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Guidance documents

Guidance Documents cover common issues people face with their phone and internet services.

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For each common issue, Guidance Documents tell you:

  • problems we commonly see that we can help with
  • what we expect providers to do to prevent or fix these problems
  • the information we might ask you or your provider to provide to help us resolve your complaint
  • examples of outcomes we may see as fair and reasonable.

Our Guidance Documents also give clarity to providers, the community, advocacy groups and government about how we consider fairness for different issues and situations.

Additional information you may find helpful is available:

  • Good Industry Practice Guides – provider actions we see as demonstrating fairness for different complaint issues
  • Other complaint bodies – if the TIO cannot help, one of these bodies may be able to support you or take your complaint
  • Glossary – definitions of key terms used in our guidance and telco obligations
  • About TIO – what we do and our purpose.

Explore guidance by issue

  • Billing

    We’ve set out what you should expect from your provider when you don’t understand or agree with your phone and internet charges.

  • Compensation

    If you are asking for compensation after a phone or internet issue disrupts your life or results in losing money, this guidance can help you understand what to expect from your provider.

  • Credit management

    If you can’t or haven’t paid an overdue bill, this guidance sets out what you should expect from your provider, including where there are issues that stop or restrict access to your services or affect your credit score.

  • Customer service

    We’ve set out what communication you should expect from your provider, including how your provider should respond when you ask for help or for something to be done.

  • Faults

    We’ve set out what you should expect from your provider when your phone or internet services don’t work.

  • Privacy

    We’ve set out what you should expect your provider to do to protect your information and address issues where it is shared or accessed without your consent.

  • Sales

    We’ve set out what you should expect providers to do when selling phone and internet products and services – including getting the information you need, and not applying pressure or selling more than you need or can afford.

  • Scam, spam and fraud

    We’ve set out what you should expect your provider to do to prevent and address scam or fraud. Our guidance also sets out what you should expect when you raise problems with unwanted calls, emails and texts, including spam.

Explore guidance by impact

  • Domestic and family violence

    We have set out how we expect providers to identify and respond to phone and internet issues that affect victim survivors of domestic and family violence. Our guidance also tells you how the TIO’s process takes your situation into account.

  • Financial hardship

    If you are struggling to pay your bills, this guidance sets out the help you should expect from your provider to get back on track and stay connected.