Priority assistance for consumers with diagnosed life-threatening medical conditions

To provide a greater level of service assurance to consumers with certain life-threatening medical conditions the Government has made it a condition of Telstra's carrier licence that it develops and offers a Priority Assistance service to eligible customers.

The objective of the service is to maximise telephone service continuity for customers with a diagnosed life-threatening medical condition who are at risk of suffering a rapid, life-threatening deterioration in their condition.

This action was taken in response to the recommendations of the Australian Communications and Media Authority's Report into the supply of telephone services to the Boulding family in Kergunyah, north-eastern Victoria in 2002.

Telstra also initiated its own inquiry into the Boulding incident conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Telstra's carrier licence condition requires it to:

• ensure that eligible priority customers are given the highest level of service practically available (including 24 and 48 hour maximum timeframes for service connection, fault repair and interim service provision);
• provide enhanced service reliability and fault rectification including where the priority customer has two or more reported faults in a three month period;
• undertake a communications campaign to ensure eligible customers and doctors are informed of priority services;
• review customer management and other systems for priority services;
• tighten its processes for assessing, declaring and notifying exemptions from the customer service guarantee; and
• provide specialised credit management processes for priority customers.

The carrier licence condition on Telstra locks in these commitments, including strict timeframes on their implementation. A carrier licence condition creates clear, legal obligations on Telstra that can be enforced in the Federal Court.

In accordance with the licence condition, Telstra has provided its Priority Assistance Policy to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. The approved policy is part of Telstra's Universal Service Obligation Standard Marketing Plan and sets out the details of how Telstra will meet its obligation to provide priority services. The plan may be accessed by visiting Telstra's website or by calling Telstra on 13 22 03.

Priority Assistance review

In May 2005 the Minister announced the Australian Communications Authority’s (ACA) review into Telstra’s Priority Assistance arrangements.

The Government’s response to the recommendations in the report provide for minor changes to build on existing administrative and reporting arrangements so that Priority Assistance customers continue to receive an effective level of service.

ACMA Priority Assistance report

The government's response to the recommendations of the Australian Communications Authority’s priority assistance review (File type: RTF, File size: 110Kb).

Priority Assistance for consumers

Priority Assistance is available where a Telstra residential customer, or a member of their household, has a diagnosed life-threatening medical condition with a high risk of rapid deterioration to a life-threatening situation, and where access to a telephone would assist to remedy the life-threatening situation.

An indicative list of eligible medical conditions has been established by the Department of Health and Ageing in consultation with relevant non-government medical experts and has received the endorsement of the Chief Medical Officer of Australia. The indicative list may be accessed by visiting Telstra's website or by calling Telstra on 13 22 00.

Telstra is the only service provider required to offer priority services. Other telephone companies may offer a similar priority service. You should ask your telephone company if it supplies a priority service.

Telstra does not charge an extra fee for the Priority Assistance service.

Telstra customers wishing to access Telstra's Priority Assistance arrangements should contact Telstra by calling 13 22 00 and advise the operator you consider you are eligible for priority assistance. Telstra will immediately register you as a priority customer. Telstra will send you an application form, which must be completed and returned to Telstra in order for you to continue to be registered as a priority customer. A valid application covers a three year period. Before the end of the three years, Telstra will invite you to re-register. The application form will involve either a doctor’s certification or, where it is not possible to obtain a doctor's certification, a statutory declaration. Application forms are available from Telstra's website or by calling Telstra on 13 22 00.

Priority Assistance – Other phone companies

Telstra is the only phone company required to offer Priority Assistance services to its customers as a condition of its telecommunications carrier licence.

AAPT and Primus offer Priority Assistance services in line with the requirements of the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) industry code, which has been registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The code is designed to establish consistent, industry wide arrangements for providing assistance to residential customers with life-threatening medical conditions.

Industry codes are developed under the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth). Once a code is registered with ACMA it can direct any participant in a section of the telecommunications industry which is breaching the code to comply with it.

The Priority Assistance code is available from the Australian Communications Industry Forum website.

In March 2005, Optus commenced its special assistance service (OSAS) to rectify faults as a priority for residential customers, or people living within their home, who have a medically certified life-threatening condition. More information on OSAS is available from the Optus website or by calling Optus on 133 937.

• Document ID: 7032 |
• Last modified: 6 February 2008, 1:47pm