Telco complaints-handling performance

Large and medium-sized telcos with 30,000 or more services send us data about the complaints they receive. We collect this data under the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints) Record-Keeping Rules 2018.

The data includes:

• the number of complaints received for each type of service
• the time taken to resolve complaints
• details of certain complaint types
• the NBN access technology the customer is using.

The data helps us to identify areas of telcos’ complaints-handling performance that we need to look at more closely.

It also provides transparency to industry, consumers, and government.

• Complaint rates: Average complaints to telcos per 10,000 services remained the same as the previous quarter at 45.
• Resolution times: The average days to resolve complaints dropped from 5.8 to 5.5.
• TIO escalation rates: Rates of complaints being escalated to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) increased from 6.1% to 6.2%.

Notes:

• Tables show telcos with 30,000 or more services except where indicated.
• Complaints per 10,000 services is calculated by dividing the number of complaints reported by the corresponding number of services for a telco and multiplying by 10,000.
• Some telcos only provide one type of service, while others operate across multiple service categories.
• Some telcos report separately for different brands (for example, Vodafone reports separately for its brand Kogan Mobil), while others, like Telstra with Belong, and Optus with Coles Mobile, report collectively.
• Westnet will not appear in future reports as it ceased offering new services last year, with residual customers moving to iiNet this quarter.
• View the glossary of terms.

This ranking shows how many complaints a telco received for every 10,000 services they supplied during the quarter.

A higher number means a larger proportion of the telco’s customers made a complaint.

This ranking shows the average number of days it took each telco to resolve complaints during the quarter. 

A higher number means the telco took longer to resolve complaints.

Complaints can be escalated to the TIO by a customer when they have tried but failed to resolve a complaint with their telco.

This ranking shows the percentage of complaints that were escalated to the TIO by the telco’s customers. A higher percentage means a larger proportion of the telco’s complaints were referred to the TIO.

Excludes NBN.

Telcos in this table may have fewer than 10,000 services of this type

Telcos in this table may have fewer than 10,000 services of this type

Telcos in this table may have fewer than 10,000 services of this type

You can also view the action we’ve taken on telco consumer protections in July–September 2024.

You can view and interact with this report to compare telco data submitted to the ACMA since September 2018. Data can be viewed by quarter or financial year, about:

• services
• complaints
• time taken to resolve complaints
• escalated complaints (referred to telcos by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman).

The data in this report is important to our work as an evidence-informed regulator. It helps us with policy development and compliance strategies. It also provides valuable information to our stakeholders.

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We check the data before publication, with any issues taken up with telcos.

We may also update historical data if needed, following corrections made by telcos or us after release.

You can download the data files for this report. If you are having trouble accessing any information, please contact us.