How to avoid phone and internet problems costing you money

11th Jun 2026

When your phone or internet stops working, it can lead to costs from missing work, cancelling appointments or paying for a temporary service to stay connected.

While you can’t always prevent phone or internet problems, there are steps you can take to reduce how much it will cost you.

Prepare before something goes wrong

If you rely on your phone or internet to work, study or attend important appointments, it helps to think ahead:

Do you have a backup connection you can use?
Is there a backup place with a working connection you could relocate to?
Do you know what your service agreement says about what should happen if your service stops working?

Sometimes where you live can mean having a backup connection or location isn’t possible or practical. You can ask your telco for advice on solutions that could work for you. It may also help to budget for occasional outages if you can.

Act quickly when the problem starts

If your service stops working, there may be ways to stay connected:

Relocate to somewhere with a working connection, like a public library or cafề with Wi-Fi
Borrow or buy an alternative phone or internet service for short term use
Alternative service options could include using your mobile phone as a hotspot for internet or buying a prepaid mobile SIM card.

Tell your telco as soon as you can

If your phone or internet stops working as it should, don’t wait.

Contact your telco as soon as possible:

Explain what the problem is
Tell your telco how it could impact you, including potential costs
Tell your telco what steps you’ve taken or plan to take to reduce the impact on you
If you can’t take steps to reduce the impact on you, tell your telco what these steps are and why they aren’t possible or helpful for your situation.

It can be easier to discuss costs with your telco later if you have records you can refer to. You may want to keep a record of when the problem started, what you told your telco, what your telco told you, the costs or losses you incurred, and when the problem was resolved.

Contact the TIO if you need more help

If your telco can’t help you or you’re not satisfied with their response, you can contact the TIO. We’re free, fair and here to help.