Blog

Here we are at the end of 2021, and what a year it’s been.

Phone and internet complaints are down, which we think is a positive signal for consumers and telcos. And we have lived through another year of the pandemic and its far-reaching impacts.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is delighted to announce a formal collaboration with Thriving Communities Partnership as an ambassador and partner. Thriving Communities Partnership is a not-for-profit, member-led organisation dedicated to uniting essential services providers and associated organisations to support inclusive access across Australian communities.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman invites you to a free online event, “A conversation with the TIO: Defending phone and internet accounts from fraudsters” on Thursday 16 December at 11am (AEST) via Zoom.

The TIO's Consumer Panel is pleased to announce its newest member, the Regional Tech Hub. The Regional Tech Hub fills the vacancy arising from the Country Women’s Association of Australia’s resignation from the Panel, and ensures continuing representation of regional and remote consumers.

On Friday 1 October and Monday 4 October, the TIO is giving our employees two mental health days. This is to provide support for our people in dealing with the challenges from the prolonged Covid restrictions in Melbourne (where the TIO is based).

If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught organisations, it’s that employees can do their job remotely and do it well. As Teams calls and video chats with colleagues are now the norm, the TIO has decided to expand remote working further than ever by opening a new office in Perth, Western Australia.

Tackling reduced wait times for escalated complaints and increasing accessibility to the TIO’s services has been a focus for the Dispute Resolution Team over the past few months. The TIO’s Direct Conciliation Conference (DCC) project, which begun in mid 2021, found getting all parties on a phone call early in the complaint handling process resolves complaints quickly and effectively.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman invites you to a free online event, “A conversation with the TIO: Responding to consumers in financial hardship” on Thursday 23 September at 11am (AEST) via Zoom.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman kicked off pride month by celebrating the launch of the new employee reference group Proud @ TIO.

National Reconciliation Week ended on 3 June. To celebrate this important week, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman offered employees the opportunity to join a 'self-paced' film festival, with a selection of short films and documentaries about a range of contemporary issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.