Australians living outside the major cities continue to face telecommunications problems that can affect far more than internet speeds, with a new Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) report highlighting the consequences of unreliable services for safety, business operations and access to emergency assistance.
The TIO’s Systemic Insights Report, August 2026 examines the experiences of consumers across regional, rural and remote Australia and calls for stronger service standards, better outage preparation and greater telecommunications resilience.
Across FY25 and FY26, the TIO received 26,972 complaints from consumers in regional, rural and remote Australia. These represented 25 per cent of overall TIO complaints, compared with 27 per cent of Australia’s population living in those areas.
While the overall complaint share broadly reflects population distribution, the TIO’s findings show that service failures can have serious consequences where consumers have few alternative ways to communicate.
Mobile and internet services dominate regional complaints
Mobile services accounted for the largest proportion of complaints outside major cities.
Across regional and remote Australia, the TIO recorded 11,802 mobile complaints, representing 44 per cent of complaints in those areas. Internet services generated another 9,954 complaints, or 37 per cent.
Landline and multiple-service complaints each represented 9 per cent, while property-related complaints accounted for 1 per cent.
The reliance on mobile services becomes even more apparent as communities become more remote. Mobile complaints represented 43 per cent of complaints in inner regional areas and 45 per cent in outer regional Australia, rising to 49 per cent in remote communities and 55 per cent in very remote Australia.
Internet complaints moved in the opposite direction, falling from 38 per cent in inner regional areas to 25 per cent in very remote Australia.
Delayed action is the most common complaint issue
One problem stands out consistently across the TIO’s regional data: consumers waiting for telecommunications providers to act.
“No or delayed action” was the leading complaint issue in every remoteness category, accounting for 61 per cent of complaints in both inner and outer regional Australia, 60 per cent in remote Australia and 62 per cent in very remote areas.
Disputed charges were the second major issue, while consumers also reported no service, intermittent connections or dropouts, inadequate fault testing, poor mobile coverage, slow data speeds and delays.
The prominence of “no or delayed action” complaints highlights the importance of how quickly providers respond when services fail.
When a phone outage becomes an emergency
For consumers in remote locations, the report shows how the loss of a telecommunications service can become a safety issue.
One case study describes “Thelma”, a 90-year-old woman living alone in a remote coastal community in Western Australia. The names used in the TIO’s case studies have been changed.
With no mobile coverage in her area, she relied entirely on a landline to stay connected. That service also supported her medical alarm.
According to the TIO, her landline failed at a particularly critical time when she experienced a medical emergency. She was unable to make a call or use her medical alarm and, despite repeatedly reporting the fault to her telco, the issue remained unresolved.
The report also notes that while some consumers have invested in backup devices that allow them to call Triple Zero during an emergency, this is not an affordable option for everyone.
Consumers raised concerns about being unable to receive emergency warnings during flooding, bushfires and cyclones. Without a working telecommunications service, they may also be unable to check online safety information or contact others for help.
The TIO says there have been improvements in information sharing across the telecommunications industry, including mandatory outage reporting for significant local outages and voluntary measures, but says more can be achieved through greater cooperation.
Power and telecommunications resilience are increasingly intertwined
Reliable power is another major concern identified in the report.
Consumers expressed concerns about unreliable electricity supplies or limited backup power sources leaving communities isolated during natural disasters or preventing them from responding quickly to emergencies.
In one example, a consumer said they needed to manually start a power generator before calling Triple Zero because they were not connected to mains power.
Telcos told the TIO that loss of mains power is a common cause of service outages. During natural disasters, telecommunications infrastructure can also suffer damage that cannot be repaired quickly. Service outages can in turn disrupt the restoration of electricity, demonstrating what the report describes as the interdependency between the two systems.
Carriers can deploy temporary generators and portable connectivity solutions, including mobile and satellite-based technologies, when infrastructure is damaged. However, the report notes these temporary measures may not always provide the same coverage or capacity as permanent infrastructure, particularly in rough or remote terrain.
The TIO supports greater investment in resilience initiatives, including targeted infrastructure upgrades for disaster-prone areas, citing the increasing risk of extreme weather events and the vulnerability of remote communities due to telecommunications and power supply limitations.
Another case study concerns “Maryanne”, who lives on an isolated property in regional Victoria where her home is powered by generators.
After being advised that her landline was transitioning to satellite-based technology, Maryanne raised concerns that the satellite service might not operate reliably given her limited power supply, particularly when her generators were not operating.
According to the TIO, she contacted her telco to explore options for remaining connected, but the provider offered no solution and instead referred her to the local power authority.
Poor connectivity is costing regional businesses
The report also demonstrates how unreliable telecommunications can have direct consequences for businesses operating in regional, rural and remote areas.
The TIO says outages can prevent businesses from processing EFTPOS transactions, placing orders with suppliers or completing livestock sales because they cannot receive calls.
Service disruptions may also cause businesses to fall short of workplace health and safety obligations if they cannot reliably contact staff or call Triple Zero.
One case study details the experience of “Harris”, who operates a motel on a remote stretch of highway in rural Australia and relies on a landline to receive bookings and arrange essential supply deliveries.
When the service stopped working, Harris contacted his telco and was advised to purchase new equipment. Doing so required driving several hours because the nearest telco store was around 150 kilometres away.
The replacement equipment did not solve the problem.
According to the TIO, Harris began missing potential bookings from new customers and faced difficulties communicating with guests who already had reservations. Despite repeatedly contacting his telco and having a technician attend, the service was not restored.
Connectivity is becoming essential farm infrastructure
Telecommunications problems can also restrict the use of technology on Australian farms.
The report says poor connectivity can affect standard business activities such as operating EFTPOS machines and online banking, while also creating a barrier to farmers making their businesses more efficient and competitive through newer technologies.
Connected farming systems can include water monitoring, remote cattle weighing and soil sensors, while telecommunications services are also needed to keep in touch with employees working across a farm.
Farmers told the TIO they did not feel confident investing in new technologies because they feared their investment could become obsolete as telecommunications service offerings changed.
TIO calls for stronger Triple Zero education and service standards
The report makes a series of recommendations aimed at improving telecommunications outcomes for regional, rural and remote Australians.
Under Recommendation 9, the TIO calls for government, telcos and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to coordinate targeted public education about how Triple Zero works, the limitations of different technologies when accessing emergency services and the steps consumers can take to remain connected during outages and prepare for emergencies.
The TIO says these initiatives should particularly focus on regional, rural and remote communities, where service disruptions and coverage limitations can have significant safety implications.
Under Recommendation 10, the TIO says telcos should prepare communities for scheduled outages associated with maintenance or upgrades to network infrastructure and associated IT systems. This should include timely notification and access to alternative networks or services.
Recommendation 11 calls on the Australian Government to develop minimum service standards for Statutory Infrastructure Provider (SIP) broadband services, including connection, fault repair and appointment timeframes.
The TIO says these service and quality standards should be supported by remedies that are accessible and practical for consumers, with any compensation payable for breaches paid directly to consumers.
NSW records the most regional and remote complaints
The report’s state and territory data provides a further breakdown of the 26,972 complaints.
New South Wales recorded the largest overall number of regional and remote complaints, with 8,314, followed by Queensland with 6,824 and Victoria with 6,257.
Western Australia recorded 1,852 complaints, South Australia 1,756 and Tasmania 1,303.
The Northern Territory recorded 272 complaints, while the ACT recorded two under the report’s regional and remote classification methodology.
Queensland recorded 2,647 complaints from outer regional consumers, 179 from remote areas and 91 from very remote areas.
The Northern Territory had a notably different geographic distribution, with one inner regional complaint, 109 outer regional complaints, 89 remote complaints and 73 very remote complaints.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumer complaints examined
The TIO also separately reports data from consumers who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander when approaching its office.
Across all geographic classifications, 3,634 consumers who made complaints identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Of these, 2,221 were in major cities, 879 in inner regional areas, 425 in outer regional areas, 73 in remote Australia and 36 in very remote Australia.
Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers in regional and remote areas, “no or delayed action” was the leading complaint issue across each remoteness category.
It accounted for 61 per cent in inner regional Australia, 64 per cent in outer regional Australia, 66 per cent in remote Australia and 69 per cent in very remote Australia.
Disputed charges were also prominent, accounting for 39 per cent of complaints in inner regional areas, 38 per cent in outer regional areas, 34 per cent in remote Australia and 33 per cent in very remote Australia.
Telecommunications is essential infrastructure
The report ultimately presents regional connectivity as more than a question of convenience.
In parts of regional and remote Australia, the loss of a telecommunications service can leave consumers without a reliable alternative means of communication — an issue that becomes particularly serious during natural disasters, medical emergencies and prolonged power outages.
The effects also extend to regional businesses and farms, where telecommunications services support payments, bookings, banking, agricultural technology, workplace safety and communication with employees and customers.
With 26,972 complaints from regional, rural and remote consumers across FY25 and FY26, the TIO’s findings put a spotlight on service reliability, repair times, emergency preparedness and network resilience as Australia’s telecommunications infrastructure continues to evolve.
