Proposal to make the Telecommunications (Consumer Protections) Industry Standard

We want to:

• establish clear and enforceable safeguards to protect telco consumers from harm
• ensure they have access to remedies if things go wrong.

When approved by the ACMA, this standard will replace the existing telecommunications consumer protections industry code, which the ACMA found to be deficient.

The proposed Telecommunications (Consumer Protections) Industry Standard requires telcos to:

• have systems, processes, training and accountability in place to deliver fair outcomes for consumers
• provide consumers with information so that they can understand, compare and make informed decisions about which telco product is right for them
• sell their telco products responsibly, so that consumers are sold products that meet their needs, and can access remedies if 'mis-selling' selling occurs
• comply with rules about sales incentive/performance payment arrangements
• enable consumers to easily access support, cancel services in a simple and timely manner, and only have services transferred with their informed consent
• give consumers clear billing information, easy access to account support and flexible payment options, and the tools they need to understand and manage their usage
• only disconnect services as a last resort and after reasonable steps have been taken to allow consumers to manage payment difficulties or access eligible financial hardship assistance measures.

You can find the full details in the consultation paper and draft instrument in the key documents above. 

We welcome your feedback on the draft instrument and issues set out in the consultation paper by 5 pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 10 November 2026.

Click the ‘Upload submission’ button at the top of this page to send us your views. Details for submissions by post are provided in the consultation paper.