2 March 2005
Government Response to the Australian Communication Authority's Payphone Policy Review
The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today announced a comprehensive Government response to the Australian Communication Authority's (ACA) Payphone Policy review.
The Universal Service Obligation requires Telstra to make payphones reasonably accessible to all people in Australia, wherever they live or do business.
"While I am pleased that the review found the level of current services to be effective, the Government has welcomed all the ACA's recommendations to further enhance the service and ensure its effectiveness and relevance to all Australians, right across the country," Senator Coonan said.
"The Government is particularly keen to see an improvement in services for people with a disability and Indigenous people in remote communities.
"Our response to the ACA recommendations will lead to better services and information for payphone users who have a disability, through the development of a Payphone Accessibility Code, and we will continue to work with Telstra and the ACA to address the telecommunications needs of remote Indigenous communities. Payphones will remain a key element of this approach."
The Government also supports the recommendations to make Telstra's processes for installing, removing and relocating public payphones more transparent and will require Telstra to vary its Standard Marketing Plan in this regard.
The Government's response will also lead to more accessible information on payphone services through the development of consumer friendly fact sheets by both Telstra and the ACA.
In its report, the ACA made 33 recommendations to improve service levels for some consumers and fine tune the current arrangements.
As part of its investigation, the ACA consulted a range of groups, with particular focus on regional and remote Australia, people who do not have access to a fixed or mobile telephone, remote indigenous communities and people with disabilities.
The ACA's review of payphone policy satisfies the requirements of section 159A of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 as well as responding to four recommendations of the Regional Telecommunications Inquiry (RTI).
The ACA's Payphone Policy Review Report is available at www.dcita.gov.au.
Media Contact: Jane McMillan 0438 690 305
ACA's PAYPHONE POLICY REVIEW
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why did the ACA conduct a review of Australia's payphone policy?
As part of the Government's response to the Regional Telecommunications Inquiry (RTI), on 8 July 2003, the former Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts requested the ACA to undertake a public review of existing payphone policy.
The payphone review formed part of a wider review of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) conducted in 2004 to satisfy a legislated requirement under 159A of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.
What was the ACA asked to consider in its review?
The ACA was required to consider the effectiveness of the payphone USO and to examine arrangements to determine the location of payphones, including the criteria for installing and relocating of public payphones.
What is the payphone USO?
All Australians should have reasonable access to a payphone, wherever they live or work. The law that guarantees this access is the USO.
The USO requires Telstra, Australia's universal service provider, to develop a USO Standard Marketing Plan (SMP). The SMP sets out how Telstra will meet its legal obligation to provide payphone services under the USO.
Telstra's SMP explains in detail how it will meet its obligations, including providing and removing payphones as well as service quality and fault rectification standards. Telstra's SMP is available from its website at www.telstra.com.au
What were the ACA's key findings?
The ACA found that the payphone USO was effective and relevant and should remain in place. The ACA made a number of recommendations and proposals to ensure the continued effectiveness and relevance of the payphone USO.
Are payphone services adequate?
The ACA found that existing payphone services in Australia are reasonably adequate and that overall customer satisfaction is rising. In particular, the ACA found that the number of public payphones remains fairly stable.
The ACA concluded that the payphone USO was delivering adequate services to a variety of consumers with medium to high needs, however the ACA believed that payphone services for people with a disability and Indigenous Australians living in remote areas could be improved. The Government's response to the ACA's review includes initiatives for improving services for these two consumer groups.