From time to time we hear of importers selling untested or non compliant products in the Australian market, ranging from telecommunications devices requiring A-Tick or general electrical items subject to C-Tick / EMC requirements.  The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have the ability to impose fines or product recalls for companies found to have breached the Radiocommunications or Telecommunications Acts. 

 

 

Examples of devices that must carry the A-Tick, backed up by relevant testing to AS/ACIF standards:

  • GSM Devices
  • Telephones and telephone systems
  • Cabling including Building Cables, Patch Cords, RJ Plugs, Sockets and Patch Panels,
  • Modems including PSTN, ADSL, VDSL
  • ISDN Basic and Primary Rate Customer Premises Equipment
  • VoIP phones inc USB type (whether directly or indirectly connected) http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_2948
  • Headsets designed for telecommunications use
  • ATA’s (Analogue Terminal Adaptors) http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1998
  • Fax machines

A listing of all customer premises equipment interfaces and the standards they need to comply against is found within schedule 1 of the ACMA’s telecommunications labelling notice: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_2164

 While the vast majority of companies appear to be doing the right (and legal) thing, the ACMA have made it extremely easy to lodge a complaint against a person or company that you believe is selling unlabelled or non compliant products.   Here’s the link:  http://www.acma.gov.au/interforms/noncompliant_Complaint.asp