Part 7 of the Telecommunications Act 2001 (the Act) covers consumer matters, in particular telecommunications retail service quality (RSQ) codes, the 111 Contact Code, and dispute resolution schemes for Commission codes and industry RSQ codes.

Part 7 sets out a number of provisions aimed to improve RSQ to reflect the demands of end-users of telecommunications services. We have the ability to issue guidelines on RSQ, review industry RSQ codes and make Commission RSQ codes. We are also required to monitor RSQ and to make information available in a way that informs consumer choice.

Disputes in relation to Commission RSQ codes (either a Commission RSQ code or the 111 Contact Code) may be referred to an industry dispute resolution scheme. Disputes in relation to industry RSQ codes may also be referred to an industry dispute resolution scheme.

We are required to review each industry dispute resolution scheme at least once every three years and provide any recommendations to the scheme provider on how to improve the scheme.

If our recommendations are not satisfactorily implemented, we are required to report to the Minister and advice whether the scheme or the dispute resolution provider for the scheme fail to meet their respective purposes.

The Minister may then bring an alternative statutory disputes resolution scheme into effect under the Telecommunications Act 2001.

Read our Framework paper on how we intend to conduct reviews of industry dispute resolution schemes.

More information about our work in Telecommunications RSQ can be found here.

Current review of industry dispute resolution schemes

Currently there is one industry dispute resolution scheme under Part 7 – the Telecommunications Dispute Resolution Scheme (TDRS).

More information about the TDRS can be found here.

More information about our current review can be found here.