As more and more Aussies take up mobile devices, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced that it will be holding an open forum to discuss with the public how to reduce consumer dissatisfaction with telcos and mobile network performance.
In a discussion paper, the ACMA noted that customer complaints had risen in last few years.
"We want to explore whether consumers are able to understand what is happening when they have a poor experience using their mobile device, and whether they are able to compare and choose mobile networks according to their particular needs," said ACMA deputy chairman Richard Bean.
The ACMA said that it would look more closely to network performance rather than network coverage, but that "the increasing complaint numbers suggest, at the very least, that consumer expectations of network performance are not aligned with their experiences of network performance."
It has previously taken a firm look at international roaming and it was being handled by telcos after reports of bill shock, implementing a new international mobile roaming standard last month.
Forum for you
While Aussie telcos have this year reshaped and redesigned their brands, plans and even overhauled their entire network, the ACMA is looking to understand better the reason for customer complaints and if these issues are being addressed.
To be held next month, the key issues that the forum will focus on are what shapes a user's perception of good or bad mobile performance, as well as the information that users have available to them to better understand network performance and how to better provide this information.
ACMA's forum will also focus on the technical aspects involved in performance, network management and "stages of the consumer lifecycle at which mobile performance may be most relevant".
So if you have a thing or two to say about Aussie telcos and their network performances, the open forum will be held on November 14 at the ACMI cinemas, Federation Square, Melbourne.
There will be a panel of guest speakers, and there will also be a Q&A session, so you can either attend in person, view the live webcast, tweet the panel your questions, ask a question on Facebook, or send in an email or video question.
