Network outage complaints

New rules started from 30 June 2025 about how telcos are obliged to acknowledge and handle complaints from customers who are, or are likely to be, affected by major and significant local network outages. These rules mean that telcos must now have a transparent network outage complaints handling process in writing that sets out what customers can expect from this process.

A network outage complaint occurs when a consumer contacts you and indicates that their service (voice and/or internet) connection is not working (a service outage report) and you have reason to suspect that a major or significant local network outage is likely to be causing the problem. 

Service outage reports are an initial call or contact from a consumer to their telco when they indicate that their service connection (voice or internet) is not working. That is, they cannot establish or maintain a connection to use their service.

Not all service outage reports relating to network outages need to be treated as network outage complaints. The rules for network outage complaints only apply when the network outage affecting a consumer’s service is considered a ‘major’ or ‘significant local’ outage – as defined in the Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages) Industry Standard 2024 (Customer Communications for Outages Standard). Where a report relates to a network outage caused by a natural disaster, the requirements in the Standard will not apply. 

A major or significant local outage occurs when there is an unplanned adverse impact on a telecommunications network that stops customers from being able to use a phone or internet service for an extended length of time. 

Network operators must notify telcos that use their network to supply services to consumers when a major or significant local outage is occurring and to provide them with information about the outage.

Major outages last for longer than 1 hour and affect, or are likely to affect, at least 100,000 services, or all services in a State or Territory.

Significant local outages are outages in a regional area that are likely to affect at least 1,000 services for at least 6 hours. In remote areas, they are outages that are likely to affect at least 250 services for at least 3 hours.

If the telco receives a service outage report from a consumer, you must consider whether it should be managed as a network outage complaint by:

• assessing if there is a reason to suspect that a network outage is occurring
• and if so, whether the connectivity problem that the consumer is reporting is likely to be due to the network outage.

Telcos may suspect that a major or significant local network outage is occurring because:

• you are also the network operator that detects an outage in your own network/s or
• you are notified by your network operator that they are experiencing an outage and have provided information about its scope, either through a notification required by the Customer Communications for Outages Standard or through other communication.

If you are receiving a higher than normal number of service outage reports from consumers, you may want to make your own enquiries to your network supplier to find out if there is a network outage.

You may also need to seek basic information from the consumer or use the information you already have about them to decide if you think they are likely to be being affected by a network outage. This could include information such as their address, which of their service or services are affected and when they noticed the problem.

If you determine that a service outage from a consumer isn’t likely to be related to a network outage, then you must still consider whether it should be treated as a regular complaint.

If you determine that there is reason to suspect that a customer who reports a service outage is likely to be affected by a network outage, then you must handle that contact as a network outage complaint.

You must acknowledge the network outage complaint by providing the following verbally or in writing to the consumer:

• you are treating their contact as a network outage complaint and provide a unique identifier reference for the complaint
• the resolution of the complaint will be that connection to their service will be restored so that they can use it again normally as soon as practicable
• what real- or near-real time communication channels you have available to seek assistance during the outage
• you will attempt to notify them when the network outage has been fixed and provide information about what to do if their services are still not working
• how the consumer can find information about the network outage and what status updates may be available
• where they can access a copy of your network outage complaints handling process
• where they can find any additional general or standard remedy options you may offer consumers affected by network outages such as free data for a limited period.

The Complaints Handling Standard does not require telcos to give consumers with network outage complaints status updates about the outage. 

However, under the Customer Communications for Outages Standard, telcos have obligations to provide information about major and significant local outages on their website and to attempt to provide updates to customers directly. More guidance is available on the ACMA website.

The ACMA expects that this messaging will also be directed to consumers with network outage complaints.

The primary objective of resolving a network outage complaint is to restore the consumer’s access to the service or services that are affected by a network outage.

However, even if fixing a network outage by the network operator automatically restores access to affected services, telcos have additional obligations before a network outage complaint is considered resolved.

When you believe a network outage has been fixed, you must also notify those consumers who lodged complaints, in writing:

• that services have been restored, as required under section 15 of the Customer Communications for Outages Standard
• how they can get help from you if their services are still not working
• whether you offer additional bulk resolution offers such as a limited free data or a credit
• how the consumer can make a further complaint if they are not satisfied with just having their service restored (for example, if they seek a more tailored resolution).

This information does not need to be delivered in the same message, but it should be sent close together if in separate messages so that consumers easily understand that they relate to the same issue. There should not be a significant delay in informing consumers how they can seek help to restore their service if they need assistance.

You must complete all necessary actions within your control to implement the default resolution of a network outage complaint as soon as reasonably practicable. This includes restoring affected services of a consumer who informs you that they are still not working after you have notified them that the outage has been fixed.

Additional protections are provided to consumers with a network outage complaint who are more at risk of harm during an outage where their situation warrants being treated as an urgent complaint. 

Urgent network outage complaints arise when consumers with network outage complaints are also Priority Assistance customers, and the network outage is affecting the service for which they are receiving priority assistance. They also include network outage complaint consumers who indicate to you that there is a risk to their personal safety or a serious health risk due to the network outage.

You must make all reasonable efforts to assist a consumer with an urgent network outage complaint to stay connected during the outage. Options are not specified under the Standard but could include alternative or interim short term options where available. An option may be temporarily re-directing their affected phone service to a different number they can access. For lengthy outages, you could consider options such as providing an interim service. These options are not expected to continue after services are restored following an outage.

Telcos must also take pro-active steps to check that consumers with urgent network outage complaints have had their services restored after the network outage problem is fixed. You must:

• within 2 calendar days of sending out your notification that services affected by the network outage have been restored, seek confirmation from the consumer that their services are working again and
• if they tell you that their service/s are not working, you must work to restore them within 2 working days after receiving that response.

You must not close an urgent network outage complaint until you have taken the steps above to check that the consumer’s services are working again after the outage is resolved or, if necessary, you have taken the necessary follow-up steps to restore access to their services.

If you have made reasonable efforts to follow up these checks but are unable to receive a response from the consumer, the ACMA will take this into account in any compliance activity.

You must not close other network outage complaints in less than 3 working days after notifying the consumer that services affected by the network outage have been restored, unless they have already indicated to you that the default resolution has been successful (i.e. that their services are working again).

This gives consumers reasonable time to contact you to seek help before you close their network outage complaint.

After experiencing the effects of a network outage, some consumers may not be satisfied that the restoration of their services adequately resolves their network outage complaint. 

Consumers who aren’t satisfied by a telco’s default resolution outcome are entitled to make a complaint if they are seeking a more tailored resolution. Telcos should treat these as separate regular complaints and manage them under Part 2 of the Complaints Handling Standard, starting from the day the telco becomes aware of them. 

Network outage complaints and any follow-up complaints related to network outage complaints must be linked in your records.

Under the Complaints Handling Standard, telcos are required to keep specific records about network outage complaints. These are different to the records that must be kept about regular complaints and are set out in section 20 of the Standard.

Telcos must have a network outage complaints handling process in writing and available on your website so that it is easily available to consumers. Key features of network outage complaints handling processes include:

• being in clear, plain language so that it is easy to understand
• being in a format that is accessible to a range of consumers, including those with disabilities, special needs, and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• being free of charge to use
• setting out the contact methods by which a service outage report can be made
• setting out each step of the process of dealing with a service outage report and resolving a network outage complaint.

A network outage complaints handling process must meet the minimum requirements set out in Part 2A of the Complaints Handling Standard. The most senior responsible executive must approve the network outage complaints handling process and be responsible for its implementation and operation.

We monitor the industry and investigate telcos that don’t comply with these rules.

If this occurs, we may take enforcement action against you. This could result in a formal warning, remedial direction, enforceable undertaking, infringement notice, or court proceedings, the outcome of which we publish on our website.