The report shows that consumer dissatisfaction with Telstra and Optus providers has increased markedly over the last fiscal year. While complaints lodged with the TIO regarding telephone and Internet services fell 13 per cent year-on-year generally, those concerning Telstra and Optus increased significantly.
Optus was the worse performer of the two, the TIO recording a 30 per cent jump in complaints against the carrier. Complaints against Telstra increased 12 percent.
According to the TIO, customer service, mobile phone contracts, Internet service reliability and misleading advertising dominated consumer complaints about telecommunication providers this year.
However, in examining the theme behind consumers complaints, the TIO singled out one in particular. Almost one-third of all complaints to the TIO related to billing problems.
Shadow Minister for Communications, Lindsay Tanner, is touting the report as evidence that Telstra isn't ready to be sold.
"This is further evidence for [Prime Minister] John Howard that Telstra services are not improving and the further sale of Telstra cannot be justified even on the Government's own criteria of adequate services," Tanner said.
A massive 34 per cent of complaints about Telstra's Internet services relate to faults, reflecting the complaints to the Estens Inquiry about Telstra's Internet services, he said.
Why should anyone be surprised. The telcos are arrogant monopolies, who do no more than they are legislated to do! If there is a way to abuse their priviledge they will use it, at any & every opportunity. The ACCC does a softshoe shuffle with them and they thumb their nose at the ACCC & the TIO.
A classic example of their near enough is good enought attitude, is the T(H)esltra Broadband ADSL billing system. It is not integrated with the main T(H)elstra system & after more than 2 years it STILL does not provide BPay facilities. I do not use a cheque account or credit cards, so I am required to go to the Post Office or a
T(H)elstra office and personally pay the account over the counter every month. If thats their idea of modern 21st century technology, I've news for them...WAKE UP! How hard can it be to implement BPay. The banks want us to use it, but not T(H)elstra. Just another example of the monopoly at work. They don't give a damn!