Australia’s telecommunications regulator will gain stronger tools against providers that repeatedly fail consumers under laws it welcomed on October 15.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority said the consumer-safeguards reforms substantially increase maximum civil penalties and strengthen its infringement-notice powers. Registered industry codes will become directly enforceable, removing the need to first direct a provider to comply before acting on a breach.
A new registration scheme would also allow the regulator, as a last resort, to exclude providers with serious compliance failures from the market.
The agency has not presented every element as immediately operational. It said it would publish further implementation information ahead of the registration scheme’s commencement.
ACMA also welcomed passage of separate legislation establishing a pathway toward reasonably available outdoor mobile voice and text coverage across Australia. That is a coverage framework, not an announcement that universal outdoor service has already been delivered.
The regulator described the stronger sanctions and earlier intervention powers as measures against serious and systemic non-compliance.
