Your Rights – Home Phone Connection & Repair Timeframes
Standard Telephone Services have consumer safeguards that do not apply to every type of telecommunications service. The Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) sets maximum timeframes for certain:
- new landline / voice service connections;
- repairs to faulty Standard Telephone Services; and
- appointments associated with connection or repair.
The applicable timeframe can depend on factors including where you live and whether infrastructure is already available. If your provider misses an applicable CSG timeframe, you may be entitled to compensation. ACMA states that where the CSG applies, compensation for missed timeframes is generally automatic unless an exemption applies.
How to request a new service
If you need a home phone / voice service, contact Telstra and ask to order a Standard Telephone Service (STS) under the Universal Service Obligation (USO). Telstra will assess your location and determine the technology available to deliver the service. Ask for a case/order reference number, the expected connection timeframe and any installation requirements. Your broadband connection and your right to a USO voice service are separate.
YOUR RIGHT TO A USO VOICE SERVICE
If you live in an nbn Satellite or nbn Fixed Wireless mapped area, you can request a USO Standard Telephone Service (STS), even if you are not connected to an nbn service.
Telstra is the USO provider.
How to report a fault
If your home phone or USO voice service is not working correctly, report the fault to Telstra as soon as possible and make sure the issue is formally logged as a fault. Ask for a fault or case reference number and the expected repair timeframe.
NB: When contacting Telstra, you may be required to verify your identity before they can assist you. This may involve Telstra sending an SMS or app notification to an authorised contact on the account. It is a good idea to ensure your account authorities and contact details are up to date.
You can contact Telstra through:
- Telstra Regional Helpline:
1800 990 853
7 days a week, 7 am–11 pm AEST
- Telstra Chat Now
Existing customers can sign in to My Telstra to chat, or use the online chat option. - My Telstra app
Sign in to check your service, run troubleshooting tests and raise or manage a fault.
Regardless of how you contact Telstra, record the date and time it was reported, your fault/reference number, the expected repair date or resolution timeframe, and any appointment information. Ask for any important information to be emailed to you, particularly if you don’t believe the information is accurate. Keep copies or screenshots of SMS, emails, online chats and other correspondence.
Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) – Expected Timeframes
The Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) sets maximum timeframes for connecting and repairing eligible Standard Telephone Services (STS), as well as appointments associated with those services. The timeframes vary depending on your location and circumstances.
In regards to connection timeframes, if there is already an eligible working/in-place service that can simply be reactivated, the timeframe is generally within 2 working days. For a new connection, the applicable timeframe depends on whether infrastructure and spare capacity are already available, as shown below:
NB: The time you contact Telstra matters. To start the CSG timeframe from that day, your connection request or fault must be reported by 5 pm on a working day. If you report it after 5 pm, the timeframe starts from the next working day.
Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) – Compensation
Where the CSG applies and the required connection or repair timeframe is missed, compensation is generally automatic. Current payments for a delayed Standard Telephone Service are:
- Residential/charity: $14.52 per working day for the first 5 working days of delay, then $48.40 per working day.
- Business: $24.20 per working day for the first 5 working days, then $48.40 per working day.
- Missed appointments may also attract compensation of $14.52 for residential/charity customers or $24.20 for business customers.
There are limited circumstances where CSG timeframes and compensation may not apply, including declared mass service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other circumstances beyond the provider’s control. Other exemptions can also apply. Ask your provider to explain which CSG exemption they are relying on if you are told the normal connection or repair timeframe does not apply.
CSG Interim & Alternative Phone Services
If Telstra cannot connect or repair your USO phone service within the required timeframe, they may offer you a temporary way to stay connected while you wait. This may include an interim service, such as a mobile phone service provided at standard landline rates, or an alternative service, such as diverting calls to a mobile or another fixed phone service.
You can accept or refuse an interim or alternative service, provided you have been given enough information to make an informed decision. The CSG does not apply to the interim or alternative service itself. There are also specific rules about how an offer of an interim or alternative service may affect CSG compensation, so ask Telstra to explain your options and any impact on your CSG entitlements before accepting or refusing an offer.
Ask what interim or alternative service is available at your location, what it will cost, how it will work where you have limited or no mobile coverage, and whether accepting or declining it will affect your CSG rights or compensation.
Because CSG payment rates and rules can change, BIRRR recommends checking the current information directly with:
➡️ ACMA – Customer Service Guarantee
➡️ Telstra – Customer Service Guarantee
Getting Help or Raising Concerns
Having trouble ordering a service, dealing with a fault, experiencing migration issues or concerned about changes to your voice service?
➡️ Getting Help or Raising Concerns.
Disclaimer: This information was prepared by Better Internet for Rural, Regional & Remote Australia (BIRRR) and updated in August 2026 as a general consumer information resource. Information, regulatory requirements, service arrangements, timeframes and compensation amounts may change. BIRRR recommends confirming current information with your service provider, the ACMA or relevant Australian Government agency. This information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice.