The ombudsman of the Australian telecommunications industry (TIO) confirmed a 13% increase in complaints filed by Australian consumers and small businesses against mobile suppliers and the Internet since the previous quarter, with the change largely stimulated by stops network such as 3G.
The mediator indicated that complaints during the October quarter-December quarter concerning 3G involved problems with the reliability of mobile services increased by 23.2% from the previous reference period. These complaints were awarded to a lack of telephone or internet service, partially limited service and poor mobile coverage. Complaints concerning 3G fell in December compared to November and October.
“It is encouraging to see the drop in complaints from the 3G judgment in December, but we continue to hear people from Rural and Regional Victoria who face continuous challenges,” said Cynthia Gebert, the Ombudsman of the telecommunications industry. “I implore telecommunications operators to continue working on solutions that guarantee equal access to a reliable telephone and internet service for all people in Australia.”
In the categories of specific complaints, “no telephone or internet service” has seen the highest increase in complaints, up 44.1%, followed by “intermittent or abandonment”, which increased by 21 , 1%. In total, 15,297 complaints were recorded by the mediator, which represents a 5.6% increase in complaints since the same quarter in 2023.
The good news is that a total of $ 587,280 has been returned to consumers through financial results – where a service provider can offer financial remuneration to a dull service.
Suchtra led the most complaints this quarter with 5,591 issues relating to its service, followed by optus (3,846) and Vodafone (1270).
What should I do if I’m not satisfied with my service?
TIO has an extremely important role in the Australian telecommunications landscape because it exercises consumer complaints and tries to cause a positive resolution. If you think that your Internet or telephone service in Australia is not satisfactory (such as having been overloaded or not obtaining the service for which you paid), you should absolutely complain to the Ombudsman.
If you think you don’t get good value for money, it is advantageous to compare. Our team of experts keeps a trace of the best telephone plans in Australia and the best NBN plans in Australia, offering a wide range of options for all types of users and budgets.
If you have been assigned by 3G stop, you can have a device incompatible with 4G or 5G. We recommend that you consult our guides to the best Australian phones and the best cheap phones in Australia for a handset that suits your budget and your lifestyle.
You will find below some of the most popular mobile plans with Techradar Australia, offering an interesting snapshot in the cost types and the data limits that you can expect from different suppliers across Australia.
