Keeping connected – Experiences of telco consumers in financial hardship

The report finds telcos are failing to consistently support customers in financial hardship and, in some cases, are unintentionally causing or making financial stress worse.

The report, ‘Keeping connected: Experiences of telco consumers in financial hardship,’ is informed by a review of over 900 TIO complaints about financial hardship received between 1 April 2024 and 30 March 2025. This period marks the first full year since the introduction of the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024.

Three key recommendations are made for telcos to address the issues identified:

• Telcos must understand, recognise and respond to financial hardship, and treat customers seeking help with empathy and respect.
• Telcos need to review their practices and processes to ensure that they are complying with their obligations to help consumers in financial hardship.
• Telcos should proactively identify and address the ways their actions may contribute to financial hardship.