VIC:Telco watchdog receives 167,955 complaints

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2010
VIC:Telco watchdog receives 167,955 complaints

MELBOURNE, Dec 3 AAP - Australians made a whopping 167,955 complaints to the telecommunications
watchdog in 2009/10 including a surge in grievances about global roaming charges.

The most common complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) related
to billings and payments, and involved poor explanations by phone and internet companies
about product plans, confusing advertising and poor customer service.

However, there was an overall five per cent decrease in new complaints in 2009/10,
but the number of complaints remained far higher than they were from 2006/07 and 2007/08.

"By any measure 167,955 new complaints is too high," Ombudsman Simon Cohen told reporters
on Friday.

"I am perhaps most concerned that many simple complaints come to the ombudsman that
should be easily resolved by telephone and internet companies.

"While our new complaints has decreased the number of investigations has increased."

There was an 80 per cent increase this year in consumers suffering "bill shock" in
relation to global roaming charges, when they received massive unexpected bills totalling
hundreds or thousands of dollars after using their phone or the internet overseas.

"We think that's a particular area where giving good information to consumers about
that would reduce the prospect of them ending up with unexpected charges," Mr Cohen said.

AAP gr/szp/md/goc/

KEYWORD: TELCOS

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