Telstra, Optus, TPG and Dodo left some customers 'high and dry' in NBN migration

Telstra, Optus, TPG and Dodo collectively left more than 1500 customers without a working internet service over a three-month period during the NBN migration, an investigation has concluded.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) extracted court-enforceable undertakings from all four retail service providers (RSPs) over the conduct, which occurred between February and April last year.

The ACMA said telcos “must supply a replacement service after three working days of a customer being left without a service during a failed attempt to connect to the NBN”. 

It found 1586 breaches of this, with TPG and Optus the worst offenders.

In addition, “if after 20 working days the NBN connection is still not working, the telco must develop a remedial plan to address the issue,” the ACMA noted.

“If the service is still not working after 40 working days, it must conduct a technical audit to identify the necessary steps to complete the migration.”

On these rules, ACMA uncovered 5158 breaches, with Telstra by far the worst culprit.

“Many Australians rely on phone and internet services for their work and home lives, and significant disruptions can have a heavy impact on their livelihoods and wellbeing,” ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said in a statement.

“TPG, Optus, Dodo and Telstra have all let down these customers and effectively left them high and dry during the NBN migration.”

Telstra’s figures include its own brand as well as its budget Belong service.

The court-enforceable undertakings require all RSPs to report on their compliance to the ACMA each quarter for the next year.