Complaints about the National Broadband Network (NBN) have surged as users continue to experience persistent problems with their internet service.
Australia’s NBN rollout has encountered difficulties since its inception. Internet service providers (ISPs) and NBN operators have traded blame: ISPs accuse the network operators of poor delivery, while NBN operators point to ISPs’ practices as a major factor. Amid the dispute, consumers are left dealing with delayed connections, slow or inconsistent speeds, and, in some cases, services that users describe as effectively unusable.
Today’s report from the telecommunications ombudsman shows that internet-related concerns were the dominant issue in 2016–17. Complaints specifically referencing the NBN increased by 159.3 percent over the previous year.
That rise is especially striking given that telecommunications complaints had been declining for the five years leading up to 2016. Consumer advocates are warning that the spike reflects broader problems in how services are being delivered and supported.
“We are very concerned about the significant, across-the-board increase in complaints for landline, mobile and internet services,” said Narelle Clark, deputy chief executive of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network. “This reverses the previous downward trend in complaint levels. We are therefore calling on all providers to lift their game and act to immediately improve customer service and the consumer experience.”
Over the year, the ombudsman received 27,195 complaints related to NBN services, up from 10,487 the year before. The report notes that rapid network expansion is one contributing factor to the jump in complaints, but the breakdown highlights specific problem areas: 16,221 complaints were logged as faults, while 11,224 related to connection delays.
Put another way, those figures correspond to roughly 8.7 connection delay complaints and 6.7 fault complaints per 1,000 premises serviced by the NBN. Industry observers say a key cause is ISPs signing up customers quickly and promising connection dates and speeds that they later fail to meet, generating frustration and extra demand on support channels.
Fault complaints cover a range of issues, including intermittent outages, slow speeds that do not match advertised plans, and problems with installers or equipment. Delay complaints often stem from long wait times between sign-up and actual activation, unclear communication about installation steps, or scheduling problems for technicians.
For consumers, the result is wasted time, disrupted work or study, and a loss of confidence in both ISPs and the NBN’s ability to deliver consistent service. For the industry, the increase in complaints places pressure on regulators and dispute-resolution bodies and could prompt calls for stronger service guarantees, better coordination between the NBN and retail providers, and clearer marketing about expected performance.
Improving the situation will likely require coordinated action from multiple parties: more realistic commitments from ISPs about connection times and achievable speeds, better fault detection and response procedures from the NBN, and clearer guidance and support for customers navigating installation and troubleshooting. Enhanced transparency around typical performance for different connection types could also help set realistic expectations.
While the ombudsman’s report draws attention to the scale of the problem, it also underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and consumer protection as the network reaches more premises. Until service delivery and customer support improve, many Australians will continue to experience frustration with their broadband experience.
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