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Australian Government - Australian Communications and Media Authority
Australia's regulator for broadcasting, the Internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications

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 timeframes 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 timeframes are not met.

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

Information on the Customer Service Guarantee (from 27 September 2001)

Customer Service Guarantee Amendment 2001

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

Customer Service Guarantee Amendment 2006

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

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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 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 carrier 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.  ACMA may grant an exemption for a period of up to five years.  A CSP that has been granted an exemption can apply to ACMA to have the exemption renewed for a further period of up to five years.

On 20 December 2004 (date of commencement), 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 below (Table 1) 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 from the links below.

Further information

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

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Last update: 7 June 2007 10:18