No 21: 25 November 2024

Ten-Year Anniversary 'Complaints in Context' Report Shows Telco Complaints at Consistent All-Time Low

• Just 0.027% of telco services, on average, were subject to a TIO complaint

• Lowest quarter-on-quarter complaints since reporting began in 2014

Communications Alliance, the peak body of the telecommunications industry, announced that telco complaints are consistently at their lowest levels since record keeping began a decade ago.

The latest quarterly ‘Complaints in Context’ report from Comms Alliance marks ten years since the first report was published in 2014, and revealed the number of phone and internet complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is just 2.7 per 10,000 services on average across participating telcos – equivalent to just one TIO complaint for every 3,704 services.

This is the first time complaints have been below 3 per 10,000 services across consecutive quarters since reporting began.

“This is the third major report over the past month showing that telco complaints are at their lowest levels in decades – a stunning turnaround for the telco industry, and a massive win for customers,” said Comms Alliance CEO Luke Coleman.

“Complaints to the https://www.tio.com.au/reports/2023-24-complaints-data TIO were above 167,000 when the transition to the NBN was at its peak in 2018 – today they’re under 57,000, a reduction of more than two-thirds over the past six years.”

“The last time TIO complaints were under 60,000 was two decades ago, in 2004 – that’s before the NBN, before the iPhone, and before 3G.”

"Just last month the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) reported that fewer than 900,000 complaints were made by customers to their telcos in 2023-24 – that’s almost half of the 1.7 million complaints reported by the ACMA when it began publishing these numbers five years ago.”

“Telcos have really lifted their game to improve customer service, and that is reflected in this dramatic reduction in complaints,” Mr Coleman said.

Comms Alliance produces the Complaints in Context report as part of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code), which requires the ten telcos with the highest number of phone and internet complaints to the TIO in the previous financial year to participate in reporting. Telcos may also participate voluntarily.

The July-September 2024 Complaints in Context report and details on the report’s methodology and are available here.

New Comms Alliance Working Group: 'The Detestables'

Communications Alliance has established the Device End-To-End Service Testing ‘DETEST’ Working Group, which will develop technical guidance to facilitate testing and operational arrangements for the National Messaging System (NMS) and the Emergency Call Service (ECS). Members of the working group will be known as The Detestables – a badge of honour given the importance of the work.

As a result of the Bean Review, telcos are required to test the ability of mobile phones to access the ECS when they’re on their usual network as well as ‘camping on’ to alternative networks when their usual network suffers an outage.

Separately, but closely connected, mobile operators also need to test that mobile phones are capable of receiving messages sent via the National Messaging System (NMS). The development of an NMS stems from the 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, which led to the implementation of Emergency Cell Broadcast (ECB) technology so emergency services can send targeted warning messages to compatible devices in near-real time.

This group will dovetail with the recently-established Comms Alliance ‘Working Committee 125: Emergency Calling - Network and Device Testing’. This Committee is tasked with developing a new industry Code in response to Recommendations 3 and 4 of the Bean Review, which require telcos to conduct 6-monthly end-to-end testing of all aspects of the Triple Zero ecosystem within and across networks. Aspects of these Recommendations have also been addressed in the recently amended Emergency Call Services Determination.

Comms Alliance will work closely with the Department of Communications (DITRDCA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to bring both of these important technical programs to life.

Read the Terms of Reference Here

Current Consultations

Below is a list of currently open telecommunications-related consultations being conducted by Government and other organisations that provide an opportunity for you to have your say.

Communications Alliance members interested in contributing to an industry submission (if one is being developed in response to a specific consultation) should contact us.