Skip to navigation Skip to content

Updating telephone details and/or paying Telephone Allowance (TAL) 108-08100010

This document outlines how to update a customer's Centrelink record when there has been a change of telephone and/or home internet details and covers how to update the customer's record to pay TAL.

Updating telephone or internet details

Step	Action
1	Customer advises telephone and/or internet details + Read more ... Customers will automatically receive reminders and important information via SMS to their mobile phone. See Centrelink letters online and Electronic Messaging. If new telephone details are received through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) check the actions on Customer Overview in Services Australia Workspace. See Answering calls in Centrelink. Recording a false, inactive or unregistered telephone number: is fraudulent, and can lead to an overpayment of Telephone Allowance (TAL) Customers who do not wish to give a telephone number because of privacy concerns are not eligible to get TAL. Note: job seekers can give their employment services provider their new telephone details. This information will be automatically updated on the customer's Centrelink record. If the customer is: providing new telephone and/or update subscriber details and is: residing in Norfolk Island, go to Step 3 otherwise, go to Step 2 advising their current telephone details have been incorrectly recorded, go to Step 4 advising telephone service has ended, go to Step 5 updating or correcting their home internet details, go to Step 6 requesting arrears of TAL, see How to pay Telephone Allowance (TAL) arrears. Procedure ends here
2	Add new telephone details or update subscriber details + Read more ... To update the telephone details and/or the subscriber details, run the Change in Contact Details workflow. If the workflow is unavailable, go to the Telecommunication Details (!TCD) screen in Customer First. Staff must ensure the telephone number provided by the customer is correct. Incorrect, inactive or unregistered telephone numbers must not be recorded. If the customer does not know their telephone details, do not record false information. Identify the type of telephone number to update Note: update any Alternative phone number listed within a claim under Contact (CON) Start Date: field, key the date the customer notified the agency if the customer advises of a future start date, key the date advised by the customer. A date up to 14 days in the future can be keyed End Date: field, key only if ceasing the phone number and no new phone number is provided Number: field, key the number provided including the Area Code: field if applicable Subscri: field, update if applicable Silent: field, update if applicable Ptnr Same: field, update if applicable Source: field, update with applicable Receipt Date: field, date of contact Select Continue Confirm the new telephone and/or subscriber details have updated Note: if unsure of the appropriate codes/responses, use help (?) field for more details. See Telephone Allowance (TAL) to confirm eligibility of TAL If the customer is eligible, advise them of their TAL eligibility and the next test day date for payment Is the customer updating or making a correction to home internet details? Yes, go to Step 6 No, if completing the Change in Contact Details workflow, finalise the workflow, otherwise: key 'FIN' in the Next: field and Press [Enter] procedure ends here
3	Add new telephone details or update subscriber details for Norfolk Island + Read more ... Norfolk Island has its own Island/Country Code which is +6723. All Norfolk Island telephone numbers are a 5 digit number: all landlines start with 2#### for example 21234 all mobile telephones start with 5#### for example 51234 To update new telephone details and/or update subscriber details, run the Change in Contact Details workflow. If the workflow is unavailable, go to the Telecommunication Details (!TCD) screen in Customer First. Staff must ensure the telephone number provided by the customer is correct. Incorrect, inactive or unregistered telephone numbers must not be recorded. If the customer does not know their telephone details, do not record false information. Identify the type of telephone number to be updated Note: update any alternative phone number listed within a claim under Contact (CON) Start Date: field, key the date the customer notified the agency If the customer advises of a future start date, key the date advised by the customer. A date up to 14 days in the future can be keyed End Date: field, key only if ceasing the phone number and no new phone number is provided Number: field: Do not key the Area Code: field landlines – key the country code plus the 5 digit telephone number for example 67232#### mobile telephones - key the country code plus the 5 digit mobile number for example 67235#### Comments: field add notes: Norfolk Island. Dial 0011 6723 plus the 5 digit number Subscr: field, update only if applicable Silent: field, update if applicable Ptnr Same: field, update if applicable Source: field, update with applicable Receipt Date: field, date of contact Select Continue Confirm the new telephone and/or subscriber details have updated Note: if unsure of the appropriate codes/responses, use help (?) field for more details. See Telephone Allowance (TAL) to confirm eligibility of TAL If the customer is eligible, advise them of their TAL eligibility and the next test day date for payment. Is the customer updating or making a correction to their home internet service? Yes, go to Step 6 No, if completing the Change in Contact Details workflow, finalise the workflow, otherwise: key 'FIN' in the Next: field and Press [Enter] procedure ends here
4	Current telephone details have been recorded incorrectly To correct the telephone details, run the Change in Contact Details workflow. When correcting the customers telephone details, staff must make sure the details are correct. Recording a false, inactive or unregistered telephone number: is fraudulent, and can lead to an overpayment of Telephone Allowance (TAL) If the workflow is unavailable, go to the Telecommunications Details (!TCD) screen in Customer First. Identify the type of telephone number to be updated Note: update any alternative phone number listed within a claim under Contact (CON) Source: field, update with applicable Receipt Date: field, date of contact Select Continue Confirm the updated telephone details have updated Is the customer updating or making a correction their home internet service? Yes, go to Step 6 No, if completing the Change in Contact Details workflow, finalise the workflow, otherwise: key ‘FIN’ in the Next: field and Press [Enter] procedure ends here
5	Telephone service has ended + Read more ... To end the Telephone Service, run the Change in Contact Details workflow. If the workflow is unavailable, go to the Telecommunications Details (!TCD) screen in Customer First. Identify and select the type of telephone number to end Note: update any Alternative phone number listed within a claim under Contact (CON) End Date: field, select if the telephone service has ended, then: key date advised by the customer if the customer advises of a future end date, key the date advised by the customer. A date up to 14 days in the future can be keyed Source: field, update with applicable Receipt Date: field, date of contact Select Continue Confirm the updated telephone service details have updated If a debt for TAL exists, see Telephone Allowance (TAL) debts. Is the customer updating or making a correction to internet service? Yes, go to Step 6 No, if completing the Change in Contact Details workflow, finalise the workflow, otherwise: key 'FIN' in the Next: field and Press [Enter] procedure ends here
6	Update home internet details + Read more ... The higher rate of TAL is only applicable to the following eligible payments if they: have a current home internet connection, and are already eligible for the basic rate of TAL Disability Support Pension (DSP) customers, under 21 with no dependent children, are eligible for the higher rate of TAL if: they have a current home internet connection in their name, and are eligible for basic rate of TAL Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customers are eligible for the higher rate of TAL if they: have a current home internet connection in their or their partner's name, and are eligible for basic rate of TAL A customer's telephone and home internet services do not have to be with the same service provider for them to qualify for the higher rate of TAL. Pre-paid internet services do not qualify a customer for the higher rate TAL. This is because they do not provide certainty that a customer will maintain such a service. For details of the higher rate, see Rates and thresholds. Customer has a new home internet service + Read more ... Run the Change in Contact Details workflow if the customer advises: they have a home internet service (and they are eligible for the higher rate), or their home internet details have changed If the workflow is unavailable, go the Telecommunications Details (!ITC) screen in Customer First. Update the Internet Connection Details section: Internet Service Provider: field, name of provider Subscr: update only if applicable Ptnr Same: update if applicable Start Date: date of notification if the customer advises of a future start date, key the date advised by the customer. A date up to 14 days in the future can be keyed Source: field, update with applicable Receipt Date: field, with date of contact Select Continue Confirm the home internet details have updated To finalise the activity key 'FIN' in the Next: field and Press [Enter] Procedure ends here Customer no longer has a home internet service + Read more ... Go the Telecommunications Details (!ITC) screen in Customer First. Update the Internet Connection Details section: Ptnr Same: update if applicable End Date: select if the internet service has ended, then: key the date advised by the customer if the customer advises of a future end date, key the date advised by the customer. A date up to 14 days in the future can be keyed Source: field, update with applicable Receipt Date: field, with date of contact Select Continue Confirm the internet details have updated To finalise the activity key 'FIN' in the Next: field and Press [Enter] If a debt for TAL exists, see Telephone Allowance (TAL) debts. Procedure ends here. Current home internet details recorded incorrectly + Read more ... Go the Telecommunications Details (!ITC) screen in Customer First. Update the Internet Connection Details section to correct existing information: Source: field, update with appliable Receipt Date: field, with date of contact Select Continue Confirm the internet details have updated To finalise the activity key 'FIN' in the Next: field and press [Enter] If a debt for TAL exists, see Telephone Allowance (TAL) debts. Procedure ends here.