Annual telco complaints down, but consumers still paying the price

Delays, inaction and poor service remained the biggest drivers of complaints in FY2025-26. Telcos taking too long or failing to act was the most common issue, accounting for 33,165 total complaints.

People reported frustrating delays with getting services connected, up 10.2% to a total 4,719 complaints. Complaints about inadequate fault testing were also up, accounting for 13.3% of all complaints at a total 7,143.

Mobile remained the most complained about service type, accounting for 46.2% of all complaints. Consumers reported more problems with mobile dropouts, up 22.6% to a total 1,444 complaints in FY2025-26.

More people sought compensation for the impacts of disruptions and services not working as expected, reporting unexpected costs, lost time, disruption to work, study and the ability to connect with friends and loved ones. People seeking compensation for financial loss* increased 60.7% to a total 2,609 complaints. People seeking compensation for non-financial impacts**, including stress, inconvenience and lost time rose 22.7% to a total 4,651 complaints.

Trust was also put to the test following major outages, highlighting the crucial role connectivity plays in public safety. Consumers contacting the TIO wanted reassurance they would be able to contact Triple Zero or help loved ones in the event of an emergency.

The growing impact of unresolved problems with digital services was also reflected in a 70% increase (to a total 1,124) in people contacting the TIO for help. However, these complaints remain outside TIO’s jurisdiction, leaving many people without support when things go wrong online

In response to issues raised by Australians during FY2025-26, the TIO is calling for urgent reform to strengthen consumer protections and improve trust in the communications sector, including:

• clear minimum reliability standards so telco consumers know what they can expect
• baseline compensation arrangements when telcos fail to meet minimum standards
• protections that keep pace with changing community expectations
• accessible external dispute resolution for digital service users delivered by expanding the TIO’s powers to cover the full communications supply chain.

Quotes attributable to Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert:

“It’s encouraging to see complaints drop this financial year yet with more than 53,000 people still coming to us for help and declining trust in the communications sector, there’s no room for complacency.

“We continue to hear from people experiencing serious impacts from phone and internet services not working the way they should. These problems hit people’s wallets, they stop people getting on with their lives, and they can affect people’s safety and wellbeing.

“To regain trust, and to rebuild confidence in the communications sector, it’s time to get the consumer protection and accountability settings right for the entire communications supply chain.

“The current framework is decades out of date. It’s time to reduce complexity, strengthen accountability and set clear standards that rebuild confidence through better consumer outcomes. Now is the time to future-proof our communications framework to deliver what Australians are clearly calling for.”

ENDS

*Compensation for financial loss excludes business loss compensation.
**Compensation for non-financial loss excludes privacy-related non-financial loss compensation.