1800 charity auction

THE Australian Communications Authority is developing a new online auction system for the allocation of specifically 1800 numbers.

More than a million unreleased numbers will be made available under the new allocation system.

Eligible charities can obtain a number through a preferential auction process expected to commence in May 2004.

The charity process will be launched prior to the commercial auction in June 2004 to provide charities with an opportunity to acquire particular numbers before they are made available to commercial organisations.

Charities will continue to receive preference after June, where they are the first to nominate a number for auction.

To participate in the preferential process an eligible charity must be endorsed by the Tax Commissioner as an income tax exempt charity and demonstrate a strategic link to the 1800 number.

Such links include if the number forms a phoneword that:

p Matches a word within the name of the charity; or

p Is an acronym for the name of the charity.

The ACA will be soon releasing a user guide on its website at www.aca.gov.au that will set out the relevant requirements for registering, making an application and bidding in a sealed-bid auction.