phone advice needed.

[hotspur (Chris)]

Hello.

Recently,we had some very heavy rain and minor flash flooding here.No great loss,but our main work/storage shed had water and mud through it.

We have cleaned most of it up,and taken water damaged stuff to tip.(the smell is the worst thing of all)

The main issue,is the phone-its cable connection was under water.

we are with Telecom,does anyone know who or where I contact to take the old phone to to get a replacement?

A phone is a mighty handy thing to have and one in the shed working,would be really handy at present.

Someone mentioned phones can be bought at places like 'Dick Smiths' and similar,is this so?

Any advice or helpful pointers,would really be helpful.

Thanks, Chris

[gary]

Hi Chris,

Sorry to hear about the mess.

It's funny by comparison how here in the suburbs of Sydney, every second shop seems to sell nothing but telephones.

Indeed, you can buy phones online from retailers such as Dick Smith or from Telstra online.
For example, see http://www.telstra.com.au/shop/Consu...pageView=image

Long gone are the days where you leased the handset from Telstra and they would come and replace it.
These days, the equipment belonging to the customer is the norm. With the constant turnover of
new models these days, it is almost impossible to make specific recommendations. If your shed is
very close to the house, you might consider upgrading the phone in the house to a wireless base station
and then just keep a handset in the shed (i.e what are known as DECT systems). The better ones tend
to have longer transmit ranges and you can simply add extra handsets, up to a limit, and locate them
at any convenient point in the house where there is a power outlet to keep them charged.

If you still have one of the original style handsets that did not require external power, but simply
derived its power from the phone line (getting very rare these days) and it is in working order,
keep it convenient in the cupboard. Then if there is a power outage, you can swap the phone
over and make a call.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

If it is a Telstra phone they will replace it for free as long as any damage wasn't intentional.

If it is a non-Telstra phone you'll have to buy your own replacement.

[koputai (Jason)]

Chris,

If it's the shed phone you're replacing, I wouldn't go for a modern electronic jobbie
(the only type you can buy new), but get an old AWA (Telecom) phone off Ebay or similar.

Modern electronic phones need mains power, and if the power is off, or not available, then
you can't use the phone. The old phones get their power from the exchange.

Either a desk or wall phone would be fine like the ones below. They also come with push
button dialing instead of rotary, and are available in many colours!

Cheers,
Jason.

[hotspur (Chris)]

Thanks for info.

It is a Telestra phone,a push button one.no electrical connection needed.

(The shed has power),But I just want to get it replaced by telestra,we pay a

rental fee on the darn thing,so they should replace it (hopefully).

But I am just not sure of the procedure or who to contact etc,

We live in the bush,so getting to the right places can be difficult,

Even more so the floods have wrecked everything,We have no mail service

for a very long time.The only thing that works communication wise is the satillite.

Chris

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Ring up Telstra, and they will probably advise you to take it to the Post Office where they will swap it over for you.

[gary]

Originally Posted by hotspur

Thanks for info.

It is a Telestra phone,a push button one.no electrical connection needed.

(The shed has power),But I just want to get it replaced by telestra,we pay a

rental fee on the darn thing,so they should replace it (hopefully).

But I am just not sure of the procedure or who to contact etc,

Hi Chris,

Just call 132203 and report to them that it has failed.

Some of the cheaper handsets have become so cheap these days, it might be
worth taking a look and buying your own, then canceling the rental. It will pay
for itself within a year or two.

The not so good news is that many in the flood affected regions will experience
a higher number of line faults than normal for months and possibly years to come.
We have the luxury of living near the city and the phone lines are underground, but
despite the fact we are only 600 meters from the exchange, we will experience
outages of up to several days at a time typically a couple of times year
when rain gets into the copper cabling somewhere between here and the exchange
and the corrosion starts. It is incredibly aggravating. The network is well
beyond its use-by date. Ironically, though we are a little under 24km to the
heart of the Sydney CBD, the wireless coverage is tenuous and with most carriers,
totally non-existent.

With the typically much longer distances to the nearest exchange in rural areas,
the reliability decreases proportionally.

Good luck with it all and sounds like you are lucky to have the satellite link!

Best Regards

Gary

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Chris,

Long gone are the days where you leased the handset from Telstra and they would come and replace it.
These days, the equipment belonging to the customer is the norm.

Geez Gary, your local Telstra doesn't look after you folk.

Almost everyone around here still has a Telstra rented phone. We had ours replaced only about 3 months ago with a new one.
I don't even know of anyone without a Telstra rented phone.

Originally Posted by gary

If you still have one of the original style handsets that did not require external power, but simply
derived its power from the phone line (getting very rare these days) and it is in working order,
keep it convenient in the cupboard. Then if there is a power outage, you can swap the phone
over and make a call.

"Getting very rare" ?????
A home phone that needs electricity to function!! I've never seen one. What dip-stick invented that stupid idea???
How do you call for emergency if the power is out? Very dumb idea!

If the rest of Oz has these 'powered' phones, then I'm glad to be 'in the country and technologically left behind'.
We have these phones: http://www.itsupply.com.au/images/te...CRD1012%29.jpg

[gary]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Geez Gary, your local Telstra doesn't look after you folk.

Almost everyone around here still has a Telstra rented phone. We had ours replaced only about 3 months ago with a new one.
I don't even know of anyone without a Telstra rented phone.

Hi Ken,

Happy New Year!

There will be some of us here in the city having visions of you guys having
to climb the phone pole to make a call like in that old TV show,
Green Acres.

Suffice to say it must be chalk and cheese compared to here with regards the
handsets. When you walk into a Dick Smith store or scan their handset
offerings online, the only ones that are still corded and that require no
external power pack are the very cheapest ones at $14.94 and $29.98.

Compared to the cost of the monthly rental, it doesn't take them long to
work out cheaper.

"Getting very rare" ?????

These days in the cities, the number of people who have canceled the
fix line service in favor of mobile has increased. Then for many with fixed lines,
fancier wireless handsets here that support features such as in-built number
directories, calling number display and so on and so forth have become ubiquitous.
Especially the DECT type with multiple handsets where city children demand one
in every bedroom and it better be 5GHz and the latest styling otherwise they will
die of embarrassment when their friends come around, for having such
uncool parents with daggy old phones.

So much so that if you go into a Dick Smith store here in the northern
part of Sydney and ask for one of the type that does not require a power pack,
the young sales person might be likely to say, "I'll see if we still have some out
the back".

A home phone that needs electricity to function!! I've never seen one. What dip-stick invented that stupid idea???
How do you call for emergency if the power is out? Very dumb idea!

If the rest of Oz has these 'powered' phones, then I'm glad to be 'in the country and technologically left behind'.

Speaking for ourselves, we have the luxury of UPS to keep the phones
and internet going during blackouts, but indeed it is a major failing of the
newer style of phones. In the city, the urgency is perhaps not as great for many
because of mobile coverage or the ability to run next door to the neighbours.

In rural areas, the reliability of getting dial tone even in a power outage
is far more important compared to many city dwellers.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by gary

Then for many with fixed lines,
fancier wireless handsets here that support features such as in-built number
directories, calling number display and so on and so forth have become ubiquitous.

Yep, our phones have all those features.

Originally Posted by gary

Especially the DECT type with multiple handsets where city children demand one
in every bedroom and it better be 5GHz and the latest styling otherwise they will
die of embarrassment when their friends come around, for having such
uncool parents with daggy old phones.

Stuff them!
If they want their own 'stylish' phone they can buy their own!

Originally Posted by gary

In rural areas, the reliability of getting dial tone even in a power outage
is far more important compared to many city dwellers.

Ooo, yeah!
The sound of that dial tone is very reassuring.

But I know what you mean Gary, about technology moving along and the 'trendy' factor for youth (and many oldies too. I can't talk, I have a HTC Desire smartphone )

[michaellxv (Michael)]

I don't rent it anymore but I do keep one fixed phone in the house for emergencies. It does have a power pack but can run without on just the exchange power, just doesn't do all its tricks.

[hotspur (Chris)]

Thanks for the phone number,it does look like I can get a new phone,Hopefully can get to Kingaroy tomorrow to pick it up.

Really do not like those fancy phones that need electricity-this old one worked for 15 years,only the flood damaged killed it.

Thanks for help

Chris

[Jules76 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

"Getting very rare" ?????
A home phone that needs electricity to function!! I've never seen one. What dip-stick invented that stupid idea???
How do you call for emergency if the power is out? Very dumb idea!

If the rest of Oz has these 'powered' phones, then I'm glad to be 'in the country and technologically left behind'.

FYI those "powered phones" (handsets) have a rechargable battery inside them just like a mobile phone does so losing power isn't that big of an issue.

I don't know how long the batteries typically last unused, but to get an idea they generally have 8-9 hours "talk time". So I'd say you'd be pretty safe if there was a power outage and you needed to make an emergency call.

[PCH (Paul)]

Originally Posted by Jules76

FYI those "powered phones" (handsets) have a rechargable battery inside them just like a mobile phone does so losing power isn't that big of an issue.

I don't know how long the batteries typically last unused, but to get an idea they generally have 8-9 hours "talk time". So I'd say you'd be pretty safe if there was a power outage and you needed to make an emergency call.

Yes, but they still require mains power to power the base station that your battery powered phone communicates with. I'm fairly sure that's right as I have a panasonic one which is very good but subject to this limitation.

Cheers

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Hi Chris,

If you have no luck in Kingaroy, I have some phone that I can deliver, They are designed for hearing loss though as I dont usually carry general phone, most of the fixed line phones do not need power, even the optional batteries are not really needed either.

http://listeningsolutions.com.au/sit...id=14&Itemid=1

[hotspur (Chris)]

Thanks Malcolm for your kind offer-but we finally managed to get to Kingaroy today after being stranded.And we got the new phone with no issues.

I rang the number in the thread,and had it all sorted within ten minutes,and was given a code number,which I gave to the PO and was given a nice new
phone that worked.So glad to have that issue sorted.

Thanks to the poster who gave that number to ring.

Chris