About the TIO

Who we are

The TIO is a free and independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for residential consumers and small businesses with complaints about their telephone or
internet service.

Alternative dispute resolution is a means of settling a dispute without resorting to formal proceedings such as court actions. It usually involves a third party helping two disputing parties come together to resolve the dispute.

The TIO was established in December 1993 under the Telecommunications Act 1991 (Cth), which decreed that as a condition of obtaining a telecommunications licence, carriers had to commit to and fund an independent Ombudsman scheme. The TIO is independent of industry, the government and consumer organisations.

What we do

We take complaints from consumers and small businesses that have not been able to resolve a complaint with their telecommunications or internet service provider. We aim to settle disputes quickly in a fair, objective and non-bureaucratic way, taking into account not only the law and good industry practice, but also what is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances. We will investigate the complaint in detail only after we have verified with the complainant that the complainant has given the member concerned an opportunity to consider the complaint, and after the member has been notified that the TIO intends to investigate the complaint in detail.

Our people

At June 30 2009, we employed 255 people (243 full-time equivalents) in investigations and administration roles. Our investigations staff undertake two main roles: enquiry officers and investigations officers. Enquiry officers handle initial contact with the public, and investigations officers formally investigate complaints. Our administration staff cover a variety of roles including finance, legal, and consumer and member liaison.

The TIO is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees. We place a high priority on reducing workplace risks and hazards and safeguarding the welfare of our staff. We encourage the development of our people through training and professional development programs.

Our stakeholders

Consumers and small businesses

We are an integral part of the Australian telecommunications consumer protection framework. Hence, consumers and small businesses are two of our key stakeholders. In particular, we are working to increase our accessibility to disadvantaged and vulnerable consumers, including people with disabilities, rural and regional residents, Indigenous Australians, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and young people.

Member companies and the telecommunications industry

The 1 125 telecommunications and internet service providers who are the TIO’s member companies and who fund our operations are another important stakeholder group. We cooperate closely with the Communications Alliance, the industry body that develops self-regulatory codes, and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, which represents the mobile telecommunications industry, and other key industries and user groups.

Regulators and government agencies

We have close working relationships with telecommunications regulators and the government including the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE).

The co-regulatory regime

A number of government and non-government agencies play a role in safeguarding consumer protection within the telecommunications industry.

In particular, the two government agencies charged with regulating the telecommunications industry are the ACMA and the ACCC.

The ACMA is responsible for monitoring, assessing and promoting compliance with consumer safeguards such as industry codes and standards. The ACCC’s more specific focus in the telecommunications context is on enhancing the consumer experience through the promotion of competition and fair trading. The DBCDE is responsible for policy.

While the TIO is independent of government, industry and consumer groups, it plays a role in co-regulation providing information to agencies such as complaint data, code data or information on a specific type of consumer complaint that could be considered systemic. The TIO is also obligated to refer a service provider to the ACMA where that service provider apppears to have failed to comply with the TIO scheme.

Where we are

Our principal place of business is at 595 Collins Street, Melbourne and we have another office at 477 Collins Street, Melbourne.

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