Complaints about $10,000 + excess data charges soarHowever, complaints to the Telecommunications Ombudsman (TIO) hit a six-year low in 2013-14.
There was almost 139,000 complaints to the Ombudsman last year, a considerable drop from almost 200,000 in 2010-11 and a 12% drop compared to 2012-13.
New complaints about mobile coverage also halved, according to the TIO annual review 2013-14, released today.
Complaints about the ‘Big 3’ mobile providers dominated, with internet and landline services picking up the remainder of consumer’s wrath.
However, excess mobile data charges was consumers top ‘core complaint’, soaring by one third.
Many mobile data bills went into thousands of dollars – seven complaints involved amounts over $50,000 -the highest excess data bill consumer disputed was $76,103. (Now, that’s a bill shocker, if we ever saw one).
Shoddy customer service, billing and contracts were among Aussie telco consumers other bugbears. Complaints about international roaming, another source of bill shock, also fell.
The ‘Big 3’ Telstra, Optus and Vodafone accounted for 78 per cent of all complaints to the telco Ombudsman, in the last year.
Vodafone and Optus left less consumers red faced with substantial decreases in complaints lodged against both telcos during the year, Optus complaints fell almost 50%, Vodafone dropped 20% while Telstra complaints rose slightly.
All three telcos have sought to clean up their act on customer service and ‘bill shock’ in recent years, as each battle to grow customers base in what is becoming an increasingly competitive mobile market.
Mobile coverage issues decreased 54 per cent.
NSW and Victorians had most complaints of all states, overall.
