I Hate Telstra

[solissydney (Ken)]

Last September 08, I entered into a 24 months ADSL contract at $29.95 for 12 Gig.
This month, September 09, I got a bill for $69.95.
When I objected I was told that I was informed last Sept. that the $29.95 was only for the first 12 month. ???? Why on Earth would I have accepted that, not knowing what I would be paying for the latter 12 months???
I hate Telstra

[Baron von Richthofen (Vaclav)]

If you hate Telstra ( with a passion) you will have to get in line with the other 20 million people

[Ian Robinson]

I've a liberty bigpond account (unlimited downloads) that costs me the same amount , if you are getting only 12Gb downloads / month , you're getting ripped off.
My Telstra account includes my home phone landline , I hate paying line rental $27.95 per month , when I know some other telcos offer land line services that are line rental free !!!

I have noticed that the upload and download speeds for my ADSL2+ is often not much better than when I was using the free University of Newcastle dialup proxy servors. I wish there was some way of logging the upload and download speeds ( I am sure I'm being ripped off and not getting what I paid for a lot of the time because the local bandwidth is not nearly enough ).

As soon as my contract with Telstra is finished I'll be changing telcos if I can get ADSL2+ w/ unlimited downloads and the land line service cheaper.

[pgc hunter]

Telstra is a malignant cancer.

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

Did you read the entire fine print on the contract? I suspect that you didn't. If you have a copy of the contract, please re-read it and I think you'll find that it's all in there...

Telstra retail sucks, Telstra wholesale is very very good, much better than the competition.

Dave

PS I actually work for an ISP, so I get to see things that the ordinary person doesn't...

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Your not alone in being caught with the sudden jump in cost with telstra, there are thousands like you, not that its any comfort.
We also suffer from the lack of bandwidth problem with Telstra. I have one of those nextG prepaid wireless dongles as I've no landline available. After 8 in the morning, forget it. Its either limited access (Phone only) or no signal. Even when connected the speeds are woefully slow, streaming audio, no chance even when there's a full signal. At $60 a Gb a complete rip off. The sooner this mob go belly up, the better off Aus communications will be. I'm using the daughters landline at the moment, but only until I get moved into the caravan park, then its back to the dreaded wireless.

Bill

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Ian

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

I've a liberty bigpond account (unlimited downloads) that costs me the same amount , if you are getting only 12Gb downloads / month , you're getting ripped off.
My Telstra account includes my home phone landline , I hate paying line rental $27.95 per month , when I know some other telcos offer land line services that are line rental free !!!

I have noticed that the upload and download speeds for my ADSL2+ is often not much better than when I was using the free University of Newcastle dialup proxy servors. I wish there was some way of logging the upload and download speeds ( I am sure I'm being ripped off and not getting what I paid for a lot of the time because the local bandwidth is not nearly enough ).

As soon as my contract with Telstra is finished I'll be changing telcos if I can get ADSL2+ w/ unlimited downloads and the land line service cheaper.

I pay $100 a month for the same thing all inclusive of line rental and calls with pensioner discount. I have been plagued with other telcos to change but none can match this in the end.

I never use more than 5GB/Month and I share my internet to two other neighbours. Who can't get ADSL.

I may eventually add a 3G service from telstra because I have tested it and it works at Wiruna and Crago.

I also may get a bigpond web host (Since geocities is no longer available) even if it is twice as dear as others because of the convenience of a single billing.

I have no reason to change otherwise.

Remember always read the fine print on a contract!

Barry

[Robh (Rob)]

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

I have noticed that the upload and download speeds for my ADSL2+ is often not much better than when I was using the free University of Newcastle dialup proxy servors. I wish there was some way of logging the upload and download speeds ( I am sure I'm being ripped off and not getting what I paid for a lot of the time because the local bandwidth is not nearly enough ).

This site might give you some idea ... http://www.ozspeedtest.com/

Regards, Rob

[solissydney (Ken)]

Thanks for your support.
My contract was a verbal one over the phone.

About three years ago, using my insignificant little download, I suddenly got a bill for $200.00 extra over my usual bill. A technician from Telstra admitted that it was a fault at Telstra's. But I still had to pay the $200.00
Ken

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Bigpond have been promoting 1/2 price liberty plans for a couple of years now. I have been on one. They do exist, but whether they fully, and reasonablely disclosed this to you upon signing up is another issue.

I have had 3 major disputes with Telstra/Bigpond in the last 12 months, all three issues I went to the Telescommunications Industry Ombudman (TIO)

The process is:

1 - Ring the TIO and lodge a complaint. You are assigned a case number and given a special Telstra 1300 number to call.

2 - call this 1300 Telstra number and quote your TIO case number. A case manager will be assigned to your case and they will contact you within 10 business days.

3 - The case manager contacts you and from my three issues, they bent over backwards and wiped in excess of $900 off my account (over the three separate issues). No questions asked.

I have had a shocking run with Telstra/Bigpond. I will never, ever recommend them to anyone. but it seems that they bank on the small percentage that complain to the TIO level, and therefore they do not dispute the customer.

I won't go into the incredible details of my 3 complaints, but I will say, to receive over $900 refund across 3 complaint files in 12 months was worth jumping up and down.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by Vars191

If you hate Telstra ( with a passion) you will have to get in line with the other 20 million people

And you know something??? Telstra doesn't care what you think !! I have had call centre staff admit to me on the phone that their products/plans are of poor value.

[thunderchildobs]

I have seen a lot plans advertised that say ie $30 for the first 12 months on a 24 month plan. Then in the fine print at the end of the comerical say total cost for 24 months is $1,000,000,000.00

[Ian Robinson]

Originally Posted by Robh

This site might give you some idea ... http://www.ozspeedtest.com/

Regards, Rob

ran the test and got :

Your line speed is 1.31 Mbps (1311 kbps).
Your download speed is 164 KB/s (0.16 MB/s).

Not very flash since it's supposed to be ADSL2+ .

Must be heaps of kiddies on the net tonight using up bandwidth.

[DavidU (Dave)]

Mirror: Telstra Bigpond
Data: 3 MB
Test Time: 7.34 secs
Your line speed is 3.34 Mbps (3337 kbps).
Your download speed is 417 KB/s (0.41 MB/s).

[fringe_dweller]

telstra do suck, early this year couldnt believe the hoops had to jump thru to qualify for them to send a tech, (i am with iinet/ozemail) I knew the deterioration in speed wasnt my fault, and problem was on the street out the front, a bad crimp getting progressively looser at the box on the pole it turned out! grrrr ..the telstra tech was a top bloke tho, fixed it in 5 seconds, not the workers fault - damn shareholders burn in hell!

Ian I believe all the ISP's only guarantee a minimum of 1 Mbps d/l with ADSL2+ its in the fineprint

I get a constant 6.5 Mbps with this old adsl 1 modem on 2+ service, geez should get a 2+ might get 20? how slack is that!

[g__day (Matthew)]

Every time a complaint is lodged with the TIO the carrier is charged $250. Make it clear to the call centre staff if your issue isn't handled professionally you just keep on raising (legitimate) cases with the TIO.

Generally carriers are trained to recognise customers who know their rights and protections and will give better treatment to those mentioning the TIO.

[fringe_dweller]

ah thats a cool tip matthew, ta, wish i knew that back then, my indian friends at the call centre were very nice, but made configure and reconfigure two different modems endlessly and other tasks for an eternity, should of made my calls during aussie business hours and i would of got an aussie and made that clear, but i was distracted by major building/renovation works at the time, oh well, first time ive ever had trouble like that, didnt know any better at the time,cheers

[solissydney (Ken)]

Thanks all.

I will let you know the result of my complaint to the TIO
Ken

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by fringe_dweller

ah thats a cool tip matthew, ta, wish i knew that back then, my indian friends at the call centre were very nice, but made configure and reconfigure two different modems endlessly and other tasks for an eternity, should of made my calls during aussie business hours and i would of got an aussie and made that clear, but i was distracted by major building/renovation works at the time, oh well, first time ive ever had trouble like that, didnt know any better at the time,cheers

I had a similar problem during one of my Bigpond issues. The call centre people were getting my to reset the modem again and again. I kept telling them that the issues was external to my property, but I gues they have a checklist to adhere to.

[GrahamL]

I knew the deterioration in speed wasnt my fault

Same here and wow don't you have to jump through some hoops to get it sorted, I even stupidly tried to get a call centre in india to give me the local depots phone number.. and when I finally got to speak to somone local .. they asked where i lived and within a few seconds said yes theres a fault logged at the end of your street (4 weeks ago)