Links—Prices, bills & debts

Pricing information

• Pricing - misleading, GST-inclusive & price rises (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission)
• Australian Communications Industry Forum codes of practice:
  • Customer Information on Prices, Terms and Conditions (ACIF C521:2004)
  • Consumer Contracts (ACIF C620:2005)
• Retail price controls (Department of Communications Information Technology & the Arts)
• See our links to Choosing and buying telecommunications services & equipment

Billing methods

• Delivering better bills (ACMA)
• Australian Communications Industry Forum codes of practice
  • Call charging and billing accuracy (ACIF C518:2006)
  • Billing (ACIF C542:2003)
  • Credit Management
• TIO position statements
  • Backbilling of charges
  • Backbilling of mobile call charges included in monthly allowance
  • Backbilling for prepaid mobiles
  • Unlimited credit - financial overcommitment
  • Billing not by preferred provider
  • Debt severance following transfer of service
  • Service provider 'legacy debt'
  • Unauthorised direct debits
  • Credit cards: ISPs accepting payment by credit card only

Landline charges & bills

• Telephone billing (ACMA)
• Line rental and general price increases (ACCC FAQs)
  
  
• Disputed landline charges - general info
  • Disputed charges - consumer denies all knowledge of calls made from a landline (TIO position statement)
  • Liability for calls made made by third parties (TIO position statement)
• Local & 13/1300/1800 calls
  • Untimed calls at local call rates and upgraded services for remote Australia fact sheet (ACMA fact sheet)
  • Charges for calls to 13/1300 & 1800 numbers (ACMA factsheet)
  • Charges for repeated attempts to connect to Internet (TIO position statement) & repeat dialling factsheet
• Long distance/national calls
  • Disputed long distance charges for calls to Internet access number (TIO position statement)
• Reverse charge calls & calls to 190 and international numbers (voice or data)
  • Premium services (ACMA factsheet)
  • Reverse charge calls: failure to notify call rates (TIO position statement)
  • Restricted access for telephone sex services (ACMA factsheet)
  • Disputed (voice) calls to adult services (TIO position statement)
  • Disputed charges for calls made through Internet line to international and 190x numbers (Internet dialler charges) (TIO position statement)
  • Telephone Information Service Standards Council (about 190 service providers)
  • Internet dumping - about telephone charges for accessing an internet dialler (ACMA)
  • Internet dumping or modem jacking (ACCC)
• Other charges
  • Line rental and general price increases (ACCC FAQs)
  • Short duration calls (TIO position statement)
  • Reconnection fee charged following suspension of service (TIO position statement)
  • Connection fees where in-place reallocated (TIO position statement)
  • Maintenance charges (TIO position statement)

Phonecards

• Phonecards (TIO position statement)
• Phone cards (ACMA factsheet)
• Using Telstra payphones (ACMA factsheet)

Mobile charges & bills

• Telephone billing (ACMA)
• Going mobile: which plan is right for you (ACMA - with section on call charging & costs)
• The satellite phone subsidy scheme (ACMA)
• Mobile phone contracts (ACMA)
  
  
• Disputed mobile charges - general info
  • Backbilling of mobile call charges included in monthly allowance
  • Backbilling for prepaid mobiles
  • Disputed charges - consumer denies all knowledge of calls made from a mobile (TIO position statement)
  • Liability for calls made made by third parties (TIO position statement)
  • Stolen mobiles (TIO position statement)
• Disputed mobile premium service charges (premium text/MMS/portal access)
  • Premium services (ACMA factsheet)
  • The TIO & the Mobile Premium Services Scheme
  • Communications Alliance info on mobile premium services and the Mobile Premium Services Scheme
• Other disputed mobile call types & charges
  • International mobile roaming (ACMA)
  • Charge for a mobile telephone number (ACMA)
  • TIO position statements:
    • Long duration calls
    • Short duration calls
    • Reverse charge calls: failure to notify call rates
    • SMS charges billed but message never received
    • Handset rental charges
    • Early termination fees for fixed term contracts (TIO position statement)

Internet charges & billing

• A guide to Internet costs (ACMA factsheet)
• TIO position statements:
  • Excess download charges, broadband fact sheet & broadband usage log
  • Faulty or slow-to-update usage meters
  • Gigabyte definition
  • Hacking or 'freeloading'
  • Maintenance charges
  • Reconnection fee for ADSL service following disconnection of phone line

Other charges

• Itemisation fees (TIO position statement)
• 'Complaint-handling' fees (TIO position statement)
• Dispute over enhanced White Pages listing charges

Debt collection & credit management methods

• Credit management (ACMA)
• Debt collection page (ACCC)
• TIO position statements:
  • Unlimited credit - financial overcommitment
  • Uncharacteristically high usage
  • Credit management of incorrectly calculated charges
  • Old debts
  • Recovery of debts incurred prior to declaration of bankruptcy
  • Hardship & payment difficulties
  • Notification of disconnection of service
  • Suspension or restriction ('barring') of service as a credit control measure
  • Disconnection of service due to non-payment of another service
  • Refusal by a provider to release service due to outstanding debt
• Australian Communications Industry Forum codes of practice:
  • Credit Management (ACIF C541:2006)
  • Complaint handling (ACIF C547:2004)
  • Guide for a financial hardship policy

Credit defaults/listing/reporting

• TIO position statements:
  • CRA defaults: provision of notice of intention to list with Credit Reporting Agency
  • Credit management of incorrectly calculated charges
• Credit reporting (Federal Privacy Commissioner)
• Consumer FAQs on credit defaults (Federal Privacy Commissioner)
• Credit reporting agencies
  • My Credit File (Veda Advantage)
  • Dun & Bradstreet (Credit Reporting Agency)

Payment methods

• Missing payments (TIO position statement)
• Unauthorised direct debits (TIO position statement)
• See next links on payment difficulties

Payment difficulties

• Hardship & payment difficulties (TIO position statement)
• Telecommunications service options if you're experiencing financial hardship (ACMA)
• Managing your money (Australian Securities & Investments Commission)
• Financial counselling services (ASIC)
• Dealing with debt (joint publication with Australian Competition & Consumer Commission) click then scroll down the page for links to this brochure in different languages)
• Debt collection page (ACCC)
• Telstra's Access for Everyone page
• Centrelink telephone allowance
• Call barring (ACMA factsheet)
• Australian Communications Industry Forum codes of practice:
  • Credit Management (ACIF C541:2006)
  • Complaint handling (ACIF C547:2004)
  • Guide for a financial hardship policy

Last updated: September 2007