TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT 1991

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

• 1 Short title  
• 2 Commencement  
• 3 General objects of Act  
• 4 Effect of this Part  
• 5 Definitions  
• 6 End facilities  
• 7 Boundary of a reserved line link  
• 8 Facilities beyond the boundaries of a reserved line link  
• 9 Facilities within the boundaries of a telecommunications network comprising a reserved line link  
• 10 Other boundaries of a telecommunications network  
• 11 Regulations may determine network boundaries  
• 12 Basic rules  
• 13 Properties  
• 14 Combined areas  
• 15 Principal user of a property  
• 16 Eligible combined areas  
• 17 Equipment etc. connected to network  
• 18 Eligible services  
• 19 What constitutes supply of an eligible service under a class licence  
• 20 Meaning of customer equipment of same type  
• 21 Inclusion of a service in a BCS tariff  
• 22 Line links  
• 23 Facilities ancillary to a line link  
• 24 Reserved line links  
• 25 Public mobile telecommunications service  
• 26 Public access cordless telecommunications services  
• 27 Different kinds of telecommunications services  
• 28 When a carrier is in a position to dominate a market  
• 29 Extraterritorial operation  
• 30 Extension to external Territories  
• 31 Extension to adjacent areas  
• 32 Act binds the Crown  
• 33 Act subject to Radiocommunications Act  
• 34 AUSTEL  
• 35 AUSTEL is body corporate etc.  
• 36 General functions - overall responsibilities of AUSTEL  
• 37 General functions - promotion of competition  
• 38 General functions - protection of public interest and consumers  
• 39 General functions - numbering  
• 40 General functions - reports to Minister on competitive safeguards and carrier performance  
• 41 General functions - licensing  
• 42 General functions - technical regulation and setting of technical standards  
• 43 General functions - administering universal service levy arrangements  
• 44 Other functions  
• 45 General powers  
• 46 Power to give directions to carriers  
• 47 AUSTEL, carriers and service providers to prevent use of networks and facilities in commission of offences  
• 48 General governmental obligations of AUSTEL  
• 49 Minister may notify AUSTEL of general policies of Commonwealth Government  
• 50 Minister may give directions to AUSTEL  
• 51 AUSTEL not otherwise subject to government direction  
• 52 Consultation  
• 53 Advisory committees  
• 54 Exercise of certain powers  
• 55 Objects  
• 56 Application for a licence  
• 57 Decision on application  
• 58 Revocation of licence  
• 59 Application for transfer of licence  
• 60 Decision on application  
• 61 Minister may delegate certain powers  
• 62 Conditions to which a licence is subject  
• 63 Conditions about certain matters  
• 64 Declaration of conditions of licences in a class  
• 65 Declaration of conditions of particular licences  
• 66 Notification and date of effect of instruments under sections 64 and 65  
• 67 Carrier consent required for change in licence period  
• 68 Minister to consult with carriers before changing licence conditions  
• 69 Reports by AUSTEL on proposed instruments about licence conditions  
• 70 Agreement with carrier about licences  
• 71 Prescribed carrier obligations  
• 72 Prescribed carrier obligation about untimed calls  
• 73 Continued access to untimed calls made using the standard telephone service  
• 74 Signatory must give effect to policies of Commonwealth Government  
• 75 Minister may notify carriers about conventions  
• 76 Carriers to comply with relevant conventions and foreign laws  
• 77 Minister may determine Code of Practice relating to dealings with international telecommunications operators  
• 78 Code of Practice binding on carriers  
• 79 Enforcement of Code of Practice  
• 80 Preparation of chart of accounts and cost allocation manual  
• 81 When chart or manual binds carrier  
• 82 AUSTEL may modify chart or manual as binding on a particular carrier  
• 83 Carrier to keep books and records in accordance with chart and manual  
• 84 Individual services to be priced and charged for separately  
• 85 AUSTEL may give directions about accounting and charging requirements  
• 86 AUSTEL may, for the purposes of this Part, inspect carrier's books and records  
• 87 Compliance with other laws  
• 88 Carriers' employees etc. not to disclose or use contents of communications etc.  
• 89 Declarations  
• 90 Reserved line links  
• 91 Facilities ancillary to reserved line links  
• 92 Supply of telecommunications services by satellite-based facilities  
• 93 Provision of public payphones  
• 94 Supply of public mobile telecommunications services  
• 95 Action to enforce this Part  
• 96 Acts done on behalf of a carrier  
• 97 Interpretation  
• 98 Line links used by transport authorities  
• 99 Line links used by broadcasters  
• 100 Line links authorised by or under previous laws  
• 101 Defence line links  
• 102 Restriction on use or disposal of certain reserved line links  
• 103 Supply by satellite of international service to operator of licensed earth station  
• 104 Satellite services for defence purposes  
• 105 This Division not limited by Division 3, 4 or 5  
• 106 Minister may direct AUSTEL in the use of its powers under this Division  
• 107 AUSTEL to comply with Ministerial directions  
• 108 AUSTEL may authorise use of certain facilities  
• 109 Terms and conditions of authorisation  
• 110 How long authorisation has effect  
• 111 Dealing with line link after authorisation ceases  
• 112 Variation of authorisations  
• 113 Revocation  
• 114 Effect of authorisation  
• 115 Reconsideration of decisions  
• 116 Regulations may exempt carriers from State and Territory laws  
• 117 National Code about carriers' exempt activities  
• 118 National Code binding on carriers  
• 119 AUSTEL may give directions about complying with National Code  
• 120 State and Territory laws that discriminate against carriers  
• 121 AUSTEL may limit carriers' tort liability in respect of supplying basic carriage services  
• 122 Effect of limitation determined by AUSTEL  
• 123 Ownership of telecommunications facilities  
• 124 Declaration of policy  
• 125 Carrier may request AUSTEL to give directions about a prescribed arrangement  
• 126 When AUSTEL may give directions  
• 127 Enforcement of directions against persons other than carriers  
• 128 Power to inspect land etc.  
• 129 Powers relating to installation of facilities etc.  
• 130 Trees may be cut etc.  
• 131 A general carrier may replace, repair and maintain facilities etc.  
• 132 Subdivider to pay for necessary alterations  
• 133 Power extends to carrier's employees etc.  
• 134 Carrier to do as little damage as practicable etc.  
• 135 Service of notices  
• 136 Objects  
• 137 Right to interconnection and related carriage  
• 138 Supplementary access conditions of licences  
• 139 AUSTEL's role in negotiations for access agreements  
• 140 Minister may determine principles to govern charging for access  
• 141 Access agreements must comply with charging principles  
• 142 Access agreements must be varied when charging principles change  
• 143 AUSTEL may advise carriers when to vary access agreements  
• 144 AUSTEL to keep register  
• 145 Effect of registration  
• 146 Application for registration  
• 147 Request for material to be put in the confidential part of the register  
• 148 Decision on request  
• 149 Effect of direction to include material in the confidential part  
• 150 Agreement not to be registered pending determination of request; effect of refusal  
• 151 Deregistration of agreements  
• 152 Certificate of registration under this Division  
• 153 Application of Division in relation to variation of access agreement  
• 154 Arbitration by AUSTEL of terms of access  
• 155 AUSTEL may extend time for giving its determination  
• 156 Determination under section 154 taken to be an access agreement  
• 157 Arbitration where carriers cannot agree on variation of access agreement  
• 158 Determination supersedes previous agreements and determinations  
• 159 AUSTEL's way of operating  
• 160 Constitution of AUSTEL for conduct of arbitration  
• 161 Presiding member  
• 162 Reconstitution of AUSTEL  
• 163 Determination of questions  
• 164 Previous activities as member of AUSTEL do not disqualify a member from participating in an arbitration  
• 165 Arbitration to be conducted in private unless the parties agree otherwise  
• 166 Steps to be taken in the arbitration  
• 167 Party may request AUSTEL to treat material as confidential  
• 168 AUSTEL may set up advisory panel  
• 169 Public inquiry about matter involved in arbitration  
• 170 The end of the arbitration  
• 171 Carriers must help AUSTEL conduct arbitration  
• 172 AUSTEL's arbitration jurisdiction is exclusive  
• 173 Declarations  
• 174 Basic carriage services  
• 175 Functions necessary for basic communications carriage  
• 176 AUSTEL may give opinions about what is a basic carriage service  
• 177 Public register of AUSTEL opinions  
• 178 AUSTEL opinions are advisory only  
• 179 AUSTEL may inquire into the unbundling of a basic carriage service  
• 180 Request to AUSTEL to hold unbundling inquiry  
• 181 Direction to carrier following inquiry  
• 182 How carrier must comply with direction  
• 183 Dominant carrier not to discriminate between acquirers of telecommunications services  
• 184 Carrier not to discriminate against resuppliers or their customers  
• 185 Exceptions  
• 186 Action for discrimination  
• 187 Dominant carrier not to favour itself when using its own basic carriage services to supply certain services  
• 188 In other cases, carrier may favour itself when using its own basic carriage service to supply a service  
• 189 Direction to carrier to make available information about its supply of basic carriage services  
• 190 Tariff of basic carriage services  
• 191 AUSTEL may disallow non-complying tariff  
• 192 Variation and revocation of BCS tariff  
• 193 AUSTEL may disallow variation that is contrary to section 192  
• 194 Basic carriage service must be tariffed if supplied to the public  
• 195 Dominant carrier may not use untariffed basic carriage services in supplying higher level services  
• 196 When carrier may restrict use of tariffed basic carriage service to use in supplying specified higher level services  
• 197 Dominant carrier must charge in accordance with its BCS tariff  
• 198 Non-dominant carrier must not exceed charges in its BCS tariff  
• 199 Effect of sections 197 and 198  
• 200 Terms and conditions in BCS tariff apply unless excluded  
• 201 BCS tariffs to be publicly available  
• 202 Supply of basic carriage service under registered access agreement  
• 203 Objects  
• 204 Minister may give directions to AUSTEL  
• 205 Directions to have general application only  
• 206 Directions not to affect pre-existing rights to supply services  
• 207 Carrier may ask Minister to give direction about use of interconnected radcom facilities  
• 208 Minister to consult carriers before varying or revoking a direction  
• 209 Issuing of class licences  
• 210 Consultation with carriers on proposed class licences  
• 211 Variation of class licences  
• 212 Consultation with carriers on proposed variations of class licences  
• 213 Publication of proposed restrictive variations of class licences  
• 214 Applications for variation of class licences  
• 215 Carriers to be consulted on proposed variations  
• 216 Carriers may make representations on proposed variations  
• 217 Variation of class licences  
• 218 Deemed refusal of applications etc.  
• 219 Notice of right to seek reconsideration  
• 220 Reconsideration of decisions  
• 221 Register of eligible services  
• 222 Registration of eligible services  
• 223 Deemed refusal of application for registration  
• 224 Reconsideration of refusals of applications for registration  
• 225 Class licence conditions requiring suppliers to enrol  
• 226 Roll of suppliers  
• 227 Enrolment of suppliers  
• 228 Declarations that services are unlicensed  
• 229 Declarations in respect of registered eligible services  
• 230 Reconsideration of declarations  
• 231 Effect of declarations  
• 232 Registration of unlicensed services  
• 233 Connection etc. of unlicensed services  
• 234 Carriers must connect eligible services  
• 235 Action for failure to connect eligible services  
• 236 Certain acts done under this Act do not breach Part IV of the Trade Practices Act  
• 237 Carrier may refuse to supply basic carriage service not included in its BCS tariff  
• 238 This Division does not limit other Trade Practices Act exceptions  
• 239 National numbering plan  
• 240 Matters affecting national numbering plan  
• 241 Services to be provided in accordance with national numbering plan  
• 242 Allocation of numbers  
• 243 Objects  
• 244 Determination of technical standards  
• 245 Carriers to comply with network standards  
• 246 Determination of technical standards  
• 247 Publication etc. of proposed technical standards  
• 248 Emergency determination of technical standards  
• 249 Adoption of technical standards  
• 250 Minister may give directions to AUSTEL  
• 251 Directions to have general application only  
• 252 Inconsistency with technical standards  
• 253 Connection of customer equipment for which there is no permit  
• 254 Disconnection of customer equipment for which there is no permit  
• 255 Sale of customer equipment for which there is no permit  
• 256 Register of customer equipment  
• 257 Applications for permits  
• 258 Issue of permits  
• 259 Deemed refusal of permits  
• 260 Variation of permits  
• 261 Applications for variation of permits  
• 262 Representations concerning variation of permits  
• 263 Cancellation of permits  
• 264 Representations concerning cancellation of permits  
• 265 Transfer of permits  
• 266 Accreditation etc. of test houses  
• 267 AUSTEL may limit application of Division in relation to customer equipment  
• 268 Performance of cabling work without licence etc.  
• 269 Register of cabling licences  
• 270 Applications for cabling licences  
• 271 Issue of cabling licences  
• 272 Deemed refusal of cabling licences  
• 273 Variation of cabling licences  
• 274 Applications for variation of cabling licences  
• 275 Representations concerning variation of cabling licences  
• 276 Cancellation of cabling licences  
• 277 Representations concerning cancellation of cabling licence  
• 278 Surrender of cabling licences  
• 279 Delegation of licensing  
• 280 AUSTEL may limit application of Division in relation to customer cabling  
• 281 Disconnection etc. of customer equipment or customer cabling  
• 282 Directions to pay compensation  
• 283 Action for unauthorised connection to telecommunications network of customer equipment or customer cabling  
• 284 Reconsideration of decisions  
• 285 Effect on operation of other laws  
• 286 Evidence  
• 287 Declarations of policy  
• 288 Universal service obligation  
• 289 Participating carriers  
• 290 Minister may declare universal service carriers  
291. Effect of declaration: meaning of ``universal service carrier''  
• 292 Prescribed carrier obligation of universal service carrier  
• 293 Universal service carrier must propose service areas for declaration as net cost areas  
• 294 AUSTEL may declare net cost areas  
• 295 Minister may give directions about declaring net cost areas  
• 296 When a claim for a levy credit may be made  
• 297 No levy payable unless at least one claim for a levy credit is made  
• 298 AUSTEL to give other participating carriers copies of claims  
• 299 When a claim for a levy credit must be made  
• 300 Requirements with which a claim for a levy credit must comply  
• 301 Net universal service cost of a carrier for a financial year  
• 302 AUSTEL determinations about working out a carrier's net universal service cost  
• 303 Application of determinations under section 302  
• 304 Participating carrier must lodge return of timed traffic  
• 305 Timed traffic of a carrier for a financial year  
• 306 Timed traffic across networks operated by different carriers  
• 307 AUSTEL may inquire into the correctness of a claim or return  
• 308 AUSTEL to assess liabilities and entitlements  
• 309 Period within which assessment must be made  
• 310 Levy debit of a carrier for a financial year  
• 311 Levy debit balance of a carrier for a financial year  
• 312 Levy credit balance of a carrier for a financial year  
• 313 Publication of assessment  
• 314 Public may request information  
• 315 Carrier may request information that is unavailable under section 314  
• 316 How AUSTEL to comply with a request  
• 317 When levy payable  
• 318 Levy a debt due to the Commonwealth  
• 319 Validity of assessment  
• 320 Evidence of assessment  
• 321 Onus of establishing incorrectness of assessment  
• 322 Universal Service Fund  
• 323 Payments into Fund  
• 324 Purposes of Fund  
• 325 Levy distribution to participating carrier  
• 326 Levy not to be distributed until paid  
• 327 When inquiry must be held  
• 328 When inquiry may be held  
• 329 Informing the public about an inquiry  
• 330 Discussion paper  
• 331 Written submissions; protection from civil actions  
• 332 Public hearings  
• 333 Matters AUSTEL may investigate  
• 334 Complaints  
• 335 Investigations  
• 336 Preliminary inquiries  
• 337 Conduct of investigations  
• 338 Complainant and certain other persons to be informed of various matters  
• 339 Reference of matters to Ombudsman  
• 340 Reference of matters to Trade Practices Commission  
• 341 Effect of investigation by Auditor-General  
• 342 Reports on investigations  
• 343 AUSTEL may direct carrier to remedy breach of licence condition  
• 344 AUSTEL may direct carrier to fulfil prescribed carrier obligation  
• 345 Protection from civil actions  
• 346 Public register of information about investigations  
• 347 Application  
• 348 Enforcement of AUSTEL directions  
• 349 Pecuniary penalties for contraventions of AUSTEL directions  
• 350 Civil action for recovery of pecuniary penalties  
• 351 Remedies may be pursued at the same time  
• 352 Criminal proceedings not to be brought for contraventions of AUSTEL directions  
• 353 Recovery of damages for contravention of section 344 direction  
• 354 Application  
• 355 Enforcement of licence condition  
• 356 Pecuniary penalty for contravention of licence condition  
• 357 Civil action for recovery of pecuniary penalties  
• 358 Remedies may be pursued at the same time  
• 359 Criminal proceedings not to be brought for contravention of licence condition  
• 360 Appointment of inspectors  
• 361 Identity cards  
• 362 Searches to monitor compliance with Act etc.  
• 363 Offence-related searches and seizures  
• 364 Warrants may be granted by telephone  
• 365 Power to require information etc.  
• 366 Retention of books, records and documents  
• 367 Membership  
• 368 Appointment of members  
• 369 Associate members  
• 370 Qualification of members  
• 371 Times and places of meetings  
• 372 Notice of meetings  
• 373 Presiding at meetings  
• 374 Quorum  
• 375 Voting at meetings  
• 376 Conduct of meetings  
• 377 Resolutions without meetings  
• 378 Minutes  
• 379 Disclosure of interests  
• 380 Term of appointment  
• 381 Age limit  
• 382 Remuneration and allowances  
• 383 Outside employment  
• 384 Leave of absence  
• 385 Resignation  
• 386 Termination of appointment  
• 387 Terms and conditions of appointment etc.  
• 388 Acting appointments  
• 389 Money of AUSTEL  
• 390 Application and investment of money  
• 391 Estimates  
• 392 Limitation on contracts  
• 393 Application of Division 3 of Part XI of the Audit Act  
• 394 Liability to taxation  
• 395 Federal Court powers relating to injunctions  
• 396 Nature of unenforceability of agreements  
• 397 Review of decisions  
• 398 Statement to accompany notification of decision  
• 399 AUSTEL to review and report to Minister on competitive safeguards and carrier performance  
• 400 AUSTEL may obtain information and documents from carriers  
• 401 AUSTEL may obtain information and documents from persons other than carriers  
• 402 AUSTEL may waive fees  
• 403 Staff  
• 404 Consultants  
• 405 Delegation  
• 406 Regulations