The annual Telecommunications Ombudsman’s Report details the number of complaints made against the nation’s retail providers and the National Broadband Network.

Tasmanian findings:

Internet services caused the largest number of complaints, with 1192; while landline-phone services followed with 958 and mobile phone complaints, totalling 814.

Launceston residents made the most number of complaints, 185, of all Tasmanian postcodes.

 With Tasmania drawing 1.9 per cent of total national complaints, only the two territories had fewer complaints.

At 49.4 per cent of complaints, customer service was the issue most people protested to the ombudsman on.

Billing and payments was next; the reason 38.4 per cent of people complained.

Across the nation, complaints with the National Broadband Network skyrocketed – partly because the rollout is expanding. 

In the 16-17 financial year, 27,195 complaints were lodged for services delivered over the NBN – compared to 10,487 complaints the previous financial year. 

Problems with internet services caused 60.9 per cent of NBN complaints compared to 39.1 per cent of landline phone services.

“Tasmania has the lowest rate of internet complaints per premises activated in the nation,” NBN spokesman Russell Kelly said.

“But one complaint is too many – so we are working hard to improve our services.”

Ombudsman Judi Jones noted; “the increase is somewhat to be expected given the accelerating rollout of the NBN, but is still a concerning trend.

TasICT chief Will Kestin said the rapid rollout of the NBN was bound to cause problems.