Consumers made more than 124,000 complaints about mobile, internet and landline services last financial year, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) reported as it launched its Annual Report 2014-15 today.
While the total number of complaints about telcos dropped 10.5 per cent in 2014-15, Acting Ombudsman Diane Carmody said there was still room for improvement in the telecommunications industry.
The Independent Review into the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman recommends the organisation strengthens its role investigating systemic issues within the telecommunications sector.
The Review, released today (15 December 2017), also reflects the current environment of dynamic change in policy, technology, consumer engagement and the social sphere of the telecommunications industry.
At the April 2025 Consumer Panel meeting, the major themes discussed were financial hardship and the consumer experience of being disconnected during the credit management process. The TIO is seeing these issues reflected in complaints with quarter three data showing consumers are still struggling with phone and internet payment issues and bills.
Our submission to CommsAlliance Review of NBN Access Transfer Code is available to download.
New research undertaken by my office and Community Legal Centres Queensland shows that almost half of community legal workers in that state are seeing clients burdened by phone and internet issues every week. And a further 20 per cent hear about phone and internet issues every two to four weeks.
The importance of consumers fighting fraud at home is the theme of this year’s National Consumer Fraud Week.
Fraud Week, which runs from 7 to 13 March, is an initiative of the Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. For the third year running, the TIO is a partner of the taskforce, which comprises 21 government regulatory agencies and departments with responsibility for consumer protection regarding frauds and scams.
The investigation reviewed the data from just over 8,000 financial hardship complaints received between July 2018 and March 2021. Most complaints were from consumers who said they were financially vulnerable or that their provider was not taking enough action to support consumers experiencing vulnerability.