Australians Expressed Their Discontent Over the 3G Shutdown, According to a New Report.
Telstra and Optus shut down their 3G networks in October.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman of Australia has reported a 13% increase in complaints from Australian consumers and small businesses about telecommunications providers, compared to the previous quarter. This rise has been largely driven by the shutdown of 3G networks by Telstra and Optus. During the quarter from October to December, complaints related to the reliability of mobile services were 23.2% higher than in the previous period. Identified issues included lack of phone or internet service, partially restricted services, and poor mobile coverage. However, there was a decline in complaints regarding 3G in December compared to November and October.
Cynthia Gebert, Telecommunications Ombudsman, stated that while it is encouraging to note the reduction in complaints regarding the 3G shutdown in December, they are still receiving reports from people in rural and regional areas of Victoria facing ongoing difficulties. Gebert called on providers to continue seeking solutions to ensure equitable access to reliable phone and internet services for all Australians.
Among the categories of complaints, the "lack of phone or internet service" category saw the largest increase, with a rise of 44.1%, followed by "intermittent service or outages," which increased by 21.1%. A total of 15,297 complaints were recorded, representing a 5.6% increase compared to the same quarter in 2023. On a positive note, a total of AU$587,280 was refunded to consumers as compensation for inadequate services.
Telstra topped the list of complaints with 5,591 reported issues, followed by Optus with 3,846 and Vodafone with 1,270.