The communications regulator has issued formal warnings to four providers for breaking new rules intended to protect customers who are struggling to pay their phone and internet bills.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said Optus Mobile Pty Ltd, Origin Energy Limited, Skymesh Pty Ltd and Swoop Telecommunications Pty Ltd breached the Financial Hardship Standard, which has applied since March 2024.
Under the standard, bills, overdue reminders and other written notices used to identify whether a customer may be in financial hardship must clearly set out the assistance options available and how to contact the provider for help. The ACMA found each company failed to include all of the required details in at least one of those types of customer communications.
ACMA member Samantha Yorke said people having trouble paying their telco bills must be informed by their telco how they can contact them and that there are options available to assist them. “Struggling to pay household bills can be an extremely stressful situation and these rules were put in place to help people going through these circumstances,” Ms Yorke said. “All four of these telcos failed to comply with the rules and as a result have let their customers down.”
The regulator also identified additional lapses at three providers. Swoop and Skymesh failed to ensure frontline staff received mandatory financial hardship training before dealing with customers and annually thereafter, as required by the rules. Optus was found to have omitted required information from written notices sent to customers confirming financial hardship arrangements.
The ACMA said the companies moved quickly during the investigations to update their written templates and train staff to meet the obligations. The regulator plans to publish guidance to help industry support customers and to set out its expectations for compliance.
Protecting vulnerable telco customers remains an enforcement focus for the ACMA in 2025–26, and the Financial Hardship Standard sits within the regulator’s enduring compliance priorities. The authority warned that any further breaches by the providers could trigger stronger enforcement action, including penalties of up to $250,000 per contravention.
Consumers who need help paying their telco bills are encouraged to contact their provider and ask for assistance. More information about the financial hardship rules is available on the ACMA website.
