Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman increased last year, with financial hardship cases jumping by almost 50 percent.
In her annual report, Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert said her office received 57,592 complaints in FY 2024–25, an increase of 1.6 percent from the previous year.
Ms Gebert said financial hardship complaints were up 46.1 percent from the previous financial year, with more people struggling to manage their telco bills.
She said mobile services accounted for 66.9 percent of financial hardship complaints, 22.2 percent higher compared to the proportion of mobile services across all complaints.
“We’re seeing more people struggle with mobile services.
“People are telling us they can’t use their mobile services, and they’re also telling us they’re struggling to pay to keep them connected.
“When you can’t rely on your mobile connection, that’s not just frustrating, it can put the brakes on your life. Your mobile is your link to safety, support and everyday life.”
Ms Gebert said the 3G shutdown led to more people reporting mobile disruptions, with reliability issues that were already a problem continuing after the shutdown was completed.
She said reports from people without a working mobile service surged, up 69.2 percent compared to the previous year.
“More people also experienced poor mobile coverage, with complaints up 25.2 percent compared to the previous year.”
Read the full report on the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman website.
