Public Wi-Fi Hotspots Complaint Process
If your complaint is about the operation of the public Wi-Fi hotspot, and you have used a free public Wi-Fi hotspot, you should direct your complaint to the operator of the hotspot. It is important to note that the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) doesn’t handle complaints relating to the use of the free public Wi-Fi hotspots.
If your complaint is about the operation of the public Wi-Fi hotspot and you have paid to use a public Wi-Fi hotspot, you should direct your complaint to the operator of the hotspot. If you remain dissatisfied after making the complaint and the hotspot operator is a TIO member, or the TIO member is billing you for the service, then you should contact the TIO. Please note that you will need to find out the trading name of the hotspot operator to do this check.
The TIO is a fast, free and fair dispute resolution service for small business and residential consumers who have a complaint about their telephone or internet service in Australia.
Examples of complaints about the operation of the public Wi-Fi hotspots include:
you couldn’t log in
your connection kept dropping out
your connection was too slow
you didn’t get the full data allowance
you didn’t get the amount of time promoted.
If your complaint is privacy-related, in the first instance, you should read the privacy clause in the ‘conditions of use’ that you agreed to. You can then direct your complaint to the operator of the hotspot. If you remain dissatisfied with the operator’s response, then you should direct your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, an independent Australian Government agency that handles privacy-related complaints.
Examples of complaints about the operation of a private Wi-Fi hotspot include:
if you’re concerned about how the operator of the hotspot or associated third parties are using, disclosing or storing your personal information.
If your complaint is cyber-security related, you should direct your complaint to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network, an independent Australian Government agency that allows you to securely report cybercrime incidents that may be in breach of Australian law.
Examples of complaints about cyber-security include if you were:
hacked
subject to an online scam or fraud
subject to identity theft
subject to cyber-bullying
or it if relates to illegal or prohibited online content.