Annual Report 2017: Complaints from residential consumers and small businesses about landline phones, mobile phones and internet services increase

The 2016-2017 Annual Report for the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is now available. 

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Australian residential consumers and small businesses made 158,016 complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman in the last financial year (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017). In this period, complaints about landline phones, mobile phones and internet services increased by 41.1 per cent.

Publishing the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s 2016/17 Annual Report today (18 October 2017), Ombudsman Judi Jones said, “The picture the complaints show is we are frustrated when we cannot  rely on technology to stay connected, to be informed, and to do business. Sharing  high quality videos immediately, holding an online meeting or watching Netflix on the way home, is now the norm and part of our daily routine.”

“For the first time, complaints about internet services are now higher than complaints about mobile phones. Residential consumers and small businesses still have too many complaints about their customer service, a bill or faults. Complaints about services delivered over the national broadband  network more than doubled, and while this is somewhat to be expected given the accelerating rollout, the increase is a cause for concern.  The national broadband network project is complex, and it is important all parties involved work together to ensure a great consumer experience.”

Highlights for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 include:

• Complaints about landline phones, mobile phones and internet services all increased.  
• For the first time, internet services were the highest source of complaints.  
• 87.8 per cent of complaints were from residential consumers.  
• 11.9 per cent of complaints were from small businesses.  

Landline phones, mobile phones and internet services

Landline phones, mobile phones and internet services complaints all increased in 2016/17. The number of complaints recorded in 2016/17 is the highest level since 2012/13.

• 41,824 complaints were recorded about landline phones, a year on year increase of 30.1 per cent.  
• 52,300 complaints were recorded about mobile phones, a year on year increase of 27.5 per cent.  
• 63,892 complaints were recorded about internet services, a year on year increase of 64.8 per cent.  
• Customer service, billing and payments, faults and complaint handling were the most common complaints about phone and internet services.  

Small Business

In 2016/17 small business complaints increased 31.3 per cent in 2016-17 to 18,789.

• This increase was driven largely by internet and landline service complaints.  
• The main issues affecting small businesses were customer service, faults, and billing and payments  

Complaints by state

In 2016/17, South Australia recorded the highest growth in complaints, an increase of 51 per cent, followed by Western Australia with 49.1 per cent.

Complaints by state (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

• Australian Capital Territory made 2,612 complaints, a year on year increase of 42.3 per cent.  
• New South Wales made 50,537 complaints, a year on year increase of 43.6 per cent.  
• Northern Territory made 1,043 complaints, a year on year increase of 29.7 per cent.  
• Queensland made 28,988 complaints, a year on year increase of 42.7 per cent.  
• South Australia made 12,526 complaints, a year on year increase of 51 per cent.  
• Tasmania made 2,964 complaints, a year on year increase of 38.4 per cent.  
• Victoria made 43,565 complaints, a year on year increase of 41.1 per cent.  
• Western Australia made 13,623 complaints, a year on year increase of 49.1 per cent.  

Phone and internet providers

The top ten service phone and internet providers accounted for 90.9 per cent of complaints in 2016/17:

• Telstra received 76,650 complaints, a year on year increase of 43.5 per cent.  
• Optus received 28,766 complaints, a year on year increase of 31.2 per cent.  
• Vodafone received 10,684 complaints, a year on year increase of 37.5 per cent.  
• iiNet received 10,170 complaints, a year on year increase of 79 per cent.  
• TPG received 6,995 complaints, a year on year increase of 44.9 per cent.  
• Dodo received 3,309 complaints, a year on year increase of 1.1 per cent.  
• Southern Phone received 2,068 complaints, a year on year increase of 266.7 per cent.  
• Primus received 1,917 complaints, a year on year increase of 32.1 per cent.  
• M2 Commander received 1,704 complaints, a year on year increase of 25.3 per cent.  
• Virgin Mobile received 1,354 complaints, a year on year decrease of 11.6 per cent.  

Services delivered over the national broadband network

As the national broadband network rollout widens, complaints about landline phones and internet services delivered over the network have grown. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman started recording and reporting complaints about services delivered over the national broadband network from financial  year 2013/14. 

Key highlights include:

• 27,195 complaints were recorded about services delivered over the national broadband network, a year on year increase of 159.3 per cent.  
• 16,221 complaints were recorded about faults in services delivered over the national broadband network. This is 6.7 fault complaints per 1,000 premises activated.  
• 11,224 complaints were recorded about connection delays to services delivered over the national broadband network. This is 8.3 connection delay complaints per 1,000 premises activated.    

Ends

NOTES TO EDITORS:

For all media enquiries please contact  Sarah Carnovale on 0437 548 540 or via email.    

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman provides a free and independent dispute service for small business and residential consumers who have an unresolved complaint about their telephone or internet service in Australia. Residential consumers and small businesses should contact www.tio.com.au  or 1800 062 058.

The Telecommunications Industry Sector
The Telecommunications industry regulators are the Australian Communications and Media Authority(ACMA). Media enquiries to  02 9334 7719, 0434 652 063 or media@acma.gov.auThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Media enquiries to 1300 138 917, media@accc.gov.au After hours 0408 995 408.

Communications Alliance is the peak body for Australian communications industry.  Media enquiries to Sefiani Communications, (www.sefiani.com.au) 61 431 478 558.

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is Australia’s peak communications consumer organisation representing individuals, small businesses and not-for-profit groups as consumers of communications products and services.  Media  enquiries to 0409 966 931 or 02 9288 4000.