TIO kept busy with 400 complaints per day

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 07 November 2007 09:51

IT Industry - Strategy

Fixed and mobile telephony complaints are still the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman's bread and butter, but Internet issues aren't far behind.

The 102,463 complaints logged by the TIO during the 2007 financial year broke down into 54,285 mobile, 54,366 fixed, 48,181 Internet, and 10,083 mobile premium service issues. A complaint can involve more than one issue.

Internet services were the fastest growing source of complaints.

The TIO noted 613 complaints related to a single ISP failing to cancel direct debit arrangements when customers terminated their service. The unidentified company was referred to the Australian Communications and Media Authority by the TIO.

Complaints about data usage charges also saw a big increase, from 899 to 1740. Sources of confusion include new users being unaware of how to monitor their usage, the use of peer-to-peer programs, and an expectation that the ISP will throttle the service once monthly limits are reached. Even where the customer really has incurred the charges, the TIO expects ISPs to limit credit where a customer is incurring a disproportionate amount of debt.

Mobile premium services look relatively good in this analysis, but the scheme under which the TIO handles complaints in that arena was only active during the last seven months of the year.

Despite the overall 16.9 percent increase in complaints, the Communications Alliance (which represents the communications industry) welcomed the report, pointing to the fact that 93 percent of complaints were resolved by service providers without further recourse to the TIO.

This figure was 97.3 percent for mobile premium services, "the lowest escalation rate for any service type under the TIO's jurisdiction" according to Alliance officials.

"It is vital that customers have confidence that their concerns are being heard and acted on by their service providers," said Alliance CEO Anne Hurley.

"It is our view that the findings of this report provides valuable information for continuing industry’s commitment to improved outcomes."