MORE TELSTRA ;

justcruisin01 · Guru

MORE TELSTRA ;

Happywanderer · The Master

Yep, real confused. Going by that I would be better to keep my landline and it only cost me 9.95 a month even though I don't have a place to connect it to.
Re the mobile. My understanding is when you buy a plan you don't pay anything for the phone. Its included in the monthy payments. I've always got that deal and that was from a telstra shop. Had it for years that way.

valnrob · Guru

Hi HW how does your landline cost 9.95 a month? I want to get rid of mine but Im worried I will lose my wireless internet. I was on a 2yr plan but that is now up.

Happywanderer · The Master

On a 3 in 1 plan Val. It costs 29.95 but I get the 20.00 loyalty discount. Hence 9.95
As Justcruisin says if the home phone is the main binding factor in the plan not sure how I am going to disconnect it when I move.

Ole_Grizzly · Senior Member

Heck, I can see a fresh market looming with an old communication way, and the fertilizer is beaut on the garden.
Forget smoke signals...carbon tax is just around the corner.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Well, now I'm more confused than I was 2 weeks ago.
I don't have land line. I won't combine my bill as it ends up being a dog's breakfas to confusion and stuffed up accounts.
All I want is a pre-paid wireless broadband, issued by Telstra 12 months 10 GB @ $150. They recommend Yahoo or Gmail email address.
All I want to do is keep my Bigpond email address. It will cost me $25 a month for a "dummy" account.
I need the email address because it's for business and my cards have it printed on them. I don't want to keep changing.
In this age of technology I can't see why I can't have the Telstra pre-paid deal with the Bigpond email.
Then the little blonde in the Telstra Shop told me Telstra has nothing to do with Bigpond. Now that confused me as my email bill comes from, you guessed it, TELSTRA!
Does anyone have shares in Telstra? How are they doing?
It's a crock of sh!t.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Unfortunately I need to be with Telstra as they have a better coverage and I need that while "On The Buses" driving people around the bend. Plus they have a few phones with a blue tick that give a little extra reception in regional areas. Having said that though there is an add here on Gippsland TV about a new Sat system and I had a quick look and will look into that further. It might be a better option to pay a little extra per call to have an even better coverage. A bit of window shopping and homework coming up. I have nothing better to do at the moment as I still have not got my Tug back yet thanks to a mechanic that doesn't know his left from right.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Doug, I would be interested in the new sat phone system do you have a web site to look at or maybe more info when you have it please

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi wombat, www.nomoreblackspots.com.au

It doesn't look too bad or frightening, did a little bit of homework earlier but will do more later.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Thanks Doug, will have a look later

justcruisin01 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
Yep, real confused. Going by that I would be better to keep my landline and it only cost me 9.95 a month even though I don't have a place to connect it to.

Marj, If Vic is the same as NSW the bundle discount comes off your Internett, not the landline. Thats why your Internett costs go up if you drop the landline. think they are trying to keep the landlines in use. Your acc will show this & thats how it is explained by the dealers.

Re the mobile. My understanding is when you buy a plan you don't pay anything for the phone. Its included in the monthy payments. I've always got that deal and that was from a telstra shop. Had it for years that way.

Again , thats the way we all had them but no more unless you go for a big plan. All the smaller plans you now have to pay extra for the phones. The prices I quoted above are all on the same phone.
Poor buggers have to make more profits some how, & we are the targets.
JC.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

AAARH! If only we could get decent coverage with Optus, or anybody else. disbelief They'd have to lift their game if there was competition. Maybe, perhaps???? confuse

Happywanderer · The Master

Hi Jim, I lost my 20.00 discount from my internet when I changed my plan a few months back, they didn't tell me till too late if I altered plan my discount goes.
The other 20.00 discount I get is off my home phone. I was getting two, now only the one.
Got my bill today. Home phone 32.00 less 20.00.
Mobile 49.00
Internet 49.95

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Dougwe wrote:
Hi wombat, www.nomoreblackspots.com.au

It doesn't look too bad or frightening, did a little bit of homework earlier but will do more later.

I recall checking out Indigo Satphone quiet awhile ago and that they were using the Thuraya Satellite. This was then a stationary satellite above the equator near Singapore I think, compared to other services using orbiting satellites.

A number of years ago the Thuraya Satellite was a problem particularly for SE Victoria/Tassie as the satellite in relation to the phone would be quite close to the horizon.

Hills, particulalry if travelling in the Vic High Country with big hills, would certainly block the signal as line of sight (something they use to note on their website) is required to send and receive calls. However in the top half of Australia no problems.

Something extra for your research.

Beth54 · Guru

RE: things they don't tell you...I recently thought I'd change my prepaid mobile 'talk & text' from $30 month to 'text & data' $30 month, and it was only when I asked 'do I retain the credit I have now?' that she said oh, no, you'll lose that! At that stage I had about $200 credit, now it's nearer to $300. She wasn't going to tell me I'd lose money by changing it!

So they get you whichever way you go!

justcruisin01 · Guru

Ron and Shirley wrote:
Dougwe wrote:
Hi wombat, www.nomoreblackspots.com.au

It doesn't look too bad or frightening, did a little bit of homework earlier but will do more later.
I recall checking out Indigo Satphone quiet awhile ago and that they were using the Thuraya Satellite. This was then a stationary satellite above the equator near Singapore I think, compared to other services using orbiting satellites.
A number of years ago the Thuraya Satellite was a problem particularly for SE Victoria/Tassie as the satellite in relation to the phone would be quite close to the horizon.
Hills, particulalry if travelling in the Vic High Country with big hills, would certainly block the signal as line of sight (something they use to note on their website) is required to send and receive calls. However in the top half of Australia no problems.
Something extra for your research.

This system has been on the tv here lately.

Definitly need the fine print, then probly dont tell you.

Same with HF radio's, there is a black spot accross the nullarbor where the road drops off the escarpment to the coast line.

JC.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Does anyone really understand any of these plans? Prepaid? Capped? Post paid? Phone and plan? Phone only?
While Telstra Bigpond is the best coverage they certainly aren't the best for service or options.
No one is straight talking. It's all mumbo jumbo to confuse the dollars out of you.

justcruisin01 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
Hi Jim, I lost my 20.00 discount from my internet when I changed my plan a few months back, they didn't tell me till too late if I altered plan my discount goes.
The other 20.00 discount I get is off my home phone. I was getting two, now only the one.
Got my bill today. Home phone 32.00 less 20.00.
Mobile 49.00
Internet 49.95

HW, sounds like the Vic's get better looked after than us if you were getting two discounts.

JC

justcruisin01 · Guru

Cruising Granny wrote:
Does anyone really understand any of these plans? Prepaid? Capped? Post paid? Phone and plan? Phone only?
While Telstra Bigpond is the best coverage they certainly aren't the best for service or options.
No one is straight talking. It's all mumbo jumbo to confuse the dollars out of you.

Its a bit that way chris, doubble checked ours today,

Landline =$32 we pay $32

Internett= $ 49 plan less $20 discount for bundle. we pay $29

Mobile =$20 plan, ( been on that one since day dot ) We get a $5 member discount . we pay $15 & they give us $20 included calls & text plus the my hour every day.

If you work out the $ value of that plan, the my hour is worth aprox $1800 per month IF you worked it to the max every day.

To go a new plan to equal this it would have to be the $129 per month with unlimited calls & text.

I was looking at the $59 deal, $550 included calls + free text .

Now I've reassed it from a different point of view.

If I cancel land line I save $32.

Internett goes up $20. Ive only saved $12.

New $59 plan means I pay another $44 more than I do now, commited for two years.

I'm staying with what I've got at the moment. which means I spend $15 on my plan. Also I can spen up to $44 per month on calls IF NEEDED outside the my hour plus the $20 included plus the my hour & be no worse off than being commited to a $ 59 plan.

Now thats got you thinking. LOL.

JC.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Too right it has. Thanks, I think.
They make packages sound so economical, which it is while the status quo remains as it was when you started the plan.
Once you bail out of one section of the plan you're stuffed.
I keep my bills separate. I post-pay the phone which is a $40 plan with a free hour.
I have a auto debit to pay the internet $39.95 per month for 2 years. Runs out in September.
When the young girl told me Bigpond is NOT part of Telstra I nearly had a panic attack.
My internet account is sent by email from ......................... Telstra.
I buy the phone outright, not part of a plan and not prepaid.
Anyway I'll go away and think some more. Thanks for that.

Happywanderer · The Master

Ok, I've got a better one for you.
I had the occasion today to cancel my home phone. When I came home from the lake last Tuesday my home phone wasn't working, no dial tone. I rang Telstra, they checked and yes the line was out. Would sent a technician out to fix it. This morning I rang them again at 5 to 9 as home phone not fixed. He said I will check and ring you back on your mobile in 5 minutes.
I rang back at 9.30 and got a different person. They checked and said it, the order was still open, they would send a technician out to fix it. Would be 22nd March, today is 16th March. I said don't bother, transfer me through to disconnections as I was disconnecting at the end of month anyway to move. What was the point of no phone for two weeks then a week before I disconnect.
When I got through to disconnection I had a case worker I think he said he was. Explained the situation so he disconnected my home phone. I said so now I lose my 3 in 1 $20.00 discount. he said yes but hold on a minute I think I can do something for you. Came back with a $10.00 discount for a 2 in 1.

Now in the meantime, was around at daughter and son in law tonight. Discussing internet and mobiles etc and what had happened and mobile plans.
S in L said why don't I get a new mobile plan that includes a Gg plan for the internet and do away with my wireless broadband. Ok, so explain it to me.
He said I will only have one plan then, a mobile one with an interent connection. Get a deal with a good size Gg to suit me. He said it is called TETHERING .
At the moment I am paying 49.00 for my mobile and 49.95 for my wirless internet. I should be able to find a deal which covers all in one mobile for less than that.
Both my plans run out in June so I have a bit of time to search and find the right one to fit my needs.

Hope that helps anyone else with the same issue I have at the moment.

justcruisin01 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
Ok, I've got a better one for you.
I had the occasion today to cancel my home phone. When I came home from the lake last Tuesday my home phone wasn't working, no dial tone. I rang Telstra, they checked and yes the line was out. Would sent a technician out to fix it. This morning I rang them again at 5 to 9 as home phone not fixed. He said I will check and ring you back on your mobile in 5 minutes.
I rang back at 9.30 and got a different person. They checked and said it, the order was still open, they would send a technician out to fix it. Would be 22nd March, today is 16th March. I said don't bother, transfer me through to disconnections as I was disconnecting at the end of month anyway to move. What was the point of no phone for two weeks then a week before I disconnect.
When I got through to disconnection I had a case worker I think he said he was. Explained the situation so he disconnected my home phone. I said so now I lose my 3 in 1 $20.00 discount. he said yes but hold on a minute I think I can do something for you. Came back with a $10.00 discount for a 2 in 1.

Now in the meantime, was around at daughter and son in law tonight. Discussing internet and mobiles etc and what had happened and mobile plans.
S in L said why don't I get a new mobile plan that includes a Gg plan for the internet and do away with my wireless broadband. Ok, so explain it to me.
He said I will only have one plan then, a mobile one with an interent connection. Get a deal with a good size Gg to suit me. He said it is called TETHERING .
At the moment I am paying 49.00 for my mobile and 49.95 for my wirless internet. I should be able to find a deal which covers all in one mobile for less than that.
Both my plans run out in June so I have a bit of time to search and find the right one to fit my needs.

Hope that helps anyone else with the same issue I have at the moment.

Its like techknowledgy, cant keep up with it so lucky to have two people with the same plan, crazy.

All on one plan sounds ok, just dont know how you will go doing all your internett on a screen the size of a mobile, even a smart phone with the larger screen & then they use more battery due to screen size.

Ahhhh, the plot thickens.

JC.

Happywanderer · The Master

No Jim. Its called tethering because it comes with a cord which you connect to your laptap and use as normal.

Beth54 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
No Jim. Its called tethering because it comes with a cord which you connect to your laptap and use as normal.

Hmm sounds interesting. I'll read those details again tomorrow. Too late for brain to take it in now. hmm

Happywanderer · The Master

Beth, Basically you are plugging your mobile into your laptop instead of plugging in a wireless broadband dongle.
S in L has one, says theres nothing to it.

Beth54 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
Beth, Basically you are plugging your mobile into your laptop instead of plugging in a wireless broadband dongle.
S in L has one, says theres nothing to it.

Wow! But one has to have an iphone or similar, I guess?

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

I've got an Amaysim mobile for making phone calls, prepaid, no contract 15c a min calls, 12c for text, I only need a phone to make phone calls with, this does the job for me.

justcruisin01 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
No Jim. Its called tethering because it comes with a cord which you connect to your laptap and use as normal.

Thats the benifit of being able to share info, I did know of using the mobile as a modem, wasn't thinking that was what you meant.

Learn something every day.

JC.

Beth54 · Guru

A couple of sites with info on tethering.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/06/aussie-iphone-tethering-guide-%E2%80%93%C2%A0all-carriers/

http://macintoshhowto.com/iphone/how-to-find-the-best-telstra-plan-for-an-iphone.html

justcruisin01 · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
I've got an Amaysim mobile for making phone calls, prepaid, no contract 15c a min calls, 12c for text, I only need a phone to make phone calls with, this does the job for me.

Havent heard of this one Wombat, who is the carrier & where are they available from.??

Do you have to buy the phone outright.?

JC.