Regulator must 'put consumers before commissions' in new telco rules
ACCAN and the Fair Call Coalition
The Fair Call Coalition, an alliance of consumer and community organisations has today joined peak communications consumer body ACCAN to call on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to strengthen its draft Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Standard and bring it into force without delay.
For years, telcos drafted the rules they followed, which were meant to protect their own customers but more often served their own interests. Consumers paid the price.
The ACMA's March 2026 decision to replace the industry-written TCP Code with an enforceable Standard vindicated the Fair Call case for an uplift in the rules.
The Fair Call submission on the draft Standard identifies four critical areas where the Standard must go further: ban sales incentives; significantly uplift credit assessments; and strengthen remedies and disconnection protections. Its recommendations draw on the advice and evidence of financial counsellors, community lawyers and caseworkers – consumer advocates on the frontlines who directly support consumers after they have been mis-sold, disconnected or left without a remedy.
ACCAN's Consumer Sentiment Tracker, conducted by Essential Research, found 22 per cent of consumers felt pressured to buy a more expensive plan than they wanted, and more than 1 in 3 experienced unexpected contract changes.
The Federal Court penalised Telstra to the tune of $50 million in 2021 and Optus $100 million in 2025 over unconscionable conduct relating to sales practices and debt collection, with First Nations consumers, people with disability and regional consumers among those hardest hit by the abuses.
Fair Call is calling on the ACMA to finalise the Standard promptly and resist industry pressure to weaken it.
The 2019 Code remains in force until the Standard commences. Every month of delay is another month of harm for consumers.
The Fair Call Coalition submission is now available.
Quotes from Fair Call Coalition colleagues:
Carol Bennett, CEO of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, said:
"The organisations in the Fair Call campaign sit with consumers after they've been disconnected, up-sold needlessly expensive plans or devices to pad the pockets of sales staff or left without suitable remedies. The ACMA should be guided by their evidence."
“This Standard is the chance to set consumer protections befitting an essential service, but it must be robust enough to stem the harm."
Danielle Walt, Deputy CEO of Financial Counselling Australia, said:
“Financial counsellors see what happens when people are sold telecommunications products they simply cannot afford. For someone already experiencing financial hardship or vulnerability, an unsuitable contract can quickly become another unmanageable debt, while putting their access to an essential service at risk. The new rules need to prevent that harm in the first place.”
Aaron David, CEO of the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network, said:
“Telecommunications are an essential service. For many First Nations people in regional and remote communities, a mobile phone is their connection to banking, government services, health care, employment, education, family and community. People must be able to access that essential service safely. We have seen the devastating harm caused when consumers experiencing vulnerability are sold products they cannot afford, leaving people with serious debt for a service they fundamentally need."
"Strong consumer protections should prevent that harm without creating new barriers to access. We need rules that protect people from harmful sales practices and unaffordable contracts, while ensuring that low incomes, remote living or other circumstances do not become reasons to exclude people from the devices and services they need.”
Jean Skeat, Director Policy and Campaigns, Consumer Action Law Centre, said:
“The new TCP Standard has been decades in the making, and we are fighting for a Standard that increases accountability for the telco sector while addressing the harmful sales practices we see on our frontlines. We urge ACMA to ensure the Standard delivers on concrete outcomes for consumers by banning sales incentives, improving the approach to credit assessments and improving accessibility to remedies."
Patricia Sparrow, CEO of COTA Australia, said:
"Older Australians should be able to rely on their phone and internet services, and know that if something goes wrong, their provider will help them fix it quickly and fairly."
“As more essential services move online, it's never been more important for older Australians to have access to reliable and affordable phone and internet services.”
"The proposed changes are a welcome step forward, but we need stronger, enforceable rules to make sure telecommunications companies are doing the right thing by their customers."
About us:
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is Australia’s peak communication consumer organisation. The operation of ACCAN is made possible by funding provided by the Commonwealth of Australia under section 593 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. This funding is recovered from charges on telecommunications carriers.
Contact details:
Alec Bennetts
Mobile: 0490 540 444
Email: [email protected]
