New complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) during the period October-December 2015 were at the lowest level since July-September 2006, according to the latest TIO statistics.
The TIO received 23,572 new complaints in the quarter, down 9.4 per cent compared with the previous period, and 20.3 per cent fewer than the corresponding period in 2014.
New landline and mobile complaints dropped compared with the previous quarter and October-December 2014. A large reduction in new mobile complaints (36 per cent year on year) was driven by further falls in complaints about coverage and excess data charges, with mobile coverage no longer featuring as one of the 10 most common causes of consumer complaints to the TIO.
Internet service complaints increased 11.6 per cent year on year.
“I welcome the continuing drop in mobile and landline complaints, but internet service providers need to be on alert about internet fault complaints,” Acting Ombudsman Diane Carmody said.
Slow data speed continues to be the primary driver of internet fault complaints to the TIO, with 1,662 issues reported during October to December 2015. This represents a 56.8 per cent increase compared with the October-December 2014 period.
