Extending the Customer Service Guarantee instruments

ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts’ (the Department) consultation on its proposal to extend the customer service guarantee instruments.  

The CSG is a retail consumer protection safeguard that provides connection, repair and appointment timeframes for fixed voice services, and scope for consumer compensation. 

ACCAN recommends the Department: 

1. Remake the Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) instruments for a period of 3 years.  

2. Implement short-term improvements to the CSG scheme to uplift consumer protections, including: 

   1. Expand the criteria of a ‘reasonable offer’ of interim and/or alternative services to ensure the offer meets the needs, requirements and objectives of the consumer. 

   2. Review damages payable to consumers to ensure they reflect consumer costs and expectations. 

   3. Review the appropriateness of exemptions for natural disasters and adverse weather events. 

3. Implement longer-term reforms of the CSG scheme to ensure it is fit-for-purpose and provides robust consumer protections, including: 

   1. Ensure long-term reform reflects the principle that consumers should receive comparable protections and standards of service regardless of technology type, location, or wholesale network provider. 

   2. Simplify regulatory arrangements by aligning the CSG scheme with the Statutory Infrastructure Provider (SIP) regime and NBN Co’s Benchmark Service Standards to the extent reasonably practicable and appropriate.

   3. Implement standards, rules, and benchmarks under the SIP regime to bring them in line with NBN Benchmark Service Standards 

   4. Ensure rebates are passed through to consumers in service standard schemes. 

   5. Conduct periodic parallel reviews of the CSG scheme, SIP regime, and NBN Benchmark Service Standards.