• What is financial hardship?
• What are my options?
• How can I get help?
• Communication of financial hardship arrangements
• Where can I get further help?
• If we cannot reach an agreed outcome, you can lodge a complaint.
• More information

What is financial hardship?

Financial hardship can happen for many reasons including loss of income, personal or household illness, change in family circumstances, or because of natural disasters.

TPG considers financial hardship to be a situation where a customer, not-for-profit organisation, or business* is, or may be, unable to discharge their financial obligations owed to us or is experiencing other financial difficulties, and that customer or organisation considers they can discharge their financial obligation to us if an agreed arrangement for financial hardship assistance is implemented by us.

*a business that spends less than $40,000 annually with TPG Telecom and doesn’t have a genuine and reasonable opportunity to negotiate the terms of the contract and acquires telecommunication product(s) which are not for resale.

What are my options?

Some solutions we offer customers to stay connected include:

• Payment arrangements
• Applying restrictions on your services
• Moving you to a lower cost contract or plan (subject to your contract)
• Spend controls
• Payment moratorium
• Waiving late payment fees
• Manual payment

How can I get help?

To make an application or for any assistance, please contact us on 1300 056 356 (8AM-8PM AET Mon-Fri) or via web form.

We’ll complete our assessment within 5 business days of receiving your application. You can call us to monitor your application on 1300 056 356.

Communication of financial hardship arrangements

If we agree to a financial hardship arrangement, we’ll contact you within 2 business days of completing our assessment. However, if we determine you are not eligible, we’ll inform you immediately.

You must contact us within 14 days if your circumstances change.

Where can I get further help?

The National Debt Helpline offers professional counsellors who can offer free and independent advice.

At TPG, we are committed to providing accessibility for all customers whether that be the way you contact us or the products we develop.

We’ll also work with a family member, friend, power of attorney or legal guardian if nominated.  

If we cannot reach an agreed outcome, you can lodge a complaint.

If you’d like to seek a review or lodge a complaint, you can contact us here.    

Alternatively, you can make a complaint or contact the TIO for support and advice.

More information

For more information, please download our Financial Hardship Policy PDF.

To view PDF files, install Adobe Reader on your computer, tablet or smartphone.

• Speed shaping
• How to check your data usage
• Anytime data vs. Peak/Off-peak data
• Data usage guide

Speed shaping

If your internet plan has monthly data instead of unlimited data, your internet speed may be "shaped" if you use all your monthly data.

A "shaped" service has a slower download and upload speed. You can look up your plan's shaped speed in the Service Decription & Terms.

Shaping is automatically removed at the start of your next billing period when your monthly data resets. You can also choose to:

• Buy a Data Pack (if available) to use more data during that billing period; or
• Upgrade your plan in My Account.

How to check your data usage

You can check your data usage in My Account. Data usage is not available in My Account for unlimited data services.

My Account will also tell you:

• If your plan has anytime data or peak/off-peak data (and when the peak/off-peak periods start and end)
• When your monthly data resets
• If any Data Packs are available

Anytime data vs. Peak/Off-peak data

Anytime data can be used at any time.

Peak/Off-peak data means you have two separate types of monthly data - one that can be used during the peak period, and one that can used during the off-peak period.

Peak/Off-peak data is also shaped separately. If you use all your Peak data, you'll be shaped during the peak perions but not during the off-peak period.

Data usage guide

As a rough guide, 1GB of data usage will let you:

• Receive 1000 emails
• Surf the web for 20 hours
• Watch 5 four-minute YouTube videos
• Download 20 four-minute music tracks
• Download 40 photos.

Your usage may vary. This guide assumes 100KB per email, web browsing at 30MB per hour, YouTube videos at 24MB per video (360p quality), music at 4MB per track, and 2MB per photo.

• Winsock Reset for Windows
• Network restart for macOS

Winsock Reset for Windows

1. Click the Search icon (magnifying glass) in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and type "cmd" into the search bar. 

   

2. Right-click on the Command Prompt app and select Run as administrator.
   You may need to enter an administrator password before you can continue. 

   

3. Type “netsh winsock reset” and then hit Enter on your keyboard.
   
   You’ll see the message “Winsock reset completed successfully” when it's done.

   

4. Restart your computer to finish.

Network restart for macOS

Mac OSX and macOS don't have Winsock, but you can try restarting your network.

1. Hit the Network icon in the top right-hand corner, then select Turn Wi-Fi/Airport Off.

   

2. Wait 1-2 minutes, then hit Network > Turn Wi-Fi/AirPort On. 

   

• Call Barring
• Number Display/Number Block
• Directory Listing
• Call Forwarding/Diverting
• Call Waiting
• Caller ID

Call Barring

Call Barring stops your TPG Voice service from making specific types of calls.

All Call Barring types are turned off by default, but you have these options:

• Bar outgoing long distance (STD) calls
• Bar outgoing calls to Australian mobile phones
• Bar outgoing International calls

1. Log in to My Account and hit View nbn Home Phone Service Account.
   Note: You may see a View nbn Digital Voice Service Account button instead.

   

2. Hit nbn Home Phone Service Control Panel.

3. Under "Call Barring", you can change each type of call barring to barred if you want to turn it on, or not barred if you want to turn it off.

   

Number Display/Number Block

Number Display/Number Block blocks your phone number from being shown to the person you’re calling. 

Number Display/Number Block is turned off by default.

1. Log in to My Account and hit View nbn Home Phone Service Account.
   Note: You may see a View nbn Digital Voice Service Account button instead.

   

2. Hit nbn Home Phone Service Control Panel.

3. Under "Number Display/Number Block", you can change the option to blocked if you want to turn it on, or displayed if you want to turn it off.

   

Directory Listing

Directory Listing changes the way your TPG phone number is listed in public directories like the White Pages and Directory Assisted Services:

• Listed: Your name, phone number and address are listed in directories.
• Silenced: Your phone number is not listed in directories.

Directory Listing is set to Silenced by default.

1. Log in to My Account and hit View nbn Home Phone Service Account.
   Note: You may see a View nbn Digital Voice Service Account button instead.

   

2. Hit nbn Home Phone Service Control Panel.

3. Under "Directory Listing", you can change the option to listed if you want your phone number to be listed in directories, or silenced if you don't want to be in directories.
   
   Any changes may take up to 5 business days to show on directories.

   

Call Forwarding/Diverting

Call Forwarding lets you divert calls to TPG Voice number to a different Australian phone number. Standard rates apply for all forwarded calls.

Note: You can't forward calls to an international number.

All Call Forwarding/Diverting types are turned off by default, but you have these options:

• Divert all incoming calls
• Divert if no reply (after 4-39 seconds)
• Divert if busy

1.  Log in to My Account and hit View nbn Home Phone Service Account.
   Note: You may see a View nbn Digital Voice Service Account button instead.

   

2. Hit nbn Home Phone Service Control Panel.

3. Under "Call Forwarding/Diverting", enter a destination phone number to turn that type of call forwarding on.
   
   For Divert if no reply, you'll also need to enter a Delay time between 4-39 seconds.

   

Call Waiting

If someone calls you while you’re already on a call, Call Waiting lets you to put them on hold. To use Call Waiting your phone needs to have a "Recall" of "Flash" button.

Call Waiting is turned on by default and currently, it can't be turned off in My Account.

Caller ID

Caller ID lets you see the phone number of the person who's calling you. It's included by default.

• Set up nbn® Home Phone
• Troubleshoot your nbn® Home Phone calls
• Troubleshoot call dropouts on your nbn® Home Phone

Set up nbn® Home Phone

1. First, make sure you’ve got a message from us asking you to plug in your nbn modem. We need to get your connection ready on our side before you plug in.
2. Find your nbn Connection Box (NCB) – this is usually installed on the inside of an exterior wall in your home, sometimes in the garage.
3. Use a phone cable to plug your phone into the NCB's UNI-V1 port.
   If you need you use the UNI-V2 port instead, we'll let you know.
   
4. (Optional) Some homes have smart wiring, where internal Ethernet cables have been installed by an ACMA-approved electrician. If this is the case, you'll have Ethernet sockets on the wall near your NCB, and in other rooms of your home.
   
   You can use additional RJ11 phone cables to connect your NCB's UNI-V1 port to the Ethernet wall socket near your NCB, then plug your phone into the corresponding Ethernet wall socket in another room.
   
   Note: The UNI-V port should never be connected to a network switch or router.
   

Troubleshoot your nbn® Home Phone calls

If you can't make or get calls on your nbn Home Phone service, these steps will help you identify the issue.

1. Is your internet working? Your phone service can't work without internet.
   
   You can check your address for an internet outage or planned maintenance on nbn®'s Network status and outages page and our Network Status page.

2. Find your nbn Connection Box (NCB) and make sure your phone and all cables are plugged in securely and not damaged.

   You’ll need to replace any broken or chewed cables. If your phone is damaged, please replace it or contact the seller for a warranty claim.

3. Make sure your phone has power.
   
   Wireless phones may have batteries that need to be recharged or replaced.

4. Does your home have smart wiring? Some homes have smart wiring, where you'll have Ethernet sockets on the wall near your NCB, and in other rooms of your home.
   
   If your phone is plugged in via smart wiring, unplug it and plug it directly into your NCB's UNI-V1 port, then make a test call.
   
   Note: If your nbn Home Phone is already set up to use the UNI-V2 port, use that port instead.
   
   If calls work when your phone is plugged into the nbn Connection Box but not when it's plugged in via smart wiring, there may be a problem with your smart wiring that needs to be repaired by an ACMA-licensed electrician.

   

5. Turn off your NCB’s power outlet for at least 5 minutes.

6. Turn the outlet back on and wait for your nbn modem’s Internet light to come on, then make a test call.
   

7. Still can’t make or get calls? Use another phone to call us on 1300 997 271 or contact us on our Live Chat and we'll help you.

Troubleshoot call dropouts on your nbn® Home Phone

If your nbn Home Phone is having call dropouts, it means your calls will disconnect unexpectedly. These steps will help you identify the issue.

1. Is your internet dropping out? Your phone service can't work without internet.
   
   You can check your address for an internet outage or planned maintenance on nbn®'s Network status and outages page and our Network Status page.

2. Find your nbn Connection Box (NCB) and make sure your phone and all cables are plugged in securely and not damaged.

   You’ll need to replace any broken or chewed cables. If your phone is damaged, please replace it or contact the seller for a warranty claim.

3. Are you using a wireless phone? Make sure that your phone's battery is charged, and that you're staying within range of the phone's base station during the call.

4. Does your antivirus/anti-malware software use a firewall? Temporarily disable the firewall and make a test call. If the dropouts stop, then the firewall may be blocking the internet traffic for your VoIP phone calls.

   Contact your software’s Customer Support if you need help to disable a firewall, or changing your firewall settings to allow VoIP calls.

5. Does your home have smart wiring? Some homes have smart wiring, where you'll have Ethernet sockets on the wall near your NCB, and in other rooms of your home.
   
   If your phone is plugged in via smart wiring, unplug it and plug it directly into your NCB's UNI-V1 port, then make a test call.
   
   Note: If your nbn Home Phone is already set up to use the UNI-V2 port, use that port instead.
   
   If calls are fine when your phone is plugged into the nbn Connection Box but they drop out when it's plugged in via smart wiring, there may be a problem with your smart wiring that needs to be repaired by an ACMA-licensed electrician.

   

6. Still getting call dropouts? Use another phone to call us on 13 14 23 or contact us on our Live Chat and we'll help you.