The second version of the guide — Responding to Customers in Financial Hardship: Principles and Practices for Telecommunications Service Providers — reflects changes in how consumers use telecommunications services and supports relevant recommendations of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.

The new version was released on Monday, following a consultative process including telecommunications industry and financial counselling representatives, with the assistance of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

The document builds on provisions in the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code and recommends providers take a broad perspective to consumer financial hardship and provides guidance on a variety of ways to assist consumers experiencing financial hardship.

“The updated guide explicitly recognises that family violence can contribute to financial hardship among its victims and lists it as an express criterion for financial hardship assistance,” said Communications Alliance chief executive John Stanton.

“The guide also highlights the importance of access to telecommunications services for people who have experienced family violence.”

Financial Counselling Australia chief executive Fiona Guthrie said revising the principles and practices document ensured that examples of best practice reflected the changing nature of essential telecommunication services. “The revised guide calls for review once every three years by suppliers and consumer representatives, encouraging ongoing collaboration to assist consumers.”

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman facilitated the collaborative approach to the revision of the guide and convened a roundtable in 2016.

Judi Jones, TIO, said that the updated version of the guide “demonstrates the usefulness of the original guide and strength of the principles-based approach to assist consumers”.

The access the revised guide click here.