TIO Complaints report Q3/2024 – Why do you bother with Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or TPG?
The TIO Complaints Report Q3/2024 (Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman) reveals it received 13,541 complaints in Q3/2024, with Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and TPG collectively accounting for 10,058 (75%).
Naturally, Telstra was worse (5134), Optus (3122), Vodafone (1300) and TPG (502), but to be fair, the figures reflect their market share.
NSW led the complaints with 3893, Victoria 3599, Queensland (2321), WA (1088), SA (987), Tasmania (233), ACT (155), and Darwin (51)—again, reflecting the population spread.
What were the main complaints in the TIO Complaints Report Q3/2024?
The full report is here, and most complaints (12079) were from consumers.
- No or delayed action 8063
- Service and Equipment fees 4075
- No phone or internet 1443
- Inadequate fault testing 1371
- Intermittent service or dropout 1341
- Delays establishing a service 1147
- Failure to cancel a service 1126
- Resolution agreed but not met 977
- Non-financial loss (no privacy) 893
- Slow data speed 876
Complaints
Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert says the high number of unresolved complaints suggests that telcos resolve simple matters but fail to address complex or multifaceted problems.
Customers are contacting my office because of patchy service and dropouts, telcos dragging their heels when fixing something, and poor customer service experiences. It’s very frustrating for 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.
More than half the complaints made by customers related to no or delayed action from a telco (8,063 cases), service and equipment fees (4,705 cases), and no phone or internet service (1,443 cases).
There were also complaints from First Nations and those who speak a language other than English.
- Internet complaints: The main complaints were about no or delayed action, service and equipment fees, and intermittent service or dropouts.
- Mobile complaints: No or delayed action, service and equipment fees, and poor mobile coverage, mainly about Telstra and Vodafone.
- Landline complaints: Business loss, restricted service issues, and landline faults (now primarily provided over NBN or 4/5G)
CyberShack’s view – The TIO Complaints report Q3/2024 reflects systemic and endemic issues with the major telcos
I live in a Telstra Blackspot, and because I use Woolworths for my mobile plan, Telstra will not talk to me. Woolworths regularly reports the issue, but nothing is done. When I was a Telstra direct customer, I often referred the blackspot to it.
My neighbour is a rusted-on Telstra user. Despite his loyalty, when he goes to Erina (the closest Telstra store), he is told there is nothing wrong with the signal, buy a Blue Tick phone (he has a Galaxy S23 Ultra), and use Wi-Fi calling where possible.
Telstra converted my aged mother’s NBN landline (no data service) to 4G, which has not worked reliably since. Despite our saying no to the conversion and spending an enormous amount of effort, they won’t revert.
So many readers have told us about their experiences with Telstra Blue Tick = BS, with Telstra selling expensive phones and 5G plans that simply won’t work where they live. Telstra refuses to refund the phones as home reception was not a condition of the sale.
These days, I report an issue, and invariably, nothing is done. The solution?
“I encourage anyone experiencing an issue with their phone or internet service first to raise the issue with their telco, and if the matter can’t be resolved, to make a complaint with my Office. We are free, fair, and independent.” Ms Gebert said.
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