Mobile Phone contracts - what I need to know

What is a mobile phone contract?

A mobile phone contract is a contract where you purchase

a mobile phone and mobile services from a

telecommunications provider. Sometimes the contract

will be bundled with internet services.

You can enter into:

• a pre-paid phone contract where you buy the phone

and then purchase phone credits to use or

• a post-paid phone contract where you pay for what

services you have used at the end of each month.

Will I own the phone at the end

of the contract?

You should read your contract very closely. Under some

contracts you are buying the phone as part of the contract.

Under some contracts you are leasing the phone and will

not own it at the end of the contract.

Does a telecommunications company

have to assess whether I can afford

to make the repayments required

under the contract?

From 1 August 2019, the Telecommunications Consumer

Protection Code requires telecommunications companies

to assess whether you can repay the loan.

I am not sure what type of product

I need. Wll the company help me?

From 1 August 2019, under the Telecommunications

Consumer Protection Code, a company is required to engage

in responsible selling and must sell you a product that

meets your needs that you tell them about.

What happens if I want to get out

of my contract early?

Most contracts have a termination clause that will need

you to pay a fee for terminating the contract early.

Is there a cooling-off period?

There is no cooling-off period for a mobile phone contract

if you approach the company. There is a 10 business day

cooling-off period if the company phones or approaches you

without you asking them to contact you.

What happens if I can’t pay my bill?

You should call your telecommunications company and

ask them for financial hardship. Some telecommunications

companies have specific hardship policies that provide

assistance to you and will help you negotiate a sustainable

payment plan. These details can be accessed at ACCAN’s

website (http://accan.org.au/hardship-home/get-help).

What happens if I have a complaint

about my bill or service?

If you have a problem with your service provider, the first

thing you should do is talk to them.

If you can’t resolve the problem, you can get help by calling:

• a financial counsellor on 1800 007 007

• the Australian Communications Consumer Action

Network on 02 9288 4000

• Legal Aid Queensland on 1300 65 11 88.

You can also make a complaint to the Telecommunications

Industry Ombudsman by visiting www.tio.com.au or calling

1800 062 058.

July 2019

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