Background

After switching to a new mobile provider, the customer began experiencing dropped calls while driving through a particular area. The customer contacted the provider several times to raise the issue. 

Frustrated by the lack of response, the customer brought their complaint to TDR. TDR explained that it cannot consider complaints about the general extent of network coverage however, TDR can assess whether a provider has been misleading in its representations. 

TDR connected the customer with the provider who began investigating the issue. The customer reported that coverage in the area appeared inconsistent, working well on some days and poorly on others, suggesting intermittent or marginal network performance rather than a complete outage.

Next steps

Initial checks by the provider did not identify any network changes that would explain the service degradation, so the provider arranged further testing.

As part of this assessment, the provider ultimately acknowledged that coverage in the area was limited. While efforts were made to improve service, the provider was unable to fully resolve the issue. In recognition of the inconvenience experienced, the provider offered to waive half of the customer’s plan costs for a fixed period.

TDR reviewed the provider’s obligations, its website statements, and the information provided to the customer.

Outcome

The complaint was not upheld. TDR found that the provider had not been misleading. The provider had not guaranteed full coverage in the area, and its coverage map clearly showed limitations.

Although it was disappointing that the provider did not respond promptly to the customer’s initial concerns, the provider did make genuine efforts to investigate the issue once engaged and offered a generous credit in recognition of the limited impact.

Lessons learned

Timely communication matters. Delays in responding to customer concerns can escalate frustration and lead to formal complaints, even where the underlying issue may be unavoidable. Accurate and transparent coverage maps and disclaimers help manage customer expectations and reduce the risk of complaints about misleading conduct.