Telstra launches 2024 Chief Customer Advocate Report on Vulnerability

This report highlights many of the ways Telstra has supported customers in vulnerable circumstances over the past year.
Teresa Corbin · 15 January 2025 · 1 minute read

I am pleased to announce the publication of Telstra's 2024 Chief Customer Advocate Report on Customer Vulnerability.

As Telstra’s Chief Customer Advocate, I hold Telstra accountable for treating customers fairly, reasonably, and responsibly.

While there is certainly more that can be done, Telstra is committed to continuous improvements that address affordability, enhance customer service and build customer trust and safety in scam protection.

 Here are some of the key initiatives for 2024:

💸 Helped 543,000 customers through Telstra’s Access for Everyone package of products and concessions for those on low incomes. We also expanded our Top Up Program to help 30,000 Australians in need.

🛣 Launched a pre-paid community mobile plan for customers in remote communities to address affordability challenges.

📱 To support customers with the 3G exit, we gave away 18,000 free mobile phones to those in difficult situations, such as needing payment assistance, recovering from natural disasters, or living with life-threatening medical conditions.

🤝 Continued to strengthen our response to domestic and family violence, including looking to integrate Safety by Design principles in the organization and products.

🚫 Kept customers safe from scams via the Cleaner Pipes initiative, which blocks approximately 11 million scam SMS messages and 10 million scam calls every month.

I encourage everyone to read the full report to gain a deeper understanding of Telstra's efforts and the progress made in supporting vulnerable customers.

The full report is available to download below. 

By Teresa Corbin

Chief Customer Advocate

Teresa Corbin was appointed Telstra's Chief Customer Advocate in December 2021. She joined Telstra after a long career as a consumer advocate, including being the CEO of the Australian Communications Customer Action Network (ACCAN) for over a decade.

Teresa joined Telstra because she wanted to bring customer advocacy into a company that was committed to implementing responsible business practices. After decades on the other side of companies like Telstra as a consumer representative, she wanted to see if she could make a difference from the inside.