ACMA finds Telstra failed to help vulnerable consumers

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Telstra for failing to comply with its 'priority assistance' obligations.

As a condition of its carrier licence, Telstra is required to provide priority assistance to customers who have a life-threatening medical condition, and once identified, must have systems in place to provide those customers with additional levels of service.

An ACMA investigation found Telstra failed to:

  • Send priority assistance application forms and/or required additional information on more than 260 occasions to customers who had made contact to enquire about priority assistance.
  • Initiate 'emergency medical request' procedures on five occasions to two customers when it was required to do so. These procedures can include making sure the phone is fixed quickly or an alternative is available.
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