Cooper Mills releases Financial Hardship Template & Guide

Posted on 14 March 2013 by Peter Moon

ACMA Financial Hardship FocusACMA has warned of an “early focus on compliance with the financial hardship provisions of the new Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code.” Cooper Mills has responded with a template for an updated Financial Hardship Policy, with Guidance Notes.

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Critical Information Summary: Optus gets it wrong

Posted on 13 March 2013 by Peter Moon
Critical Information Summary

Optus has misunderstood the Critical Information Summary requirements of the TCP Code, showing how easy it is to slip up under the new law. The issue relates to disclosure of ‘mandatory goods included in the offer’.

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Critical Information Summary: ACMA takes literal approach

Posted on 13 March 2013 by Peter Moon

Critical Information SummaryACMA is taking a literal approach to Critical Information Summary requirements, judging by some recent comments. Specifically, if a plan doesn’t include any hardware, you need to say that it doesn’t include any hardware. Even if it is called a ‘BYO’ plan, for instance, you still need to say, ‘There are no goods you must take as a mandatory component of this offer’ or words to that effect.

Here’s why ACMA sees it that way.

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ACMA on CIS enforcement blitz

Posted on 11 March 2013 by Peter Moon

TCP Code enforcementWe’re seeing a high level of activity by the TCP Code enforcement team at the Australian Communications and Media Authority.  Within a couple of days after it became mandatory for a telco to produce and publish a ‘Critical Information Summary’ on its website, quite a few service providers who hadn’t made the 1 March deadline were very surprised to receive correspondence, and even phone calls, from ACMA staff who pointed out the default and set a deadline for compliance.

Several service providers told us they were very surprised at how quickly ACMA detected the issue and took enforcement action.  ‘We knew we were in breach but we thought we’d have much more time to get the CIS statements up’ was a common theme.  But if you think about it, it’s not surprising at all …

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TCP Code clause 4.1.3(f) Compliance Guide released

Posted on 7 March 2013 by Peter Moon

TCP CodeTelcos are now starting to realise how much detail there is in the TCP Code.  For instance, clause 4.1.3(f) requires telcos to publish website information about the warranties that apply to any hardware they supply, like handsets and modems.

That would include (a) details of the ‘consumer guarantees’ that apply automatically under the Australian Consumer Law and (b) details of any manufacturer’s warranty and (c) details of any voluntary extra warranty given by the telco itself.

TCPCode.com.au has released a TCP Code Compliance Guide for clause 4.1.3(f) including sample wording about the ACL consumer guarantees and guidance notes.

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Compliance Attestation: Cross-referencing mistake solved

Posted on 7 March 2013 by Peter Moon

Compliance AttestationA cross-referencing mistake in the 2012 Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code has confused some readers about what is required in a Compliance Attestation under the Code.  Let’s clear up the confusion.

According to the definitions section of the Code:

Compliance Attestation means a statement by a Supplier, attested in the manner required by clause 9.4.1 and addressing the matters referred to in clause 9.3.1(b).

In fact, that’s not correct.

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Cooper Mills releases Critical Information Summary Template – only $10 for Members until 1 April

Posted on 5 March 2013 by Peter Moon

Critical Information Summary templateClause 4.1 of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code requires a telco to provide potential customers with a summary of each ‘offer’ the telco has in the market.  This summary of offer must be called a ‘Critical Information Summary’.

Cooper Mills has released a Critical Information Summary template to help telcos to create this key compliance document.  Until 1 April 2013, it’s under $10 for registered TCPCode Members and membership is free.  Log in below to collect discount coupon.

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Compliance Attestation: Who will file yours?

Posted on 5 March 2013 by Peter Moon

Compliance attestationTCP Code Compliance Attestations are no longer a distant prospect.  By 1 April 2013 and no more than once a year after, someone from each telco is going to have to sit in front of a computer, tap in a stack of information, pay some fees with the company credit card, and hit the SUBMIT button on behalf of the company.

Who will that ‘someone’ be in your case?  You need to know soon.  They need to know soon.  It’s part of the broader question:  What’s your detailed process for completing your TCP Code compliance obligations on time?

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Complaint Handling: Get with the program

Posted on 4 March 2013 by Peter Moon

Complaint handlingA moment ago, we were happily reading through random Critical Information Summaries on the web (as you do) and, almost at the end of one that looked pretty good, struck the paragraph above.

Read on to find out why a telco just can’t say that under the TCP Code.

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Complaints Analysis: Telcos should now have two QCAs completed

Posted on 4 March 2013 by Peter Moon

TCP Code Complaints AnalysisThe TCP Code requires:

Suppliers must classify and analyse complaints at least every 3 months to identify recurring problems and issues including areas of non‐compliance with this Code.

Last Friday marked six months since the TCP Code commenced, so …

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