ACCC hits out at handsets

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is hoping to introduce an industry agreement with mobile carriers in order to protect consumers’ rights regarding faulty products.

ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel announced the initiative at the ATUG conference late last week, in which he said the agreement would crack down on potentially misleading advertising.

It is understood part of the agreement will see VHA take the lead in offering 24-month long warranties for faulty handsets instead of 12-month agreements, which are far more popular.

This announcement follows a number of legal proceedings taken against mobile operators for breaching warranty standards within the Trade Practices Act. Part of the legal dispute surrounded the length of the phone’s warranty in relation to the corresponding contract period, which were often not aligned.