The marketing of telecommunications products and services can be confusing but you have a right to expect that a business will be truthful in its advertising.
Just like in any other industry, it against the law for a telecommunications company to mislead you or deceive you about its products or services.
If you see an offer that you think sounds too good to be true—such as suggestions that a product is ‘free’ or a service is ‘unlimited’—you should look closely for any conditions that apply to the offer. Businesses are required to properly disclose this information when they promote their products and services.
If you are concerned by an advertisement that you have seen or acted on, you can make a complaint to the office of fair trading in your state or territory or to us. Deceptive and misleading conduct is against the Trade Practices Act and we can take action against companies that act in this way.
Visit our page on misleading advertising for more information.
If your landline phone service is faulty, your phone company is required to fix it within a certain period of time. These obligations are set out in a Customer Service Guarantee (CSG) that applies to all phone providers.
The time it takes to repair a fault depends on the kind of service you have, and where you live. If your phone is not repaired within the time frame, you are eligible for compensation.
If you encounter problems getting connected or having repairs made to your telephone service, visit our How to resolve a problem or make a complaint about a landline for help.
No-one can transfer your phone service to another company without your permission. This practice is known as 'slamming'. There are rules that set out the proper steps a company must take in order to transfer your service.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is a government agency responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, the internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications. The ACMA has fact sheets on a range of consumer topics which can help you learn more about many of the topics covered on on this page.
The Communications Alliance also publishes brochures and fact sheets for consumers on a range of topics, which you might find helpful.
You are entitled to have your complaints to telecommunications service provider dealt with promptly and fairly. If your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you may contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) for assistance. The TIO is an office of last resort and can only consider your dispute if you have tried unsuccessfully to resolve your dispute with your provider.
