Ace Business Desk – The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is aware of the disruption caused by the recent Telstra outage and understands many consumers and small businesses may have been affected.

Consumers who have been impacted as a result of the recent outage should first contact their provider to discuss any concerns or to request compensation.

People may have experienced lost income, disruptions to business or difficulty accessing critical services during the outage. 

If applying for compensation, it can help to keep records of:

• Attempts made to contact the provider and their responses
• How long services were disrupted
• Any extra costs incurred because of the outage, such as buying additional mobile data, travelling to access communications or losing business sales
• Receipts, invoices or other proof of expenses
• Records showing impacts of the outage, such as screenshots, emails or messages about disrupted work or missed appointments.

Providers should consider someone’s individual circumstances when offering support, particularly when people are experiencing vulnerability, financial hardship, medical needs, safety concerns or other significant impacts.

If consumers can’t reach a solution with their provider, they can make a complaint to the TIO. We will assess each complaint based on individual circumstances and work with consumers and providers to facilitate a fair outcome.

For more information about the outage, how it’s been resolved and where to get help from Telstra: Our recent mobile network outage has been resolved: here’s what happened

Comments attributable to Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert:
“Consumers shouldn’t have to do all the heavy lifting after a major outage. Telcos need to proactively identify impacts, communicate clearly and early about available support, and consider remedies that are fair and appropriate for someone’s situation. 

“People understand that service disruptions can happen, what matters is how telcos respond during and after the event. Consumers rightfully expect practical support and a simple process for raising concerns or requesting compensation if appropriate.

“If consumers aren’t happy with the outcome they receive from their telco, they can reach out to the TIO for free and independent help.”

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