ACCAN says telco bills leave roaming unresolved

Two telco bills have passed the Senate, including one that ACCAN says may not deliver benefits to consumers until December 2027 at the earliest.

The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2026 passed with Coalition amendments, while Greens and Jacqui Lambie Network amendments were voted down. ACCAN welcomed the bill’s passage but said the Government and Coalition missed a chance to add stronger protections on compensation, reliability and performance standards, and domestic mobile roaming.

ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the UOMO bill was “a fundamentally vital connectivity safety net that will help Australians share the benefits of cutting-edge satellite technology”. She said there were also “many missed opportunities here”.

Bennett said nothing changes for consumers immediately and argued enforceable reliability standards should begin once the ACCC concludes its inquiry in 12 months time. ACCAN’s own research found 94% of Australians with a firm view support minimum reliability requirements and domestic mobile roaming.

Penalties rise under TECS bill

ACCAN also welcomed the Senate’s passage of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, which the group said was a major win for telecommunications consumers. ACCAN said the more than 20 consumer organisations in the Fair Call Coalition had long called for the reforms.

Under the new safeguards, maximum penalties for breaches of industry codes and standards rise from $250,000 to $10 million. The Australian Communications and Media Authority can also take direct enforcement action when a telco breaches an industry code, instead of first issuing a direction to comply.

A new Carriage Service Provider registration scheme will allow the regulator to stop dodgy operators. Bennett said the reforms “better align telecommunications with other essential services like energy by strengthening enforcement, lifting penalties and making industry codes enforceable”.

ACCAN cited Roy Morgan in saying telecommunications is the least trusted sector in the Australian economy. The group said its advocacy for comprehensive reliability standards and domestic mobile roaming would continue.