The Ombudsman (Uncle) of the Telecommunications Industry of Australia has confirmed a 13% increase in complaints made by Australian consumers and small businesses against suppliers of mobile devices and the Internet from the previous quarter, with the change to a large extent stimulated stimulated for Telstra and Optus 3G network closures.
The Ombudsman reported that complaints during the quarter from October to December in relation to 3G involved problems with the reliability of mobile services increased by 23.2% since the previous report period. These complaints were attributed to the lack of telephone or internet service, a partially restricted service and poor mobile coverage. Complaints about 3G decreased in December compared to November and October.
“It is encouraging to see the fall in 3G closing complaints in December, however, we continue to listen to people in rural and regional victory that face continuous challenges,” said the Ombudsman of the Telecommunications Industry, Cynthia Gebert. “I implore that telecommunications companies continue working on solutions that ensure the same access to a reliable telephone and internet service for all people in Australia.”
In specific categories of complaints, ‘Without telephone or internet service’ he saw the greatest increase in complaints, 44.1%, followed by ‘intermittent service or dropout’, which increased by 21.1%. In total, the Ombudsman registered 15,297 complaints, which represents a 5.6% increase in complaints from the same quarter in 2023.
The good news is that a total of AU $ 587,280 was returned to consumers through financial results, where a service provider can offer financial compensation for a mediocre service.
Telstra led the majority of complaints this quarter with 5,591 problems related to their service, followed by Optus (3,846) and Vodafone (1,270).
What should I do if I am not satisfied with my service?
Uncle has an extremely important role in the panorama of Australian telecommunications, since he calls consumer complaints and try to achieve a positive resolution. If you believe that your Internet or Telephone service in Australia is unsatisfactory (such as having been overloaded or not obtaining the service you paid), you must complain to the Ombudsman.
If you feel that you are not obtaining a good value of your service, it is worth comparing. Our team of experts monitor 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 affected by the 3G closure, you can have a device that is incompatible with 4G or 5G. We recommend reviewing our guides to the best phones in Australia and the best cheap phones in Australia for a phone that suits its budget and lifestyle.
You will find some of the most popular mobile plans with Techradar Australia readers below, offering an interesting snapshot about the types of costs and data limits that you can expect from different suppliers of Australia.
