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.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Ltd today voted to move from a Board and Council structure into a single Board of Directors.
The new Board will be independently chaired by Patricia Faulkner AO, currently chair of the National Health Performance Authority, Superpartners, Jesuit Social Services and Deputy Chair of St. Vincent’s Health Australia.
Awareness of the TIO has increased by almost 60 per cent over the past four years according to the latest edition of TIO Talks, released today. A survey of 1,000 consumers conducted in late 2012 found that 57 per cent were aware of the TIO, compared to 36 per cent in 2008.
“Consumers must know about the TIO if they are to use our services. Increased awareness of the TIO improves our effectiveness and makes TIO services available to more Australians,” said Ombudsman Simon Cohen.
Friday 28 February 2020
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman welcomes the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) new measures requiring mobile providers to implement stronger identity verification processes before a mobile phone number can be transferred.
Consumer complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) reached a five-year low in 2012-13, according to the TIO annual report released today.
The TIO received 158,652 new complaints about landline, mobile and internet issues in the 2012-13 financial year – an 18.1 decrease on the previous year.
There was a 25.6 decrease in the number of complaints received about mobile phones – or more than 31,000 fewer complaints. Mobile phone complaints accounted for 57 per cent of new TIO complaints.
Teresa played a key role in the development of the TIO, serving on both the TIO Board and Council from 2008 until her resignation 2017.
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:
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced Telstra and Belong have agreed to offer remedies to customers who signed up for National Broadband Network (NBN) speed plans that could not achieve the advertised speeds.
The ACCC is responsible for enforcing this undertaking.
Telstra and Belong have until Wednesday 6 December 2017 to notify affected customers.
The Panel spoke about accessibility, cost of living pressures and tailored assistance for consumers with vulnerabilities. We heard from guest presenters from Telstra about its work on the 3G shutdown and from the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) about giving assistance to consumers impacted by scams.
An innovative guide to assist telcos and internet service providers help consumers in financial hardship has been released today.