Australian MVNO Lycamobile paid a fine of AUD604,800 ($467,413) for failing to provide customer information to a database used by emergency services and not conducting the required ID checks for signing up new subscribers.
s
In a statement, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said the fine formed part of an ongoing effort to maintain the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) in the interest of public safety, and follows action against several other operators since 2019.

Its investigation into Lycamobile found “prolonged and large-scale customer data failures”, with inaccurate details for 245,902 subscribers and a failure to adequately verify the ID of 4,207 prepaid customers.

The IPND is used by police, fire and ambulance services to respond to emergency calls from the public.

Lycamobile is also required to implement changes to its systems and processes, based on the outcome of an independent audit.

ACMA noted it could initiate court proceedings if the MVNO fails “to comply with its customer data or prepaid ID check obligations”, with potential penalties of up to AUD250,000 per incident.