Customer Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction

These Customer Terms & Conditions set out how SIP Connect supplies services to your business, what you can expect from us, and what we need from you. They apply to every service you order from us unless we have signed a separate written agreement that says otherwise.

SIP Connect is the trading name of U.B.R. Pty Ltd. We are an Australian owned business communications provider supplying cloud phone systems, hosted PBX, SIP trunks, Microsoft Teams calling, business internet, managed IT and professional services to Australian businesses.

1.1 What makes up your agreement

Your agreement with SIP Connect is made up of the documents below. If they ever conflict, the document higher in the list applies first.

1. Any signed service agreement, quotation or order form we have both accepted.
2. The Critical Information Summary for the service you ordered.
3. Any service description or service schedule for that service.
4. These Customer Terms & Conditions.
5. Our published policies, including the Fair Use Policy, Privacy Policy, Service Level Commitment, Complaints & Feedback Policy and Financial Hardship Assistance Policy.

1.2 Who these terms apply to

SIP Connect supplies services to businesses, government and not-for-profit organisations. Our services are not offered as residential or consumer products. By ordering, you confirm that you are acquiring the services for business purposes.

1.3 Accepting these terms

You accept these terms when you sign an order form or quotation, when you ask us in writing to proceed, or when you first use a service we have activated for you — whichever happens first.

2. Definitions

A short list of the words we use throughout this agreement.

3. Ordering Services

You can order services by accepting a quotation, signing an order form, or confirming in writing that you would like us to proceed. Every order is subject to our acceptance and to a service qualification check.

3.1 Service qualification

Before we accept an order we check that the service can be delivered to your site — for example, whether the required network infrastructure is available, whether your internet connection can support the number of calls you need, and whether your cabling and power are suitable. If a service does not qualify we will tell you promptly and, where we can, offer an alternative.

3.2 Information you give us

We rely on the information you provide when we design and provision a service, including your site addresses, contact details, number of users, and existing carrier account details. If that information is incomplete or incorrect, delivery may be delayed and additional charges may apply.

3.3 Changes to an accepted order

If you ask to change an order after we have accepted it, we will confirm any impact on price and timeframes in writing before we proceed. Costs already committed to a third party — such as an ordered carrier service or purchased hardware — may still be payable.

3.4 Trials and proof of concept

Where we provide a trial or proof of concept service, it is supplied on an as-is basis for evaluation only, for the period we agree in writing, and without any service level commitment.

4. Provisioning and Installation

Once your order is accepted we schedule provisioning, configure your service, and coordinate any third-party carrier work required. We will keep you informed at each stage and give you a nominated point of contact for the project.

4.1 Delivery timeframes

Any dates we give you are estimates made in good faith. Some parts of delivery depend on a supplier network, a building owner, or your own IT environment, and are not fully within our control. Where a date changes we will tell you as soon as we know and give you a revised estimate.

4.2 Site access and readiness

You will provide safe access to your sites, working power and cabling, and any consents needed from your landlord or building manager. If a technician attends and the site is not ready, or nobody is available to provide access, a missed appointment fee may apply.

4.3 Internet quality for voice services

Voice services carried over the internet need adequate bandwidth and a stable connection. Where you use an internet service we do not supply, we can advise on what is required but we cannot guarantee call quality across a network outside our control.

4.4 Acceptance and go-live

We will confirm in writing when your service is active. Please test the service promptly and let us know within five Business Days if anything is not working as expected, so we can correct it before it affects your business.

5. Number Porting

Porting is the process of moving your existing phone numbers from another provider to SIP Connect. We manage the port on your behalf, but the process involves your losing carrier and is governed by industry porting rules.

5.1 Authorising a port

You must give us a completed porting authority and confirm that you are the authorised customer for those numbers. Providing incorrect details is the most common cause of a rejected port.

5.2 What can delay or reject a port

• Account or site details that do not match your losing provider's records.
• Outstanding charges or a contractual restriction with your current provider.
• Complex numbers, such as large number ranges or numbers tied to legacy services.
• A cancellation of the underlying service before the port completes.

5.3 Porting away from SIP Connect

If you decide to move to another provider, we will not obstruct a valid port request. Your other charges and any remaining Minimum Term commitments still apply, and are dealt with in clause 11.

5.4 Numbers we allocate

Numbers we allocate to you are provided under an industry numbering scheme. You do not own them, but you may port eligible numbers to another provider. We will not change an allocated number unless we are required to for regulatory or network reasons, and we will give you as much notice as we can.

6. Your Responsibilities

A reliable service is a shared effort. Here is what we ask of you.

• Use the services lawfully and in line with our Fair Use Policy.
• Keep your account, portal and device credentials secure, and tell us immediately if you suspect they have been compromised.
• Keep your contact details, site addresses and authorised contacts current.
• Maintain your own internal network, power and internet where we do not supply them.
• Make sure everyone in your business who uses the service understands how to make an emergency call and the limitations described in clause 7.
• Pay your charges on time, or talk to us early if you are having difficulty.

6.1 Authorised contacts

You should nominate the people authorised to request changes, place orders and approve charges on your account. We will act on instructions from an authorised contact, so please tell us promptly when someone leaves your business.

6.2 Account security and toll fraud

You are responsible for calls made using your service, including calls made by someone who has obtained your credentials. We apply fraud monitoring and spend controls as described in our Fair Use Policy, but these are safeguards, not a guarantee. Strong passwords, restricted international dialling and prompt removal of former staff are the most effective protections.

7. Emergency Calls and Service Limitations

Voice services delivered over the internet work differently to a traditional fixed line. It is important that everyone in your business understands the following.

• Your service will not work during a power failure at your site unless you have battery backup for your equipment and internet connection.
• Your service will not work if your internet connection is down, unless you have arranged call diversion or a backup connection.
• Emergency service operators receive the address registered against your service, which may not be where the call is actually being made from — for example if a handset or softphone is used at another location.

We recommend that every business keeps an alternative means of calling 000 available, such as a mobile phone.

8. Billing

We bill monthly. Recurring charges are billed in advance and usage charges are billed in arrears, so a typical invoice covers the coming month's service fees plus last month's calls and any one-off charges.

8.1 Your invoice

Invoices are issued electronically to the billing contact on your account. Your invoice shows your recurring services, usage, any credits, and GST. Call detail is available on request and through your service portal where one is provided.

8.2 Charges from the Service Start Date

Recurring charges begin on the Service Start Date, even where you have not yet completed your own internal rollout. Where a service starts part way through a month, the first invoice is pro-rated.

8.3 Price changes

We may change our charges. If a change increases what you pay for a service you already have, we will give you at least 30 days' notice in writing. Where a change is more than minor and detrimental to you, you may cancel the affected service without paying an early termination charge for that change.

8.4 Third-party and pass-through charges

Some charges originate from a supplier network — for example a carrier installation fee or a network relocation charge. We will always tell you about these before we commit you to them where we reasonably can.

8.5 Billing queries

If something on your invoice does not look right, contact our accounts team at accounts@sipconnect.com.au or call 1300 747 266. We ask that you raise a billing query within six months of the invoice date. While a query is genuinely in dispute we will not apply late fees or suspend the disputed service, and we ask that you pay the undisputed part of the invoice as normal.

9. Payment Terms

9.1 If a payment is missed

We will contact you before taking any action on an overdue account. Our preference is always to talk. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please read our Financial Hardship Assistance Policy and contact us early — assistance is available and asking for it will not affect how we treat you.

9.2 Credit assessment

We may carry out a credit assessment before accepting an order or increasing your service, and may ask for a deposit or a director's guarantee where a significant commitment is involved. We will tell you if we intend to do this.

10. Suspension

Suspension is a last resort. We would much rather contact you, understand the problem and resolve it.

10.1 When we may suspend a service

• Charges remain unpaid after we have contacted you and given you a reasonable opportunity to pay or to arrange assistance.
• We reasonably suspect fraud, toll fraud, or unauthorised access to your service.
• Use of the service breaches our Fair Use Policy or the law.
• Emergency maintenance or a network risk requires it.
• We are required to suspend by a regulator, a court, or a supplier network.

10.2 Notice and restoration

Except where there is fraud, a security risk or a legal requirement to act immediately, we will give you at least five Business Days' written notice before suspending a service. We restore a suspended service promptly once the cause has been resolved. A reconnection fee may apply, and we will tell you the amount before we charge it.

10.3 Charges during suspension

Recurring charges continue during a suspension caused by non-payment or a breach of this agreement. They do not continue where the suspension is our fault.

11. Termination

11.1 Ending a service that has no Minimum Term

You may cancel a month-to-month service by giving us 30 days' written notice. Charges apply to the end of the notice period.

11.2 Ending a service inside its Minimum Term

If you cancel a service before the end of its Minimum Term, an early termination charge applies. It is calculated as the remaining recurring charges for that service, plus any unrecovered installation, hardware or third-party costs we have already incurred. We will always give you the figure in writing before you commit to cancelling.

11.3 When we may terminate

• You materially breach this agreement and do not fix it within 14 days of written notice.
• Your service remains suspended for non-payment for more than 30 days.
• You become insolvent, or an administrator, receiver or liquidator is appointed.
• A supplier network withdraws a service and no reasonable alternative exists — in which case no early termination charge applies to you.

11.4 What happens at the end

• You should arrange to port any numbers you want to keep before the service ends.
• We will issue a final invoice, including any usage not yet billed.
• You must return any equipment we own, in good working order, within 14 days.
• We handle your data in line with our Privacy Policy and applicable retention obligations.

12. Changes to Services and Terms

Technology, networks and regulation all change, so we sometimes need to change a service or these terms.

The current version of every document in our Resources Centre is the version that applies, and each carries a version number and effective date.

13. Equipment

13.1 Equipment you buy

Title to purchased equipment passes to you once we have received payment in full. Risk passes on delivery. Manufacturer warranties apply, and we will help you make a warranty claim.

13.2 Equipment we supply as part of a service

Some equipment remains our property for the life of the service. You must keep it in good order, not modify or move it without telling us, and return it within 14 days of the service ending. If it is not returned, or is returned damaged beyond fair wear and tear, we may charge its reasonable replacement value.

13.3 Configuration and provisioning locks

Equipment we supply is configured for use with SIP Connect services. Where equipment is device-locked to our platform we will tell you before you buy.

13.4 Equipment you already own

We are happy to work with compatible equipment you already own. We will confirm compatibility before go-live, but we cannot warrant equipment we did not supply and time spent troubleshooting it may be chargeable.

14. Third-Party Networks and Services

Parts of your service are delivered across networks and platforms we do not own, including NBN Co, fibre and voice carriers, data centres and software vendors.

• We choose our suppliers carefully and manage faults with them on your behalf, so that you have a single point of contact.
• Timeframes for third-party work — such as a carrier appointment or a network build — are set by that third party.
• Where a third party's terms limit what can be supplied or supported, those limits flow through to your service, and we will tell you when they are relevant.
• Microsoft Teams calling is supplied by us using Direct Routing. Your Microsoft licensing remains a matter between you and Microsoft or your licensing partner.

15. Privacy and Confidentiality

We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. Our Privacy Policy explains what we collect, why, and how you can access or correct it.

Each of us will keep the other's confidential information confidential, and use it only for the purpose of this agreement. This does not apply to information that is already public, or that we are required by law to disclose.

We may use your business name and logo as a reference customer only with your prior written consent.

16. Liability

Nothing in this agreement excludes any right or remedy you have under the Australian Consumer Law or other laws that cannot be excluded.

16.1 What we are responsible for

We are responsible for supplying the services with due care and skill, and for loss we cause through our own negligence or breach of this agreement.

16.2 What we are not responsible for

• Loss caused by a failure of your own equipment, internet service or internal network where we do not supply it.
• Loss caused by your breach of this agreement or the Fair Use Policy, including charges arising from unauthorised use of your credentials.
• Loss caused by events outside our reasonable control, including natural disaster, power failure, industrial action, and third-party network outages.
• Indirect or consequential loss, loss of profits, loss of business opportunity or loss of data, except where liability cannot be excluded by law.

16.3 Limit on liability

Where liability can be limited, our total liability for all claims relating to a service in any 12 month period is limited to the charges you paid us for that service in the 12 months before the claim arose. Where a service is one that the Australian Consumer Law covers, our liability is limited to resupplying the service or paying the cost of having it resupplied.

16.4 Business continuity

Communications services can be interrupted. If continuity of calls is critical to your business, we can design redundancy — such as a backup internet service or automatic diversion to mobiles. Please ask us and we will include it in your design.

17. Complaints and Dispute Resolution

If something goes wrong we want to hear about it and fix it. Our Complaints & Feedback Policy explains how to lodge a complaint, how long each stage takes, and how to escalate.

1. Contact our team on 1300 747 266 or email feedback@sipconnect.com.au. We acknowledge complaints within two Business Days.
2. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, ask for an internal review by a senior manager.
3. If your complaint is still unresolved, you may contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman on 1800 062 058 or at tio.com.au.

18. Regulatory References

SIP Connect operates under the Australian telecommunications regulatory framework. The instruments most relevant to this agreement are below.

19. General

19.1 Governing law

This agreement is governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia, and the courts of Victoria have jurisdiction.

19.2 Assignment

You may not transfer this agreement without our written consent, which we will not unreasonably withhold. We may assign or novate this agreement as part of a sale or restructure of our business, and will tell you if we do.

19.3 Notices

Notices may be given by email to the contacts on the account, or by post to the registered address. Notices sent by email are taken to be received on the Business Day they are sent.

19.4 Force majeure

Neither of us is liable for a delay or failure caused by an event outside our reasonable control, provided we tell the other party promptly and work to reduce the impact.

19.5 Severability and waiver

If part of this agreement is unenforceable, the rest continues to apply. If we do not enforce a right immediately, we do not lose it.

19.6 Entire agreement

These documents record the entire agreement between us for the services supplied and replace any earlier terms, including our legacy 2019 customer terms.

20. Contact Information