Displaying items by tag: Judi Jones

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) released a report on systemic investigations into fraud enabled through phone and internet accounts.

Difficulties recognising consumers impacted by family violence, and a better understanding of what a consumer needs to feel safe, are some of the challenges facing telcos when resolving phone and Internet problems, according to a report by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Complaints about phone and Internet services by small businesses have grown overall for the third consecutive quarter, with residential consumers and small businesses lodging 34,476 complaints in the three months between July and September — an increase of 3.4% on the previous quarter — and the third consecutive quarter of incremental growth in overall complaints.

Complaints about phone and Internet services decreased 4% in the last financial year ending 30 June 2020, but despite the drop residential consumers and small businesses still made 127,151 complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman over the 12-months, according to the TIO’s 2019-20 annual report.

The first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic saw Australian telco call centres affected by global lockdowns leading to consumers being unable to contact their provider to report their phone or Internet complaints, according to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).

Australia’s telecommunications regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says a study it commissioned shows telco in-store sales staff may not be adequately checking that customers have the capacity to pay for the services they are purchasing.

Small businesses experiencing financial loss, signing up to unsuitable plans, breakdowns in communication when fixing faults, and lack of a suitable backup plan when phone and Internet services are disrupted, are amongst a raft of issues reported to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman(TIO) since 2016 and this year.

Residential consumers and small businesses made 32,441 complaints about phone and Internet services to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) over three months between January to March this year - with a massive 70% of the complaints coming from users not having a working phone or Internet service.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) have inked a new agreement setting out how they will work together on ensuring compliance with consumer law and their approach to the resolution of systemic issues in the telecommunications industry.

A new approach to collaboration and information sharing on compliance, enforcement and systemic issues in the telecoms sector has been forged by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), aimed at delivering better outcomes for phone and Internet consumers and providers.

There’s no letup in the work of the telecommunications consumer protection agency, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, despite the coronavirus crisis forcing its own workers to work from home like millions of other Australians.

A new standard to mandate stronger identity verification processes before mobile numbers can be ported is being introduced in Australia as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) steps up its fight against mobile number fraud.

Phone and Internet complaints by Australian consumers and small businesses declined in the final quarter of 2019, but there’s been a steady 1% increase in complaints when comparing July to December 2019 against the same period in the previous year.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman says effective consumer safeguards are important to ensure timely connection and repairs for telecommunications consumers, as it begins its consideration of the Federal Government’s review of safeguards for teleco services.

The Australian Government has come under fire from the Institute of Public Affairs over its response to the digital platforms inquiry, with the institute condemning the Government for a “disgraceful attack” on free speech.

Consumers impacted by Australia’s recent bushfires can now receive dedicated assistance with their unresolved phone and Internet issues from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

More than 30,000 consumers and small businesses complained about their phone and Internet services - with many complaining about problems with their bills and the quality of customer service - over a three month period to the end of September this year, according to the latest complaints report from the Telecomunications Industry Ombudsman.

Complaints about internet services replaced complaints over mobile services as the most complained about service type in the last financial year, according to the latest Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman report.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has taken action against Sydney-based telco Infinity Telecom for breaching industry rules requiring them to have mandatory information for consumers available on their website.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) has welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s decision to take enforcement action against telco BVivid over misleading telemarketing practices about transitioning to the NBN.