You can't just walk from Vodafone: ACCC

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chair Graeme Samuel has rejected suggestions that unhappy Vodafone customers can walk away from their contracts.

For the past month Vodafone customers have experienced call drop-outs and slow data speeds on the telco's 3G network. Although Vodafone has claimed to have fixed the problem, users continue to report ongoing issues with the network.

Melbourne radio station 3AW reported today that Samuel had suggested that there "could be a case for people to walk out on their contracts". However, after requests for clarification from other media outlets, Samuel rejected this report in a statement this afternoon.

"Contrary to some media reports the ACCC does not advise consumers that they are entitled to walk away from their contracts as a means of addressing their concerns," he said.

Samuel said consumers should first try to resolve the issue with their telecommunications provider and then progress to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman if they are unhappy with the response.

Vodafone customers continue to complain about the service on social networking site Twitter. Comedian and Talkin' About Your Generation Gen Y panellist Josh Thomas took to Twitter today to complain about the service. He even received offers from rival telco Optus to switch over to its network.

For consumers who wish to lodge a complaint with their telco about the service, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network has provided a guide on what to do.