It would be a rare Australian who did not rely on their phone and internet service in some capacity.
From just checking in with the kids, to booking an overseas holiday, our everyday lives are minutely intertwined with technology. Sometimes, our lives depend upon it. And we pay handsomely for that privilege. The average Australian pays almost $1000 a year for internet access, and billions more are spent on online commerce.
So, you kind of hope that the authorities have a robust complaints infrastructure that protects our interests.
Well, it appears there are some major flaws in our telecom complaints system and how issues are resolved.
Unresolved complaints
According to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), more than a third of consumer complaints are going unresolved by the telcos.
In data from the first quarter of the year, 30 per cent of cases returned unresolved after referral to a telco, about issues such as poor customer service, problems with bills or equipment, and intermittent service or dropouts.
Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert says the high number of unresolved complaints points to telcos efficiently resolving simple matters but failing to address complex or multifaceted problems for their customers.
“This is the first quarter we have reported on this data in this way, and it is concerning that such a large volume of problems referred to telcos remain in dispute,” Gebert said.
“We will continue watching this number to determine if it is a trend or an aberration. In the meantime, our focus will be on restoring trust and confidence between the telco and their customer, and getting problems fixed.”
For the reporting period, the Australian community lodged a total of 13,541 complaints about their phone and internet services between July and September, 2024
This figure is a 4.6 per cent increase in complaints in the same period last year, or a total of 599 additional complaints.
Out of action
More than half the complaints made by customers related to no or delayed action from a telco (8063 cases), followed by complaints about service and equipment fees (4705 cases), and complaints about no phone or internet service (1443 cases).
“Customers are contacting my office because of patchy service and dropouts, telcos dragging their heels when it comes to fixing something, and poor customer service experiences. It’s very frustrating for customers”, Ms Gebert said.
“We saw a drop in overall complaints last financial year, which is a positive sign for both customers and telcos. It’s disappointing to see the numbers jump back up, reporting the same persistent problems.”
The top five areas with the highest number of complaints were Brisbane (426), Gold Coast (279), Moreton Bay (251), Sunshine Coast (199) and Wyndham (198). Together, these five local government areas contributed 10.1 percent of all the complaints received in this reporting period.
Dispute resolution
The TIO was established in 1993 to provide a free and independent dispute resolution service for small businesses and consumers who have an unresolved complaint about their telephone or internet service in Australia.
You can make a complaint with the TIO here.
Have you ever had to complain about your telephone or internet service? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Best 5G home internet plans
