Telecommunications Act 1997
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Telecommunications Act 1997 Act No. 47 of 1997 as amended This compilation was prepared on 26 November 2008 taking into account amendments up to Act No. 117 of 2008 [Note: Subsections 531F(1) and (2) and paragraphs 531G(2)(e) and (3A)(e) cease to have effect on 27 May 2009, see subsections 531F(3), 531G(3) and (3B)] The text of any of those amendments not in force on that date is appended in the Notes section The operation of amendments that have been incorporated may be affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing, Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra Contents Part 1—Introduction 1 1 Short title [see Note 1].......................................................................1 2 Commencement [see Note 1].............................................................1 3 Objects...............................................................................................1 4 Regulatory policy ..............................................................................3 5 Simplified outline ..............................................................................3 6 Main index.........................................................................................7 7 Definitions.........................................................................................8 8 Crown to be bound ..........................................................................18 9 Extra-territorial application .............................................................18 10 Extension to external Territories .....................................................18 11 Extension to offshore areas..............................................................19 11A Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................19 12 Act subject to Radiocommunications Act........................................20 13 Continuity of partnerships ...............................................................20 14 Controlled carriage services, controlled networks and controlled facilities ..........................................................................20 15 Content service................................................................................22 16 Listed carriage services ...................................................................22 18 Access to an emergency call service................................................23 19 Recognised person who operates an emergency call service...........23 20 Customer cabling.............................................................................23 21 Customer equipment........................................................................24 22 Customer cabling and customer equipment—boundary of a telecommunications network...........................................................25 23 Immediate circle..............................................................................27 24 Extended meaning of use.................................................................31 Part 2—Network units 32 Division 1—Simplified outline 32 25 Simplified outline ............................................................................32 Division 2—Basic definition 33 26 Single line links connecting distinct places in Australia..................33 27 Multiple line links connecting distinct places in Australia ..............33 28 Designated radiocommunications facility........................................34 29 Facilities specified in Ministerial determination..............................35 Division 3—Related definitions 36 30 Line links.........................................................................................36 31 Designated radiocommunications facility........................................36 32 Public mobile telecommunications service......................................38 Telecommunications Act 1997 iii 33 Intercell hand-over functions...........................................................39 34 When a base station is part of a terrestrial radiocommunications customer access network..............................40 35 Fixed radiocommunications link .....................................................41 Division 4—Distinct places 43 36 Distinct places—basic rules.............................................................43 37 Properties.........................................................................................43 38 Combined areas ...............................................................................44 39 Principal user of a property .............................................................45 40 Eligible combined areas...................................................................45 Part 3—Carriers 46 Division 1—Simplified outline 46 41 Simplified outline ............................................................................46 Division 2—Prohibitions relating to carriers 47 42 Network unit not to be used without carrier licence or nominated carrier declaration ..........................................................47 43 Continuing offences.........................................................................48 44 Supply to the public.........................................................................48 45 Exemption—defence .......................................................................50 46 Exemption—intelligence operations................................................50 47 Exemption—transport authorities....................................................51 48 Exemption—broadcasting services..................................................52 49 Exemption—electricity supply bodies.............................................54 50 Exemption—line links authorised by or under previous laws .........54 51 Exemption—Ministerial determination ...........................................56 Division 3—Carrier licences 58 52 Applications for carrier licence .......................................................58 53 Form of application etc....................................................................58 53A Copy of application to be given to Communications Access Co-ordinator ....................................................................................58 54 Application to be accompanied by charge.......................................58 55 Further information .........................................................................58 56 Grant of licence ...............................................................................59 56A Consultation with Communications Access Co-ordinator...............59 57 Carrier licence has effect subject to this Act....................................60 58 Refusal of carrier licence—disqualified applicant...........................61 58A Refusal of carrier licence—security ................................................63 59 Time limit on licence decision.........................................................64 60 Notification of refusal of application...............................................67 61 Conditions of carrier licence specified in Schedule 1......................67 61A Review before 1 July 2009 of conditions relating to operational separation of Telstra .....................................................67 iv Telecommunications Act 1997 62 Condition of carrier licence set out in section 152AZ of the Trade Practices Act 1974 ................................................................68 63 Conditions of carrier licence declared by Minister..........................68 64 Consultation about declared licence conditions...............................70 65 Conditions about foreign ownership or control ...............................71 67 Carrier licence conditions—special provisions................................71 68 Compliance with conditions ............................................................71 69 Remedial directions—breach of condition ......................................72 69A Remedial directions—breach by Telstra of conditions relating to operational separation.....................................................73 69B Review by the Australian Competition Tribunal of remedial directions given by the ACCC.........................................................73 70 Formal warnings—breach of condition ...........................................75 71 Surrender of carrier licence .............................................................75 72 Cancellation of carrier licence.........................................................76 73 Collection of charges relating to carrier licences.............................77 73A Refund of application charge...........................................................79 74 Collection of charges on behalf of the Commonwealth...................79 75 Cancellation of certain exemptions from charge .............................79 76 Commonwealth not liable to charge ................................................80 Division 4—Nominated carrier declarations 81 77 Applications for nominated carrier declarations..............................81 78 Application to be accompanied by charge etc. ................................81 79 Form of application etc....................................................................81 80 Further information .........................................................................81 81 Making a nominated carrier declaration ..........................................82 81A Obligations of nominated carrier.....................................................82