Links—Choosing and buying telecommunications services & equipment

General information about choosing and buying goods & services and entering contracts

• It's all new to me - for senior consumers - FairTel brochure on new technologies and costs
• Info for the i Generation - for people who know something about technology - FairTel brochure
• Phone contracts - Australian Communications & Media Authority
• Fair terms in a contract - ACMA
  • Sample model contract - ACMA
• Sorting out the fine print - ACMA
• Misleading advertising, prices, terms & conditions - Australian Competition & Consumer Commission - ACCC
• Pricing - misleading, GST-inclusive & price rises - ACCC
• TIO position statements:
  • Marketing of telecommunications services: use of headlines and terms such as unlimited, free or capped
  • Unfair contract terms
  • Acceptable Use Policies
  • Door to door selling: failure to provide rescind notice (cooling off form)
  • Young people entering into mobile contracts
  • Guarantors' signing contracts
  • Persons with intellectual disabilities entering contracts
  • Dealers and agents: provider denying liability for dealer's actions
  • Failure to advise reasons for declining application for service
  • Direct debit authorities
  • Variations to contracts
  • Notice requirements for contract cancellations
  • Early termination fees for fixed term contracts
• Australian Communications Industry Forum codes of practice:
  • Customer Information on Prices, Terms and Conditions (ACIF C521:2004)
  • Consumer Contracts (ACIF C620:2005)

Landline telephone services

• Fixed line services - ACMA page
• Phone contracts - with nformation about the Standard Forms of Agreement that cover landline services
• Protection against slamming - ACMA factsheet

Mobile telephone services & handsets

• Mobile phone services - ACMA
• Mobile phone handset options - ACMA
• Buying a mobile phone for children - ACMA child safety checklist
• You can on a mobile - consumer info about using data services on mobiles
• Bringing telecommunications equipment into Australia - ACMA
• See more equipment links on our disability services, faults & technology pages
• Your consumer rights: mobile phone handsets - ACCC PDF
• Closure of CDMA network resource page (CTN)
• CDMA network closure postponed (Department of Broadband & Communications)
  
  
• Mobile phone contracts
  • Phone contracts - ACMA
  • Compliance with identity check process for pre–paid mobile phone services - ACMA
  • ACMA factsheet on mobile phone contracts
  • State and Territory Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading web sites - information about cooling off periods
  • Consumer safeguards for mobile users - ACMA
  • See general links about entering contracts above

Internet services

• ACMA Internet factsheets include:
  • Choosing an Internet provider
  • A guide to internet costs
  • A guide to internet technology
  • A guide to ADSL
  • A guide to ISDN
  • A guide to modems
• Choosing Internet & VoIP providers - FairTel factsheet
• Getting the best connection - ACMA
• ISP Consumer Choice Guide - ACMA
• Department of Broadband, Communications & the Digital Economy - BCDE:
  • Broadband Service Locator where you can apply for a subsidised broadband service, e.g. Australian Broadband Guarantee
  • Broadband for consumers
  • Broadband for business
  • Government subsidies & initiatives:
    • Australian Broadband Guarantee - financial incentives to connect broadband if no standard services are available
    • Backing Indigenous Ability Initiative
• Information to help you connect with your preferred ISP - ACCC
• Whirlpool - community website with broadband information including links to ADSL FAQs etc
  • Broadband choice - a service locator on the Whirlpool website
• TIO position statements:
  • ADSL provisioning
  • Transferring ADSL services between providers under the Rapid Transfer Process
  • Acceptable Use Policies
  • Gigabyte definition
• See general links about entering contracts above

VoIP services

• Internet calls - ACMA factsheet
• VOIP equipment - ACMA factsheet
• Communications Alliance VoIP factsheets include:
  • So you want a VoIP service (VoIP customer booklet)
  • A basic guide to VoIP technical terms and issues
  • Access to emergency services for users of VoIP and Internet Telephony
  • VoIP service provider guide
• Choosing Internet & VoIP providers - FairTel factsheet
• See general links about entering contracts above

Phonecards

• Phonecards - FairTel introductory factsheet
• Phonecards - TIO position statement

Last updated: 26 November 2007