Our purpose

We provide a free and fair service to help people and small businesses resolve complaints about phone and internet services. When you cannot fix a problem with your provider, we step in.

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What we do
How we resolve complaints
Common questions

What we do

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is a free and independent dispute resolution service. We help people and small businesses in Australia who have an unresolved complaint about their phone or internet provider.

We were set up in 1993 under Australian law. Telecommunications providers must be members of our scheme and fund our service. This means our service is always free for consumers.

We handle complaints from individuals, small businesses, and not-for-profits. We also resolve disputes about land access for telecommunications infrastructure.

How we resolve complaints

We use the most suitable approach for each complaint. This can range from referring you back to your provider, to conciliation, investigation, or a formal determination.

We can make decisions that are binding on service providers for amounts up to $100,000. Our goal is always to find a fair outcome as quickly as possible.

Improving the industry

Our work goes beyond individual complaints. We collect and review data about the complaints we receive. We use this to spot trends and systemic issues across the telecommunications industry.

We share our findings with the community, regulators, government, and the industry. This helps drive improvements that benefit all consumers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)?
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is a free and independent service that helps people and small businesses resolve problems with their phone or internet provider.
What does the TIO do?
We help people and small businesses when they have a problem with their phone or internet service and have not been able to resolve it directly with their provider.
We listen to both sides and work towards a fair outcome.
Is the TIO part of the government? Is it a regulator or a "watchdog"?
No, we are none of these things.
We are independent and do not work for the government or phone and internet providers.
Our role is to provide a fair and impartial service.
Does it cost anything to use the TIO?
No. Our service is free for consumers and small businesses.
What kinds of problems can the TIO help with?
We can help with many phone and internet service issues, including:
- Billing and charging problems
- Poor phone or internet service
- Connection or disconnection issues
- Contract disputes
- Problems with complaints handling
- Financial hardship or payment arrangement concerns
Do you take sides in disputes?
No. We are independent and do not take sides. We consider the information provided by everyone involved and work towards a fair outcome.
How is the TIO funded?
Phone and internet providers that operate in Australia must be members of the TIO.
These providers fund the scheme, which allows us to offer a free service to consumers and small businesses while remaining independent.
Other than complaint resolution, what else does the TIO do?
As well as helping resolve complaints, we use what we learn from complaints to identify broader issues and encourage improvements across the telecommunications industry.
This helps improve services for everyone.
Why does the TIO exist?
We exist to help create a fair and accessible communications market for Australia.
We help resolve complaints fairly and support improvements across the telecommunications industry.
What does "Ombudsman" mean?
An Ombudsman is an independent person or organisation that helps resolve disputes fairly.

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