Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023 (Cth)

Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023

I, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulations.

Dated 9 November 2023

David Hurley

Governor‑General

By His Excellency’s Command

Michelle Rowland

Minister for Communications

Contents

Part 1Preliminary1Name

This instrument is the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) (Accessible Standard Telephone Services) Regulations 2023.

2Commencement

1. (1)

   Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provisions	Commencement	Date/Details
1. The whole of this instrument	1 April 2024.	1 April 2024

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.

1. (2)

   Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.

3Authority

This instrument is made under the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

4Schedules

Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

5Definitions

Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:

(a) National Relay Service;

(b) standard telephone service.

In this instrument:

Act means the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

customer equipment has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1997.

disability has the same meaning as in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

telecommunications network has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Part 2Customer equipment6Specified customer equipment

1. (1)

   This section is made for the purposes of paragraph 9E(2)(a) of the Act.

Customer equipment enabling use of National Relay Service

1. (2)

   The following customer equipment, that enables a person to use the National Relay Service to access a standard telephone service, is specified:

   1. (a)

      teletypewriter or any other equipment which facilitates text to text communication over a telecommunications network;

   2. (b)

      equipment which facilitates data transmission over a telecommunications network;

   3. (c)

      equipment which facilitates both of the following:

      1. (i)

         data transmission over a telecommunications network;

      2. (ii)

         the transfer of data into braille.

Other customer equipment

1. (3)

   The following customer equipment, that enables a person with disability to use a standard telephone service in spite of the person’s disability, to communicate effectively with a person without disability, is specified:

   1. (a)

      a standard rental telephone handset which includes one‑touch dial memory, a lightweight handset and a built‑in hearing aid coupler;

   2. (b)

      a telephone which amplifies the incoming caller’s voice to suit the listener;

   3. (c)

      a telephone which amplifies the speaker’s voice, allowing the speaker to adjust the speech level to suit the listener;

   4. (d)

      a handsfree telephone for a person who cannot hold a telephone handset;

   5. (e)

      an ancillary telecommunications product which has adjustable volume, tone and pitch controls to assist the user to hear the telephone ringing;

   6. (f)

      an ancillary telecommunications product which is a visual alert that there is an incoming call;

   7. (g)

      an ancillary telecommunications product which allows the connection of a second piece of equipment (such as a visual signal alert) in parallel with the existing telephone;

   8. (h)

      an ancillary telecommunications product in which the telephone handset is cradled, providing handsfree operation;

   9. (i)

      a telephone adapting device which allows a person with a cochlear implant to use the standard telephone service.

Schedule 1Repeals

Telecommunications (Equipment for the Disabled) Regulations 1998

1

The whole of the instrument

Repeal the instrument.