Update 10 January 2023
Joining members to a complaint
Following stakeholder consultation, we are continuing to work on the approach to joining members (telcos) to complaints. Further updates on this will be available later in 2023.
Update July 2022
Device and equipment guidance released
The modernised Terms of Reference, effective from 1 January 2022, preserved the TIO’s jurisdiction to consider complaints about telecommunications equipment.
Lead Investigator Penny Goulding said, “Our team is designed to test the tools and concepts that will allow us to help reduce consumer wait times. The work we do helps us meet the demands of the queue, and keeps consumer and provider experiences positive.”
Recently, the Targeted Resolution Team just completed a six-week ‘DR Blitz’, where Penny manually allocated cases to the Dispute Resolution Officers (DROs) in her team from five different queues. The DROs were allocated 12 cases in the first week, 12 in the second week, and two in the third week.
Mary is passionate about effective dispute resolution for telco problems because “telecommunications products and services are a central part of our lives in modern society,” she says.
“Our dependence on phone and internet services means any roadblocks consumers experience when accessing or resolving problems with their telco can be critical. It’s important that we do our best to resolve these problems quickly and fairly.”
The TIO recommends areas where service provider obligations can be strengthened or expanded, including:
The full report can be downloaded here: Loss of telephone numbers during migration to the NBN
Read the updated Complaint Handling Procedures.
The updated procedures, effective from 1 July 2025, introduce streamlined stages of complaint handling and greater flexibility for people with special circumstances.
These improvements strengthen our decision-making and allow the TIO to quickly assess what is fair and reasonable depending on your situation. This may mean we decide to skip certain stages to quickly get you the support you need – critical when supporting people who may be experiencing vulnerability.
For the first physical event since the pandemic began, the TIO attended Seniors Day at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The show has been running since 1823 is one of the largest annual ticketed events in Australia. The show now hosts a specific discounted day for seniors, making it an unmissable opportunity for the TIO to connect with elderly citizens who may be experiencing phone or internet issues.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman supports the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) intention to impose new rules to better protect consumers migrating to the national broadband network.
Since July 2016, the proportion of complaints from small businesses to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has steadily increased. At the end of the last financial year that proportion was 14.7 per cent with more than 19,000 complaints from small businesses about their phone and internet services. Many of these were complex, difficult to resolve and had a significant impact on small businesses.
The investigation into the causes of these complaints found:
General Manager People and Culture, Gaye Wealthy, believes being awarded an Employer of Choice will make the TIO a competitive employer in the industry. “Our people will choose to stay with us because of the opportunities, their development and our EveryOne culture, where everyone feels safe and welcome. By retaining our people, and developing and building their capability, the TIO also evolves and grows as an organisation. This in turn will mean we deliver our services more efficiently and effectively.”