Quality of service—monitoring and reporting
Monitoring and reporting are important within the telecommunications regulatory frame work. In an increasingly competitive market, performance data can assist consumers to make informed choices about competing telephone companies. Monitoring and reporting are also used to check that industry is providing levels of service that meet community expectations, and to identify the need for remedial action where this is not the case.
The independent industry regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has primary responsibility for monitoring and reporting on the performance of telephone companies. This responsibility arises from its general functions under section 8 of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 (ACMA Act) and specific provisions of section 105 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.
ACMA quarterly performance bulletins
As part of its monitoring and reporting role, the ACMA publishes the Quarterly Telecommunications Performance Data. Results are published three months after the end of every quarter (for example, the December quarter results are published at the end of March).
The quarterly reports on telephone companies' compliance, in percentage terms, against the Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) requirements in relation to telephone connections, fault repair, appointment keeping and payments. The reports also cover call centre performance, complaints, payphone availability and mobile network call congestion levels and drop-out rates. Special reports on current topics of interest are also included.
ACMA annual telecommunications performance report
In accordance with section 105 of the Telecommunications Act 1997, the ACMA publishes performance data on an annual basis in its 
Telecommunications Performance Report. The report is provided to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and is tabled annually in each House of Parliament as required under subsection 105(7) of the Act.
In contrast to the ACMA quarterly bulletins, the section 105 report looks at industry performance much more broadly and over the full year. The section 105 report covers industry participants, codes and practices and developments, pricing, CSG compliance, Universal Service Obligation (USO) performance, mobile services, payphones, internet and pay TV issues.
