Call for printers stung by phone contracts

A public meeting is being held in Sydney this Saturday for companies that have had problems with landline telephone service contracts.

The meeting will be attended by Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) staff and four legal teams currently representing businesses that have been caught up in the contract issues.

Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen said that a number of printing companies had been affected and has spoken to some of the victims. Andersen said that it appeared the problems had occurred with companies providing communications equipment such as switchboard systems and other landline services to clients through finance company agreements.

He said the telco companies allegedly involved did not include any of the well-known communication service providers.

“Unsuspecting companies sign a five-year contract and in return the telco offers cheap phone calls and some ‘Free Equipment’ and call credits. After a period of time, which can be as short as three months, the telco closes down, leaving you with no phone services and a finance company chasing you for money,” he said.

“I understand that the ACCC has a prosecution underway in Queensland, but it seems many more companies have opened and closed since then. The ACCC are yet to widen their case to include these new victims."

Andersen said it was important to identify as many victims as possible and to make all other companies aware of what has been happening.

“I would encourage anyone who believes that they have been a victim of such arrangements to attend this meeting or to send me (philip@printnet.com.au)  the information and we will pass it on to the relevant authorities. The possibility of a group action will be very high on the agenda.

“I also recommend that anyone considering such contract arrangements carefully consider the proposals before signing anything,” he said.

The meeting will be held at Wests Leagues Club, 115 Liverpool Street, Ashfield from 9am on Saturday 21 November. There is a $40 charge to cover morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea at the day-long session. Those attending are asked to register with the organiser, Greg Stevenson, via this link.