The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has directed Starlink Internet Services Pte Ltd to comply with the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code after it found that the Elon Musk-owned company did not specify the end date of a ‘limited time offer’ advertised on its website.
Under the TCP Code, if a special promotion is advertised as being available for a limited time only, telcos are required to disclose the date the promotion will end.
Following a consumer complaint, the ACMA undertook an investigation into the promotion available on Starlink’s website between 1 June and 26 July 2023 and found that the promotion, which offered discounted hardware and high-speed internet plans, did not include an end date as required.
When advertising special promotions, telcos must include information about important limitations to allow consumers to make informed choices.
In late July 2023, Starlink amended the promotion on its website to include an end date. The special promotion has since ended.
Telcos may face penalties of up to $250,000 for breaching ACMA directions to comply with the TCP Code.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation project developed by SpaceX, the private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. It works by deploying a vast constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that create a global mesh network to provide internet access to users on the ground.
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