My phone or internet is down: do I get compensation in Austria?
Report a fault to your provider, preferably in writing, and first check your own devices. If the service deviates substantially and permanently from the contract you may terminate immediately, decided case by case. RTR's free Schlichtungsstelle can assess it.
When your line is down, your provider has to repair it. In some countries you get compensation if a fault is not fixed in time; what applies in Austria, and what it means for emergency calls, is below.
📜 The rules in Austria
Compensation
The TKG 2021 sets no flat-rate compensation for outages; what you can claim depends on your contract and general law. Quality disputes can go to RTR's free Schlichtungsstelle (§ 205 TKG 2021).
Emergency calls
Emergency calls are free from every phone and reachable 24/7; 112 also works without a SIM card in Austrian mobile networks and on many phones without unlocking. Your number is always passed to the emergency service, even if withheld.
The details
- Stopping payment on your own is risky: if there are no grounds for extraordinary termination, you owe the fees until the next regular termination date. (rtr.at)
- Emergency numbers are free from any phone, around the clock: 112 (EU emergency number), 122 fire brigade, 133 police, 144 ambulance, 128 gas leaks, 140 mountain rescue, 141 doctor on call. (rtr.at)
- Deaf and hearing-impaired people can chat with an emergency centre via the DEC112 app, or reach the police by SMS or fax at 0800 133 133. (oesterreich.gv.at)
- Providers must keep facilities that maintain the connection to emergency numbers if a network fails, and test them every year (§ 123 TKG 2021). (ris.bka.gv.at)
RTR-GmbH – Schlichtungsstelle für Kommunikationsdienste
Free dispute resolution with phone, internet and TV providers once your written complaint to the provider has failed.
🪜 Step by step
- Report the fault right awayCall or use the provider’s fault service, and note the date, time and reference number.
- Keep a recordWrite down how long the service is down and what you could not do.
- Ask for compensation or a refundIf the fault is not fixed in time, ask in writing for the compensation or price reduction that applies.
- Escalate if neededIf the provider refuses, complain in writing and then go to the dispute body.
📇 Who to contact
❓ Questions
Can I still call emergency services during an outage?
Emergency calls from a mobile phone usually go through any available network. If your phone cannot connect, ask someone nearby to call.
Is a short outage compensated?
Usually only longer faults or missed repair appointments are. The rule for Austria, if there is one, is on this page.
What if the faults keep coming back?
Repeated faults can give you the right to a lower price or to end the contract. Ask the regulator or the dispute body.
📎 Sources
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