2023 has been a year of improvement for the TIO. We’ve refined our processes through implementation of the 2022 Independent Review recommendations, continued our fairness and satisfaction surveys about our service, ensuring that we are delivering a fair and independent service, and launched our new complaint handling platform as part of our technology transformation project. These improvements have enabled streamlining of the way we work, and improvements to our complaint handling practices.
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Consumers are reporting having their bank accounts drained by fraudsters and their email inboxes accessed in the latest scam involving theft of mobile numbers. These issues are highlighted in the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s Systemic Spotlight, “Reducing fraudsters’ theft of mobile numbers”, published today (Wednesday 6 February, 2019).
Terms of Reference
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Terms of Reference explain the types of complaints we can handle, and how we handle them. They confirm we can handle a systemic issue with or without a complaint. They also explain our other functions and powers.
The Terms of Reference describe the responsibilities of the Board, and specify which of the Ombudsman’s powers can be delegated to Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman staff.
Complaints as a proportion of telcos’ services in operation (SIO) dropped a further 15 per cent in the September quarter, according to the Telecommunications Complaints in Context report, released today.
The result for all participating providers, 5.5 complaints per 10,000 SIO, has decreased 15.4 per cent when compared to April-June 2015 (6.5) and 20.3 per cent when compared to July-September 2014 (6.9).
All industry participants’ complaints per 10,000 SIO decreased in the period. Telstra recorded its lowest result to date at 5.5.
Read the full report here (PDF, 1.5MB)
The report makes four key recommendations where the telecommunications regulatory framework and industry could evolve. These recommendations aim to reduce and prevent problems from reoccurring, and provide better protection for consumers who are vulnerable.
The four recommendations are:
Scammers may try to scare you about a computer or internet problem
Typically, the scam begins with a scammer pretending they’re calling from the technical support team of a large telco or computer company.
The scammer will try to scare you about a computer or internet problem, so they can convince you to give your personal or banking details and access to your computer. For this reason, these scams are also referred to as ‘remote access’ scams.
Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman decreased 16 per cent in July-September 2013, according to the latest issue of TIO Talks, released today.
The TIO recorded 35,756 new complaints. It has been almost six years since so few complaints were received in a quarter.
Complaints about mobile services decreased 19.9 per cent to 19,176. It’s the first quarter in more than three years that mobile complaints have dropped to less than 20,000. Complaints about coverage, the most common mobile user complaint, decreased 41 per cent to 4,068.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) received 197,682 new complaints in 2010-11, an increase of almost 18 per cent on the previous year.
The 2011 TIO Annual Report, released online today, attributes the rise to mobile phone service faults and increased smart phones use.
“The record number of complaints made to the TIO is disappointing. Customers who have complained to us have been frustrated not only by mobile telephone problems, but also by deficient customer service and complaint handling,” Ombudsman Simon Cohen said.
Robocalls saying your services will be disconnected due to the NBN
Recently, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has seen a trend of consumers reporting that they received an automated “robocall” telling them their internet and landline services will be disconnected due to the National Broadband Network.
Here’s one example of the automated call: