The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) has announced extra support with urgent complaints about telecommunications. This support is for vulnerable and at-risk residential consumers and small businesses in response to COVID-19.
With extra-ordinary pressure on service demand, customers need more than ever to be connected, as they work, school, participate in telehealth and stay at home, phone and internet. For those who rely on non-stop service for health and medical reasons, being without service is not an option.
The TIO offer free and independent phone and internet complaint services to assist in resolving issues with telecommunications services, products and complaints.
The timeframe for telecommunications providers to respond to urgent complaints from vulnerable and at-risk consumers is 2 business days.
If you have not received an adequate response in this timeframe, the TIO can help you.
Vulnerable and at-risk residential consumers and small businesses can now call 1800 046 686 or 03 8600 8308 for assistance with unresolved phone and internet complaints.
To be eligible as residential vulnerable and at-risk consumers -
- Have a serious medical condition, or registered priority assistance service,
- A specific safety risk is posed where there is no access to ongoing mobile or internet service
- Require urgent financial hardship support from their telecommunications provider.
To be eligible as small business vulnerable and at-risk consumers -
- The business’s phone or internet services completely or partially unusable, or
- The business’s phone or internet outage may cause harm to others.
For more information see the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman website.
