Background

The CSG is a legislative regime which aims to avoid poor telephone service.
Not all types of telephone service are covered by the CSG, however if a service is covered by the CSG, then the provider of that service must meet specified timeframes for:

  • Connecting new services;
  • Repairing faulty services; and
  • Keeping appointments.

If the provider does not meet the timeframes, specified rates of compensation may be payable by the provider to the customer.

For more information about the CSG, please see this page on the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s ("ACMA") website: www.acma.gov.au.

Lingo and the CSG

In the course of developing the Lingo service, Primus has extensively researched and investigated CSG and has considered whether CSG applies to the Lingo service.

Primus considers that the Lingo service could be subject to the CSG. This is because the Lingo service meets the same legislative definition of a standard telephone service (which is also subject to the CSG).

Waivers of the CSG

Even though a service (such as Lingo) is subject to the CSG, the CSG rules allow the provider to obtain a specific waiver of the CSG from customers in respect of that service.

A waiver of the CSG means that the customer will not require the provider to meet the specified timeframes within the CSG, and nor will compensation be payable for any failure to meet those timeframes.

A service provider is only permitted to obtain a CSG waiver from a customer in very specific circumstances, as set out in Part 5 of the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2000 (No. 2) (“the CSG Standard”).

For more information about waivers of the CSG, please see this page on the ACMA website: www.acma.gov.au.

For more information about the CSG Standard, please see: www.comlaw.gov.au.

Lingo and Waiving the CSG

Because of the nature of the Lingo service and its much lower cost to customers, Primus requires that customers waive their CSG rights in relation to Lingo.

The waiver is:

  • in accordance with Part 5 of the CSG Standard; and
  • only in respect of the Lingo service.

Customers are only waiving the CSG for the Lingo service. Primus does not require nor seek waivers of the CSG for any other service. You will not lose any CSG rights you have in relation to your usual telephone service by waiving the CSG for Lingo.

Please note that there are no special cases or circumstances in which Primus will provide the CSG for Lingo. Primus only offers Lingo to customers who waive the CSG for Lingo in order to provide the Lingo service competitively, and as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Anything Else?

If you have any queries in relation to the CSG or waivers of the CSG, please do not hesitate to contact any of the following authorities: