Australian internet service provider, Exetel has paid a $12,600 infringement notice issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for failing to lodge complaints reports on time.

An ACMA investigation found Exetel failed to lodge complaints information to ACMA on multiple occasions, as required under the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints) Record-Keeping Rules, by the required due date.

“The ACMA relies on complaint data to understand the current issues facing Australian consumers with all their telecommunications services,” ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said.

“This infringement notice serves as a warning to Exetel and other service providers that ACMA takes compliance with the reporting requirements seriously. We will take appropriate action if companies do not comply with the rules.”

The ACMA investigation found Exetel contravened ACMA’s record keeping rules on three occasions and issued the infringement notice in relation to one of these breaches.

Large and medium tier telcos must report complaints information quarterly to ACMA within
30 days of the end of each quarter.

ACMA has been actively monitoring compliance with the record-keeping rules. In October, ACMA used its powers to require Optus to obtain an external audit of its compliance with the rules.

Have you ever made a complaint to your internet service provider? Was the situation remedied appropriately? Do you feel like your complaint was ignored?