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CSG overview

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Customer Service Guarantee (CSG)

The Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) Standard protects residential and small business customers from poor telephone service. Under the CSG, carriage service providers are required to meet performance standards and provide users with financial compensation when these standards are not met.

The CSG Standard specifies time frames for the connection of specified services, the repair of faults and the attendance of appointments by service providers. Customers are entitled to compensation if these time frames are not met.

Carriage service providers are required to inform customers about their rights under the CSG Standard. New and existing customers must be provided with written information about their entitlements and the provider's obligations.

Information on the Customer Service Guarantee

In accordance with the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Direction No. 1 of 1999, the ACMA made the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2000 (No. 2) on 6 July 2000. That Standard was amended in 2001, 2004 and 2006 in accordance with the subsequent Ministerial directions (see below). On 10 March 2011, the ACMA made—in accordance with a 2011 Ministerial Direction—the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011. The Standard was further amended in October 2011 to incorporate minor changes to the waiver provisions.

Customer Service Guarantee Amendment 2006

The Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Amendment Standard 2006 (No. 1) commenced on 31 October 2006. The ACMA developed the Amendment Standard in accordance with a direction from the (then) Minister of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

Customer Service Guarantee Amendment 2004

The Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Amendment Standard 2004 (No. 1) commenced on 18 February 2004. The ACMA developed the Amendment Standard in accordance with a direction from the (then) Minister of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

Customer Service Guarantee Amendment 2001

The Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Amendment Standard 2001 (No. 1) commenced on 27 September 2001. The ACMA developed the Amendment Standard in accordance with a direction from the (then) Minister of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

Temporary exemption scheme

The Temporary Exemption Scheme (the Scheme) was introduced by the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Amendment Standard 2004 (No. 1) in accordance with a formal direction from the (then) Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

The Scheme is intended to encourage competition in the market for standard telephone services by enabling a carriage service provider (CSP) with a small share in the market for CSG services in a geographic area to apply for a temporary exemption from compliance with CSG performance standards in that area.

CSPs that are not a primary universal service provider can make an application under the Scheme. The ACMA may grant an exemption for a period of up to five years. A CSP that has been granted an exemption can apply to the ACMA to have the exemption renewed for a further period of up to five years.

On 20 December 2004 (date of commencement), the ACMA granted Neighbourhood Cable a temporary exemption. Neighbourhood Cable is exempt from compliance with CSG performance standards in relation to the areas listed in Table 1 below for a period of two years from the date of commencement of the exemption.

Table 1

Description of geographic area

Associated Postcodes

Mildura and the areas of New South Wales adjacent to Mildura

3496, 3498, 3500, 3501, 3502, 3505, 2648, 2717, 2738, 2739

Ballarat

3350, 3352, 3353, 3354, 3355, 3356, 3357

Geelong

3212, 3214, 3215, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3220, 3221

To assist CSPs wishing to make an application under the Scheme, an application form and industry guidelines have been developed. These can be downloaded below.

Further information

For further information about the Customer Service Guarantee, contact the ACMA's Industry Monitoring Section.

 

Last update: 2 August 2012 10:08