The TIO recorded 33,141 new complaints from January to March 2015, a 12.1 per cent rise on the previous quarter, but a reduction of 8.6 per cent on the same quarter in 2014, according to Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) figures released today.
“We received an increase in new complaints this quarter, but this is in the context of the continuing decrease in new complaints year-on-year,” Ombudsman Simon Cohen said.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) supports the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) actions to enforce the compulsory membership of the TIO.
The TIO scheme provides a free dispute resolution service for people and small businesses who have an unresolved complaint about their phone or internet provider. Compulsory membership of our scheme ensures consumers have a pathway to resolve complaints they are unable to resolve directly with their provider.
Download the Quarter One Complaints Report
Mobile complaints continued to be the most complained about service type, making up a proportion of 47 per cent of all complaints. The number of complaints about internet, landline and multiple services decreased significantly.
Mobile complaints about receiving no or delayed action by a provider increased 19.9 per cent in this quarter, and complaints about misleading sales conduct increased 25.4 per cent.
The Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is even more accessible to consumers following an increase in the age of complaints it can handle, effective from today.
Consumers can now make complaints about issues that they became aware of up to two years before contacting the TIO, up from one year.
The Ombudsman will also have the discretion to investigate complaints that consumers became aware of up to six years before contacting the TIO, up from two years.
Our work is delivered by skilled and dedicated people, led by the Ombudsman with the support of our Senior Leadership Team.
In effect from 1 July 2025
The TIO expects providers to respond to complaints about scams, spam and fraud fairly.
The financial loss and debt people can find themselves in following a scam or fraud can cause extreme stress and financial hardship. People are also frustrated when they don’t know how to stop unwanted calls, emails and texts, including spam.
Good industry practice encourages providers to have processes that help protect people’s accounts. Providers should also give people advice on how to protect themselves and stop unwanted communications.
Telecommunications complaints have hit an eight-year low, according to figures released by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) today. The TIO received 29,560 new complaints in October-December 2014, the quietest quarter since July-September 2007, when 26,632 new complaints were recorded.
The results continue a three-year decline in complaints. The last quarter saw a 21 per cent drop in billing complaints for mobile services (to 1,984). The TIO also recorded the lowest number of new complaints about mobile coverage problems since April-June 2010 (1,546).
The new ‘extra care’ queue is designed for cases from consumers who are experiencing vulnerability. They may be affected by family violence, in financial hardship, or require extra care and sensitivity from us when discussing how their phone and internet problems impact their lives.
Some examples are consumers who:
The changes will also provide higher quality, more relevant, and transparent data that gets to the heart of problems faced by Australia’s telco consumers.
Improvements will be made in the areas of: