Telcos Total Group and Direct Connect have been directed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority to comply with the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code.
The ACMA said it had found the pair had not provided necessary information about Internet plans, including some NBN-related products.
"It is vitally important that pre-sale information about all telecommunications products and services, including those using NBN infrastructure, is complete, clear and accurate," said acting ACMA chairman, Richard Bean.
"Customers must be able to make genuinely informed decisions about charges, equipment and speed.
{loadposition sam08}"Retail service providers’ NBN services will be one of the ACMA’s 2017 compliance priorities as the number of providers offering services over the NBN continues to increase."
The ACMA said both Direct Connect and Total Group had been repeated chances to come in line before the investigations commenced.
But both contravened parts of the code relating to these obligations by:
- Failing to include accurate and clear pricing information in the summary of certain offers;
- Not including the name of certain plans, the relevant charging information, important inclusions, exclusions, qualifications and restrictions in critical information summaries for a number of offers; and
- Giving contradictory information about products and inclusions on their websites — for instance, the websites referred to one set of products but the accompanying summaries on offer referred to a completely different set.
Both telcos have been issued a direction by ACMA to set right their errors. A direction details actions that must be undertaken to comply by a set date.
When directions are breached, the ACMA can issue a remedial direction, an infringement notice, accept an enforceable undertaking or commence civil penalty proceedings.