Consumer Guide to Internet Services
Effective from:
Published at:
Contents:
Key Terms
| Digital Services: | Has the same meaning in the Terms of Service. |
| Fair Use Policy: | Volvo Car Australia’s usage policy. |
| Terms of Services: | means the Volvo Cars Terms of Services for the Digital Services available: |
| Volvo Cars or we: | Volvo Car Australia Pty Ltd, ACN 004 830 611 |
| Volvo Connected Car: | MY22 XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, MY22 XC60 and from MY23 all Volvo models available in Australia. |
Volvo Car Australia Fair Use Policy
Your use of the internet service (Service) provided as part of the Digital Services for your vehicle (if any) is subject to this Fair Use Policy.
The Service is part of the Digital Services provided to enable you to fully enjoy the use of your Volvo car. The legitimate use of the Service for this purpose will not breach this Fair Use Policy, however, you must not use the Service in an excessive or unreasonable manner.
When using the Service you also agree not to:
- use the Service to store or transmit content that contains harmful code or software, constitutes unsolicited advertising or spamming, infringes any person’s intellectual property rights or is defamatory, fraudulent, obscene, threatening, harassing, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive or otherwise unlawful;
- use the Service in breach of any applicable law; or
- use the Service for commercial purposes or resell the Service.
If you breach this Fair Use Policy, we may notify you that you are in breach. If you are in breach of this Fair Use Policy at a time which is 30 or more days after we first notify you of a breach, we reserve the right to suspend your use of the Service.
Internet service FAQs
What internet service do we provide?
The internet service is available as part of our Digital Services when you purchase a Volvo Connected Car. The internet service is a prepaid, SIM only mobile plan which is only able to be used in your Volvo car as part of the Digital Services.
Is there a data usage limit?
There is no data usage limit imposed, but we may suspend your use of the internet service if you breach our Fair Use Policy. We may introduce data usage limits in the future and will notify you if we do.
How will we bill you?
The fee for use of the internet service for a period of 4 or 5 years from the initial date of purchase of the car is included in the purchase price for Volvo Connected Car. Following the initial 4 or 5 year period, the internet service may be made available on a pre-paid rolling basis for periods notified to you prior to that time and on such other terms and conditions as we notify you.
Renewing the internet service is optional. But if you choose not to renew, you will not be able to use the Digital Services.
Questions about network coverage?
The internet service is provided using the Optus mobile network or the Vodafone mobile network depending on the vehicle model. Information on the coverage of the Optus network is available from Optus’ website:
https://www.optus.com.au/about/network/coverage.
Information on the coverage of the Vodafone network is available from Vodafone’s website:
https://www.vodafone.com.au/network/coverage-checker
Volvo is responsible for the internet service provided to you and we will answer any questions, and address any problems, you might have.
We are not affiliated with or related to Optus or its parent company, SingTel, or Vodafone.
How do I renew my Digital Service subscription after my subscription period ends?
We will notify you regarding how you to renew your Digital Services subscription, including for internet service.
Can I switch provider after my subscription period ends?
No, you will not be able to switch or select your internet services provider. Want to find out more?
You can find more information about the internet service in our Critical Information Summary.
The full details of the internet service are set out in our Terms of Services.
Need support?
If you have any questions or need any other support relating to use of the internet service, please contact us using the Volvo Car app or by email or phone:
Email: owners.australia@volvocars.com (at any time)
Phone: 1300 787 802 (during the period 9.00am to 5.00pm on a business day in Sydney)
We are happy to help.
Our Financial Hardship Policy for Digital Services
Giving you the freedom to move in difficult times
At Volvo Cars we are committed to keeping you and your family safe and connected during difficult times.
What is financial hardship?
Financial hardship can affect us all in different ways.
If you are struggling to pay your Volvo Cars Digital Services charge because you or an immediate family member has been unwell, there was a death in the immediate family, you have lost your job or you have been impacted by domestic or family violence or a natural disaster, Volvo Cars may be able to help you by coming to a payment or other arrangement that meets your needs so you can continue to access Volvo Cars Digital Services.
How can I talk to Volvo Cars?
If you are suffering from financial hardship, you should contact the Volvo Cars Customer Care Centre via:
Volvo Customer Care:
65 Epping Road,
North Ryde NSW 2113
Email: owners.australia@volvocars.com (at any time)
Phone: 1300 787 802 (during the period 9.00am to 5.00pm on a business day in Sydney)
What information may Volvo Cars ask me to provide?
In order for Volvo Cars to make an assessment of whether Volvo Cars is able to provide assistance under this financial hardship policy we may ask you questions about your personal situation and request you to provide us with certain documents e.g. income details, other reasonable information as to how long your financial hardship will continue and most recent contact details. If you do not provide that information an assessment may not be made. Also, if you provide us with false or incomplete information, then we may terminate any arrangements that we have previously agreed under this policy. This information and any supporting documentation that we may require will need to be provided to the Volvo Cars Customer Care Centre, at the contact details set out above. Your personal information will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
What options may be available to me?
We minimise the risks of financial hardship for our customers as the Digital Services is a pre-paid service, which does not provide for the payment of additional fees for excess data usage. In addition, we may offer one or more of the following options to our customers experiencing financial hardship as it relates to the use of the Digital Services:
- Flexible payment arrangements for the Digital Service, that allow you to pay in advance in fixed monthly instalments rather than for a longer period
- A waiver of the fees for the Digital Service for a short period of time
- The waiver of late payment, cancellation or other fees
- A temporary hold on your account so you don't have to pay your bill for our Digital Service immediately but still maintain access to the Digital Services for a period of time
- An incentive for making payment for the Digital Service, for example, a discount on your next Volvo Cars service
The option or options offered, if any, will depend on what is appropriate in the particular circumstances.
We will consider your request
We will consider all of the material that you provide to us, and the amount you would owe us to acquire the Digital Services, in making an assessment of financial hardship under this policy. We will not charge you for making an assessment. We will make an assessment in a fair manner. After we have received your request, [our Customer Care team] will come back to you within five (5) working days with our proposed options or we may come back and request additional information.
In cases where we cannot agree to your request, we will let you know why and give you details of an alternative arrangement that we think will work for you.
We will always confirm the details of the arrangement with you by email within five (5) working days, and will notify you of your rights and obligations as well as the duration of the arrangement. Our aim is to work with you to find a suitable solution for your situation, and so ask that you please let us know if your circumstances change.
Where can I get further help?
There are a number of free and helpful support programs available across Australia if you experiencing financial hardship.
You can visit the Government Money Smart website or speak to one of National Debt Helpline's Financial Counsellors.
Call: 1800 007 007 (Monday to Friday: 9:30am - 4:30pm)
Visit: http://www.ndh.org.au
For personal support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their crisis support online chat.
Feedback
If you are unhappy with our suggested outcome or the way we have handled your request for financial hardship assistance, you can lodge a complaint with Volvo Cars:
By email: owners.australia@volvocars.com
By phone: 1300 787 802
Our complaints handling policy is available here:
https://www.volvocars.com/au/v/legal/complaints-handling-policy
The Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code
Protecting our internet service customers
The Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code was created by the Australian telecommunications industry, through the work of Communications Alliance (the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia), after consultation with regulators and consumer groups. The Code contains a set of rules designed to protect the rights of consumers and to clearly spell out the obligations of retail telecommunications service providers. The Code was most recently updated on 1 August 2019.
The TCP Code is registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which is Australia’s communications sector regulator.
Critical Information Summary (CIS):
Each service provider must ensure that a document called “Critical Information Summary” (CIS) is made available for its telecommunications products and services. This must be provided on its website and also made available directly to consumers at particular times.
Each CIS must include:
- A description of the service or product with details like what is included and excluded,
- Pricing information, such as minimum and maximum charges,
- How much you will have to pay if you end a contract early,
- The minimum term of the product or service,
- How to contact the service provider’s customer service team and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, and
- How to make a complaint about the service provider’s products and services.
Signing up or buying:
Your service provider is required to provide you with certain additional information in relation to the telecommunications products and services it offers. For example, your service provider should:
- Describe products and services accurately without leaving important information out, in a way you can understand,
- For mobile services, provide you with accurate information about the coverage of the network that is used to provide those services,
- Provide you with information about the price of its products and services and information about billing arrangements for its products and services,
- Advise you of details of any post-sales support provided for its products and services and any fees or charges for that support, and
- Make information available about any of their products and services that specifically cater to consumers with a disability.
Your service provider is also required to provide its standard form customer contract on its website.
Advertisements:
Service providers have obligations under the Australian Consumer Law to ensure that advertisements for telecommunications products and services are not misleading. Without limiting those obligations, service providers should also ensure that, amongst other matters, such advertisements:
- include any important conditions or limitations about the product or service in any advertising to allow consumers to make informed choices,
- do not use certain terms or phrases that are not accurate. For example, advertisements should not include the term “unlimited” when referring to usage unless the relevant service is ordinarily genuinely unlimited and not subject to exclusions, and
- do not make claims in relation to network coverage for mobile services unless those claims are able to be substantiated.
Billing arrangements:
In most cases, having a contract means your service provider must regularly provide you with a bill. Different arrangements apply to service providers for telecommunications services depending on whether the service is provided on a pre-paid (that is, the fees are payable in advance) or on a post-paid (that is, the fees are payable in arrears) basis.
Where your service provider provides pre-paid services, your service provider should:
- provide information about charges and discounts and terms and conditions applicable to its bills,
- if requested by you, provide you with billing information in relation to the telecommunications services you acquired, for a period of up to six years, and
- ensure that one method of payment is provided to you that is free of charge.
Dealing with a problem
It is in both service providers’ and your interests to solve any problems you have in the first instance.
Complaints handling is no longer dealt with under the TCP Code but instead in the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints Handling) Industry Standard 2018 (Cth) (Standard).
The Standard imposes obligations on service providers such as that each service provider:
- must try to fix any complaint when you first speak to it,
- have a written complaints handling process,
- meet certain time frames to resolve complaints that cannot be fixed immediately, and
- monitor complaints and identify emerging issues.
If you are not satisfied with how your service provider has handled your complaint after you have given it a reasonable opportunity to deal with that complaint, you can complain to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) for external dispute resolution. Contact the TIO at https://www.tio.com.au/.
Compliance with the TCP Code
Compliance with the TCP Code is important. Service providers are required to certify their compliance with the TCP Code annually to Communications Compliance. Communications Compliance will publish on its website names of service providers which have submitted the required documents. They will also publish the names of service providers who have received a formal warning or direction to comply from the Australian Communications and Media Authority for failure to submit the required documents.
For detailed information about the TCP Code go to https://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/codes/c628.