Industry Competition and Collaboration on Consumer Safeguards Ana Tabacman Corporate & Regulatory Affairs

Contents 1.Focus on consumer issues 2.Competition - Optus as challenger to the incumbent 3.Collaboration with industry, regulators and consumer representatives 4.The Optus Consumer Liaison Forum 5.Case study: ACIF Credit Management Code 6.Optus’ internal compliance program 7.Acronyms 8.Questions ?

1. Focus on consumer issues Consumer Technical Commercial There are a few different competitive arenas:

2. Competition - Optus as challenger to the incumbent Optus began operating in 1992, and we see ourselves as the champion of competition. Optus offers a full suite of communications services to consumers: –Fixed telephone services –Long distance and operator services –Mobile telephone services –Internet access –Pay television Competition in the Australian telecommunications market has delivered real benefits to consumers.

3. Collaboration with industry, regulators and consumer representatives Collaborative experience with consumer-related regulatory issues can be quite different to operational or technical matters, where competitive issues often arise. Optus liaises with consumer representatives via: –industry processes (e.g. ACIF Consumer Council) and –its own Consumer Liaison Forum (CLF).

4. The Optus Consumer Liaison Forum (CLF) Established in 1995, the CLF is an effective mechanism for Optus to gain a better understanding of key consumer issues. 9 members, representing peak national consumer organisations Annual meeting of the full CLF membership Subject specific sub-committee contact (face-to-face, teleconferences, s) throughout the year Goals of the CLF: –general information sharing –to provide a forum for the raising and resolving of key consumer issues

5. Case study: ACIF Credit Management Code In 2005, the industry’s Credit Management Code was revised. In order to streamline the review, it was agreed that the working committee that would review the Code would only be comprised of 6 people: –A representative from ACMA –A representative from the TIO –2 people representing consumer interests, and –2 people representing provider interests. Both of the service provider representatives had to represent the industry, not their individual organisations. They had to take into account the impacts that any changes to the Code would have on a range of providers of different sizes, with different capabilities.

6. Optus’ Internal Compliance Program ‘Practical compliance’ AS3806 – Compliance Standard Code Business Owners Compliance Checklists Training

7. Acronyms ACIFAustralian Communications Industry Forum ACMAAustralian Communications & Media Authority AMTAAustralian Mobile Telecommunications Association CLFOptus Consumer Liaison Forum IIAInternet Industry Association TIOTelecommunications Industry Ombudsman

8. Questions ? Ana Tabacman Senior Regulatory Analyst Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Optus Phone: