by using the Telecommunications Labelling (Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Notice 2001 (the Telecommunications Labelling Notice) to specify the applicable standards and labelling requirements.
To assist manufacturers, importers and agents, the ACMA has produced a plain language guide to the telecommunications compliance requirements titled Telecommunications compliance and labelling - Information for suppliers of telecommunications customer equipment and cabling products in Australia. The booklet should be read in conjunction with the Telecommunications Labelling Notice. The booklet details the telecommunications regulatory arrangements applicable to the supply of telecommunications equipment and cabling in Australia.
The ACMA Industry Fact Sheet, Labelling of Telecommunications Customer Equipment and Cabling also provides a brief overview of the labelling requirements for customer equipment and customer cabling.
What labelling requirements apply to cable assemblies supplied as separate items?
Cable assemblies (patch cords, interconnecting cords or line cord) are scoped by Category A22 of Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Labelling Notice. Cable assemblies must comply with the standards listed in Category A22 of Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Labelling Notice.
Cable assemblies are required to be labelled in accordance with the labelling requirements for customer equipment specified in the Telecommunications Labelling Notice and compliance records maintained.
What labelling requirements apply to cable assemblies supplied with customer equipment?
Cable assemblies which are only supplied with A-Ticked customer equipment, and which have been tested as an integral part of the customer equipment, are not required to be labelled separately to the customer equipment with which they are supplied.
Do the alternative labelling arrangements apply to cable assemblies?
The alternative labelling arrangements do not apply to cable assemblies as they are not an item which must only be installed by licensed or registered cablers.
Suppliers of certain customer cable and cabling products may apply to the ACMA to use the alternative labelling arrangements (sometimes referred to as the alternative compliance path) and therefore not affix the A-tick label to their compliant product. Only customer cabling products that:
- are compliant with AS/ACIF S008: 2001; and
- which must only be installed by licensed or registered cablers;
are suitable for the alternative labelling arrangements.
Are there penalties for non-compliance?
Offences in relation to the telecommunications regulatory arrangements include offences under the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the Criminal Code Act 1995. As of 28 December 2012, the value of a penalty unit for calculating financial penalties was $170. A fine of 100 penalty units would correspond to a penalty of $17,000.
Offences and fines include failure to label customer equipment or customer cabling, incorrect or inappropriate use of the compliance label or connection of unlabelled customer equipment or customer cabling without permission. Penalties also apply for corporations that breach requirements under the Act.
Where can I obtain more information?
To obtain more information about the Australian telecommunications regulatory arrangement, including a consolidated version of the Telecommunications Labelling Notice, visit the ACMA website.
Disclaimer: This document is informative only; you should always refer to the current version of the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the Telecommunications Labelling (Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Notice 2001 for specifics of the compliance and labelling requirements for telecommunications customer equipment and customer cabling.
