Still on a Telco theme this week, I have reviewed the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (DR C628:2011) which is open for public comment.

This proposed code by the Telco industry association, Communications Alliance is to replace the existing C628:2007 Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TPC) which was created in Sept 2007.

The revised code has been drafted based on ACMA's (Australian Communication and Media Authority) Reconnecting the Customer public inquiry’s findings that existing code did not adequately meet community safeguards.

The anticipated benefits to the consumer, as a result of this new code, are:

1. Provision of more and clearer information about products before point of sale
2. Additional provisions around unit pricing information in advertisements and the content of advertising
3. A phasing out of the term 'cap'
4. A widening of billing provisions to also apply to pre-paid services
5. A right to free of charge historic billing information
6. Additional bill content and itemisation provisions
7. Mandatory data usage notification requirements includes requirement around usage information delay
8. Increased obligations on suppliers concerning customer who experience financial hardship
9. Clarifications of informed consent in the context of changing suppliers
10. Requirements around post customer transfer notification
11. Provisions covering customer transfers resulting from mergers
12. A streamlined definition of complaint to exclude initial fault and service calls
13. Tighter timeframes for completing acknowledgement and resolution
14. Obligations to advise customers of complaint outcomes
15. A more explicit promotion to customer of the alternative dispute resolution services offered by the TIO
16. The obligation for suppliers to five customers a unique complaint reference number or identifier to make it easier to track the progress of resolution of a specific complaint
17. The creation of s strong new independent body – Communications Compliance to monitor the performance of suppliers in complying with the Code
18. The obligation for Communications Compliance and industry to develop metrics within 6 months of TCP Code registration and foe suppliers to report against those metrics
19. Mandatory compliance attestations for large suppliers certifier by an external assessor

And what costs will the Telco industry incur in giving this additional service?

Well apparently the following:

• Ongoing compliance costs
• Introduction of pre-sales information
• Realisation of data usage notifications
• Changes to bills
• Changes to billing systems
• Complaint handling processes

This is all lovely and maybe once implemented the Telcos will no longer be rated statistically significantly lower in customer service by Australian consumers in every study we ever do.

Me personally... I would be a happier customer if my bleeding phone didn’t drop out numerous times a day and hit black spots in the CBD. Really what goes on in Willoughby? Truly is it the black hole of TelcoKingdom. What have the people of Willoughby ever done to the telcos, don’t they deserve the right to coverage? They must feel much the same as I did last week as I realised that where I live in Terrey Hills is not on town sewerage... eeewww... gross... Truly someone tell the council Gail Kelly and Dick Smith live in Terrey Hills and they surely need proper flushing loos?

Not sure actually how I just connected toilets with Telco codes, but I have done it.