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“I applied for the TIO Board’s Director with consumer experience role in 2019 but wasn’t successful,” said Dana. The role went to Catherine Wolthuizen who Dana describes as an ‘excellent addition to the Board’.

The feedback she received on her unsuccessful application was that she needed more Board and governance experience. Dana used this feedback to propel her on to her next professional step.

Presenter: Cynthia Gebert, Ombudsman

Event: Telecommunications Society (TelSoc) lunchtime webinar series

Date and time: Thursday 21 September 2023

Duration: 30 mins

Media enquiries: TIO Media Team on 0437 548 540 or email.

Acknowledgement of Country

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and recognise their enduring connection to land, water, culture and community.

“Meeting the needs of consumers impacted by family violence”, a report by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, provides the findings of a systemic investigation.

Complaints we receive about billing include claims that a consumer:

• is not receiving regular bills
• cannot tell from the bill whether or not they have been charged according to the terms of their service
• cannot tell from the bill whether or not a credit or adjustment has been applied
• has asked for an itemised statement but not received one
• is unhappy with the bill method used for their bills
• has been billed for charges incurred some time ago.

See our guidance on 

Complaints we receive about payments include claims that:

• a provider is charging a consumer for the way they pay or receive their bills
• a payment is missing or has been incorrectly applied
• a provider has taken a direct debit without notice or authorisation
• a provider has either direct debited an incorrect amount or processed the direct debit on a date other than what was agreed.

Laws and codes of practice

The following laws and codes of practice are relevant to complaints about payments.

Explore the interactive data dashboard

Among the top 10 issues raised by consumers, nine issues registered increases in complaints compared to the previous quarter. The largest increase was noted for no phone or internet service which increased by 44.1 per cent, followed by intermittent service or dropouts which registered a 21.1 per cent increase in complaints since Quarter 1. The TIO also saw complaints about mobile services jump by 23.2 per cent since the previous quarter. 

Complaints we receive about charges include claims that a consumer has been charged:

We had robust discussions on a range of consumer issues about affordability, including misselling, financial overcommitment and financial hardship. Consumer Panel Members told us about the impacts to small businesses as financial grace periods start to lift and prices increase. Consumer Panel Members also told us about the important role telco services can play in assisting victims of family violence, such as being able to attend online court hearings, and the importance of financial hardship processes to keep consumers connected.

Complaints we receive involving connection and disconnection of services include claims that:

A transfer takes place when a consumer moves an existing service from one telecommunications provider to another.

Complaints we commonly receive about transferring a service include claims that: