A year-on-year comparison of complaints about telecommunications services show a significant drop in the December quarter, according to the latest ‘Complaints in Context’ report issued by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and Communications Alliance.
The report looks at the number of complaints as a portion of the total number of telco services in operation (SIO).
The December 2015 quarter registered a 27 per cent drop in complaints per SIO compared to the December 2014 quarter.
Complaints also registered a quarter on quarter drop of 12.7 per cent.
Overall there were 4.8 complaints per 10,000 services in operation, TIO figures revealed.
Optus remained the worst offender when it came to complaints at 5.9 per 10,000 SIO (a drop from 6.7 the previous quarter), followed by Telstra (4.9), Vodafone (3.5) and Amaysim (0.7). All four telcos registered a drop in complaints.
“The continuing improvement among these service providers is good news for consumers,” acting TIO Diane Carmody said.
The results “underlined a sustained improvement in customer service performance among the participating companies, consistent with the significant industry-wide reductions in complaints to the TIO during the past three years,” Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said.
The TIO is currently assessing its funding model.
The TIO is a not-for-profit organisation funded by the telco industry. Telcos are charged depending on the volume and severity of complaints registered with the TIO.
In FY15 the TIO recorded an operating deficit of $294,000, based on revenue of $27.9 million. The deficit was primarily due to a drop in complaints, the organisation said.