Telco Customer Complaints Fall to Nine Year Low – NBN Migration Experience Improves

Sydney, 15 December 2015 –Telecommunications consumer complaints to the industry ombudsman have fallen to their lowest level in nine years during the most recent quarter.
The figures released by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) today show that complaints in the July-September 2015 quarter were 14.8% below the corresponding period last year and the lowest since the same period in 2006.

Australian Telecommunications Alliance CEO, John Stanton, welcomed the further improvement in industry performance, which has seen complaint levels drop by more than 40% in recent years.

“The latest results featured a 50% drop in complaints about excess data charges – underlining the success of improved spend management tools for customers and the industry’s drive to tailor mobile and data plans that avoid the risk of customers incurring such charges.

“The figures also point to a greatly improved experience for consumers who are migrating their services to the National Broadband Network (NBN). NBN-related complaints to the TIO rose by 4.6% during the quarter, but the number of active premises connected to the NBN rose by 26% during the same period.

“Clearly the efforts of service providers and NBN Co, combined with the Government’s Migration Assurance Policy and the migration guidelines put in place by Australian Telecommunications Alliance are combining to greatly reduce the incidence of issues when customers shift their services onto the NBN,“ Mr Stanton said.

“This is an encouraging trend that augurs well for the future roll-out of the network.”

The TIO also reported that complaints about delays in connecting to the NBN dropped by more than 14 per cent during the quarter.

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE

Australian Telecommunications Alliance is the primary communications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, platform providers, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.

Its vision is to be the most influential association in Australian communications, co-operatively initiating programs that promote sustainable industry development, innovation and growth, while generating positive outcomes for customers and society.

The prime mission of Australian Telecommunications Alliance is to create a co-operative stakeholder environment that allows the industry to take the lead on initiatives which grow the Australian communications industry, enhance the connectivity of all Australians and foster the highest standards of business behaviour.

Media information contact:
info@austelco.org.au