•   This Act sets up a system for regulating telecommunications.

•   The main entities regulated by this Act are carriers and service providers .

•   A carrier is the holder of a carrier licence granted under this Act.

•   The owner of a network unit that is used to supply carriage services to the public must hold a carrier licence unless responsibility for the unit is transferred from the owner to a carrier.

•   There are 4 types of network unit :

  (a)   a single line link connecting distinct places in Australia, where the line link meets certain minimum distance requirements;

  (b)   multiple line links connecting distinct places in Australia, where the line links meet certain minimum distance requirements;

  (c)   a designated radiocommunications facility;

  (d)   a facility specified in a Ministerial determination.

•   Carrier licences are subject to conditions .

•   There are 2 types of service provider :

  (a)   a carriage service provider;

  (b)   a content service provider.

•   A carriage service provider is a person who supplies, or proposes to supply, certain carriage services.

•   A content service provider is a person who supplies, or proposes to supply, certain content services.

•   Service providers must comply with the service provider rules .

•   The Australian Communications and Media Authority ( ACMA ) is to monitor, and report each year to the Minister on, significant matters relating to the performance of carriers and carriage service providers.

•   Bodies and associations that represent sections of the telecommunications industry, the telemarketing industry or the fax marketing industry may develop industry codes .

•   Industry codes may be registered by the ACMA.

•   Compliance with an industry code is voluntary unless the ACMA directs a particular participant in the telecommunications industry, the telemarketing industry or the fax marketing industry to comply with the code.

•   The ACMA has a reserve power to make an industry standard if there are no industry codes or if an industry code is deficient.

•   Compliance with industry standards is mandatory .

•   Carriers and carriage service providers must protect the confidentiality of communications.

•   The ACMA, carriers and carriage service providers must do their best to prevent telecommunications networks and facilities from being used to commit offences.

•   Carriers and carriage service providers must do their best to protect telecommunications networks and facilities from unauthorised interference or unauthorised access.

•   Carriers and carriage service providers must ensure that it is possible to execute a warrant issued under the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 .

•   Carriage service providers may be required to supply carriage services for defence purposes or for the management of natural disasters .

•   A carrier or carriage service provider may be required to enter into an agreement with the Commonwealth about:

  (a)   planning for network survivability; or

  (b)   operational requirements in times of crisis.

•   The ACMA may require certain carriers and carriage service providers to provide pre - selection in favour of carriage service providers in relation to calls made using a standard telephone service.

•   The ACMA must require certain carriers and carriage service providers to provide pre - selection in favour of carriage service providers in relation to calls made using a declared carriage service.

•   Carriers and carriage service providers may be required to comply with certain international conventions.

•   The Minister may make Rules of Conduct about dealings with international telecommunications operators.

•   Provision is made for the technical regulation of customer equipment, customer cabling and cabling work.

•   Numbering may be administered by a numbering scheme manager or by the ACMA.

•   Provision is made for standard agreements for the supply of carriage services.

•   The ACMA and the ACCC may hold public inquiries about certain matters relating to telecommunications.

•   The ACMA may investigate certain matters relating to telecommunications.

•   Certain switching systems must be capable of providing calling line identification .

•   Provision is made for the following ancillary matters:

  (a)   information - gathering powers;

  (b)   powers of search, entry and seizure;

  (c)   review of decisions;

  (d)   injunctions.