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How to complain about your telco

Wrong bills, no service, hours on hold, promises that reset with every new agent. Telco complaints have one huge advantage: the TIO — a free ombudsman the providers genuinely answer to. Here's the path.

The five steps that get complaints answered

Lodge a formal complaint with the provider — say the word 'complaint'

Telcos must handle complaints under enforceable industry rules, but the word matters: say 'I am making a formal complaint', get a complaint reference number, and put it in writing through their form or app.

Capture the history they already have

Dates of every call and chat, names or agent IDs, what each one promised. Screenshots of support chats are gold — they're the provider's own words. Note your account number and the bills or services in dispute.

List the circumstances plainly

Charged wrongly; left without service; promised a fix by a date that passed; passed between departments with no resolution; told things that weren't true. Attach the evidence for each.

Set the outcome

The billing corrected, the service restored, a credit for the outage period, an assurance in writing. Ask for a response within their published complaint timeframe.

Go to the TIO if it isn't fixed

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (tio.com.au, 1800 062 058) is free, and lodging a TIO complaint moves you to the provider's specialist resolution team with real deadlines. If the provider stalls or the fix doesn't stick, this is the move.

Or let Trumis do all five steps in one conversation

Tell Trumis what happened in your own words — any language, even screenshots of your chats. It drafts the formal complaint with the particulars, your confirmed circumstances and your evidence attached, addresses it to their complaints team, and tracks the response clock so you know exactly when to escalate — and points you to The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) if they stay quiet. Free — no account, encrypted intake records retained for up to 24 months.

no server-side complaint history.

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Common questions

When can I go to the TIO?

After you've given your provider a chance to fix the complaint. If it's unresolved, keeps recurring, or they're not responding in a reasonable time, you can lodge with the TIO for free — most people see faster movement immediately.

Does complaining to the TIO cost anything?

No. The TIO is free for consumers and small businesses. Providers, not complainants, fund the scheme.

What should I include in a telco complaint?

Your account number, the services affected, a dated list of every contact with what was promised, screenshots of chats, the bills in dispute, and the outcome you want.

Reviewed 24 July 2026. Check the provider’s current complaint process and TIO guidance before escalating. General information only.