Industry Performance and Complaint Volumes
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has published its Telecommunications Consumer Complaints report for the January to March 2026 quarter, evaluating the complaint-handling performance of 33 telcos. Across the quarter, more than 184,000 complaints were reported industry-wide, with providers taking an average of 5.3 days to resolve issues and 7.2 per cent of complaints being referred to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).
Major Provider Metrics and Outage Reporting
Performance among major operators varied significantly across resolution times and escalation rates:
- Telstra: Reported an average resolution time of 9 days, with 8.7 per cent of complaints referred to the TIO.
- Optus: Recorded an average resolution time of 4 days, with 5.4 per cent of complaints escalated to the TIO.
- TPG Telecom: Averaged 3 days to resolve complaints, with 3.9 per cent referred to the TIO.
Under ACMA regulations, telcos are mandated to adequately manage customer complaints and improve consumer outcomes. Customers experiencing service difficulties or outages are advised to contact their provider in the first instance, with free and independent dispute resolution available through the TIO if issues remain unresolved.
Regulatory Compliance and Consumer Action
The ACMA’s ongoing compliance and enforcement framework is designed to hold telecommunications providers accountable under strict complaint-handling standards. Consumers seeking further details regarding the regulator’s recent enforcement actions and provider compliance updates can access dedicated resources directly through the official ACMA portal.
