fbpx

Accessibility Tools

  • You are here:  
  • Home /
  • Blogs /
  • Priority Assistance for Landline Customers 

Priority Assistance for Landline Customers 

Hits: 9321
A white landline telephone with large black buttons has number in white. A person is hovering a finger over the buttons. Spectacles can be seen at the top right of the image.

If you or someone you live with has a serious medical condition, you may be able to access Priority Assistance Service for your landline.

With priority assistance, your telecommunications company must:

  • Connect to standard landline service faster than other customers
  • Fix faults within 48 hours in remote areas, or within 24 hours in urban and rural areas
  • Test the phone service if you have 2 or more faults in 3 months

Telstra is the only provider that must offer priority assistance service to customers as a condition of its licence. Other telecommunications services can choose.

You qualify if you have a landline and someone in your household has a medical condition and:

  • The situation can get worse so fast that it is life-threatening
  • Calling an ambulance or speaking on the telephone to a medical professional could save the life of the person
  • You may also be eligible if you have another serious condition and live alone or in a remote area

You will need a medical certificate from the doctor to complete the application process. Telstra Priority Assistance Examples of conditions that are eligible are:

  • Severe Asthma
  • Risk of Anaphylaxis
  • Cardiovascular illness
  • High-risk pregnancy
  • Life-threatening hypoglycaemia
  • Life-threatening epilepsy
  • On respirators at home
  • On dialysis at home
  • Severe mental health disorders
  • Technology dependent who are at high risk

 If a doctor/medical practitioner describes the medical condition as temporary, or if the person with the relevant medical condition isn’t the account holder, you will need to reapply every 3 years. If you are the account holder, and your medical condition is permanent, you don’t need to reapply for Priority Assist unless you cancel your landline, transfer the ownership of the landline service to another person or move your landline to another carrier.

Source: Australian Communications and Media Authority

IDEAS does information so you can do life.

Available Resources

let's get started harmony week everyone belongs harmony.gov.au Haromy Week 2023: Everyone Belongs
Hashtag and universal symbol for women in shades of pink and purple International Women's Day is Embracing Equity and we are so here for it
A man in a mobility scooter is grocery shopping Mobility Scooter and Wheelchair Roadside Assistance
Two people, male and female, looking at a device. ‘For my safety’
Picture of Australia Senate room Disability Support Pension Senate Inquiry
A girl with glasses and dark hair with intellectual disability is using a laptop computer Council for Intellectual Disability Position Statement on Technology
purple lightning against a black night sky Thunderstorm Asthma Alerts
A man in dark suit navigates stairs with a cane. IncludeAbility resource hub
A playing piece is singled out from others, surrounded by barriers About Disability Rights
woman in a wheelchair with purple flowing hair Royal Commission investigates experience of women and girls with disability
A seismograph registers an earthquake. A needle draws a shaky line on a piece of paper. What to do in an Earthquake
Elderly man on phone call holding credit card in hand Scams: How to Protect Yourself
Rainbow coloured scales of justice Disability Royal Commission investigates People with cognitive disability and the Criminal justice system and NDIS
A blue background with a world globe at the bottom left. New Accessible Tourism International Standard! ISO 21902:2021
Independent Assessments to be scrapped Independent Assessments to be scrapped
Detail image of broken wicker or cane Royal Commission looks at the Ann-Marie Smith case and continues investigating abuse in disability support services
An orange background with a blue arrow and the word Gender Neutral Bathrooms: What Should You Know?
A young girl with disability and her teacher share a smile. Supporting Diverse Learners
A woman with a worried look on her face and hand clenched to her jaw is calling someone on a smartphone. Behind her is a damaged car. Emergency +
A child's drawing of a person hitting someone. Domestic and Family Violence Easy English
Wheelchair accessible toilet sign on black background A Safe Space: Are Australia’s public toilets truly accessible?
Your Story Disability Support Call 1800 77 1800 Your Story Disability Legal Support
A woman wearing a CPAP machine sleeps. Rule change helps life support customers to switch and save on energy plans.
A man with assistive technology is using a laptop. Disability Support Pension
A close up of a door, with the words Complaints and the NDIS Commission
Image of an empty hearing room. There are chairs for the judge, witness and others. Tribunals
A red octagonal sign which says STOP. Disability advocates urge new minister to abandon Independent Assessments
Red heart with bandaid in a cross shape, sit on a blue background. It is surrounded by lilac blooms, and a stethoscope. Easy English Sexual Health Resources
The text Insurance and Floods placed on top of an aerial image of a flooded property 5 Top Tips for Insurance: Flood Damage
A small hand holds up an orange coloured plastic easter egg. In the background are blurred easter eggs on green. Disability Inclusive Easter
aerial view of driveway and burnt house and bush Are you Bushfire Ready?
Concept photo of court. Four wooden figures representing a family are split into two groups, the parents are separate from the children. Behind them is a gavel. It is used in a courtroom. The Bumpy Road - Easy English resources for parents with disability
An image of 4 wooden dice, R, E, N, T is written across them. Two houses are placed on top. Rental Assistance
An image of Helen Burt sitting New funding and plan to reduce number of young people living in aged care
An image of a paper bag with vegetables. A concept photo of a food hamper. Food banks
NDIS Independent Assessments NDIS Update: Independent Assessments and the Functional Capacity Framework
yellow spanner on a yellow background Government response to the NDIS Tune review
wheelchair user wearing a face mask Human Rights Commission develops guidelines on the rights of people with disability during COVID-19
Mental health image. Silhouette of depressed person brain and healthy person brain. How to get a Mental Health Care Plan
sad woman with hands over her eyes Disability service Integrity Care banned from providing NDIS services
An image of a hospital entrance sign with with Emergency Health Passports, Hospital Companion Documents
An image of three women siting and communicating, one is using sign language and the others are looking on., New sign language interpreting service for aged care assessment and delivery services.
woman with purple hair bound by an orange rope. Royal Commission seeks comment for Issue Papers
Image of young girl with Down Syndrome looking sad Shocking cases of disability abuse and neglect come to light
Two women standing together supporting one another. In the background is water and a cloudy sky. Domestic and Family Violence - helping a friend in need.
series of brightly coloured Aboriginal dot painting designs In This Together
A hand holds a large button phone, with a laptop in the background. Support with Phone and Internet Complaints
boxes sitting on a laptop keyboard with shopping trolley symbols Shopping safely online in the COVID-19 crisis
An image of a computer keyboard on blue background. Choosing an Online Service Provider
The image in black and white, is of a woman, who covers her face with her hands. Concept photo of family violence. Bullying, Abuse, Domestic and Family violence, how and where to get help and support.
Teenage boy with down syndrome taking music lessons over the internet. He sits with music in his lap, is holding his instrument and is watching his teacher on a device Staying Safe Online - The eSafety Commission
An image of a lightbulb laying on a utility bill Recovering utility services after a disaster
Floodwater on road What to do in a Flood
A young girl with a plait in her hair and a thoughtful look on her face is hugging a teddy bear. The teddy is smiling. Moving Forward after a Crisis
Image of First Aid Kit, Water Bottles, Batteries, radio and torch Packing for an Emergency
Red, Yellow and green trees in the shape of heads. Learn Mental Health First Aid
Image of a young man with his hands placed over his ears Invisible Disabilities
A purple orchid on a white blackground. Ensuring health and bodily integrity: towards a human rights approach for people born with variations in sex characteristics
White text reads Growing Up Disabled in Australia
International agreement on the rights of disabled people - Easy English International agreement on the rights of disabled people - Easy English
Black and white image of a book Your rights when you buy something - Easy English
Black and White image of a book Your consumer rights: a guide for consumers with disability
Man with glasses, resting hand on forehead, looking at his phone. National Crisis Numbers
Know your rights: Disability discrimination Know your rights: Disability discrimination
Older woman sits while being assisted to dress in an aged - care facility Know your rights around dementia and drugs in aged-care homes
Cartoon image of Repair, Replace or Refund images My Consumer Rights - My Shopping Rights
Cartoon image of people in a shop My Consumer Rights - Contracts
Know your rights: People with disabilities written across a white screen Know your rights: People with a disability
Children sitting at a table eating The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
A senior man in a blue shirt is on the telephone. How to Complain About Your Home Care Provider