Telstra, again!

bill12 · Guru

Telstra, again!

bill12 · Guru

I have been having trouble with telstra billing for months , and thought it was over, when I recieved an email saying they had signed me up for another 2 years- only one problem-I never signed up. So I rang billing and a nice lady said that I wasn,t signed up at all, and I could have a new phone if I signed up for a year, keeping the same plan. I asked her to send details. No email arrved, so I phoned up again, this time getting someone overseas who said I had signed 2year contract, and can,t get a new phone.I don,t think they talk to each other as No contract was entered into.So I got jack of argueing and said I would go to the ombudsman.I am waiting with baited breathfor a reply. Have you had trouble like this?I am very close to going to Optus. Bill

Beth54 · Guru

Gee they're trying your patience aren't they Bill. disbelief

dazren · Guru

I know what you mean Bill, furious furious been there done that. furious

I will not deal with telstra on the phone ever again. When i have a problem i go to a telstra shop, and get them to sort it out, at least then i am dealing face to face ?? and if it does not get sorted, i can go back to the Same face ! dazren.

Cruising Granny · Guru

The Testra shops don't know who actually employs them according to one "little precious" at the Elizabeth Telstra Shop.
She swore blind that Telstra is NOT Bigpond and Bigpond has nothing to do with Telstra. Go figure!
I don't know why we have so much trouble with these organisations. Our account details are on the computer available, presumably, to the staff or work there. The fact of renewing or not renewing an account should be on your account.
Apparently no.
You can talk to 15 different Telstra/Bigpond staff and get 15 different answers.
As much as it will give you the sh!ts, persevere with phone calls as well as the report to the ombudsman, until you get an answer you can understand and are happy with. Keep at it.
Once again a privatised corporation going haywire. You're the customer. You have to get it clear otherwise you could be paying for something you haven't signed up for.
Besides, is it real? Make sure it's not a scam of some kind. Someone hacking into your account details and pulling the wool.
Keep the pressure up, and GOOD LUCK!!!!

the rocket · Guru

you have my sympathies. I have no problems, I am not with them and never intend to be for the very reason you are telling us about. good luck, sounds like you will need it.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Cruising Granny wrote:
The Testra shops don't know who actually employs them according to one "little precious" at the Elizabeth Telstra Shop.
She swore blind that Telstra is NOT Bigpond and Bigpond has nothing to do with Telstra. Go figure!
I don't know why we have so much trouble with these organisations. Our account details are on the computer available, presumably, to the staff or work there. The fact of renewing or not renewing an account should be on your account.
Apparently no.
You can talk to 15 different Telstra/Bigpond staff and get 15 different answers.
As much as it will give you the sh!ts, persevere with phone calls as well as the report to the ombudsman, until you get an answer you can understand and are happy with. Keep at it.
Once again a privatised corporation going haywire. You're the customer. You have to get it clear otherwise you could be paying for something you haven't signed up for.
Besides, is it real? Make sure it's not a scam of some kind. Someone hacking into your account details and pulling the wool.
Keep the pressure up, and GOOD LUCK!!!!

I remember way back in the dungeons you mentioning your "little precious" Chrissy, she didn't then and still doesn't sound very precious. I think I have spoken to her as well in the past.

WMB · Veteran Member

I am with Amaysim (optus is the carrier) format $39the per month I get umlimited phone calls and text plus 4gs _ data per month. Have had no problems with them. Mandy

Cruising Granny · Guru

The only problem is when we travel far and wide Telstra/Bigpond is the only provider with big enough "reliable" range.
All the others buy space from Optus or Telstra, so they have their limits.
I'm not sure if this will change when the National Broadband Network is implemented. LOL

neilnruth · Guru

I think the girl at the shop was actually right. Telstra and Bigpond are not the same. Hence the problems. (My 'Telstra' son only told me this at Easter.)
Regarding the original problem Bill, did you keep a record of the names. dates of each of your conversations?
I had a small problem - each month for 5 months I was charged for local calls which I was supposed to be getting for free. I kept a record of each time I rang - name of person, story they gave etc - and after 5 times I rang the ombudsman. They heard me out, gave me a reference number (which is like 'a gold key'!) and a 'Severe Complaints' number to ring. Once I said I had a reference number from the ombudsman I was dealt with on the phone at that time - took almost an hour but I finally got the problem solved (and the man spoke Australian!). Once you have been given a reference number they have 10 days to solve the problem. Worth the effort. Haven't had any more problems.

2weis · Senior Member

when dealing with any telstra agent on the phone ALWAYS ask for an INT number (i think it stands for interaction) and have them confirm they know what action you require to be taken
with this int number you have a reference that any telstra agent can access and confirm what was said
i found this reference number stopped any dispute (sample of number is int 1-1234567891011)

brian

Cruising Granny · Guru

Yeah I have a few of those. I do ask for an Australian technician these days. Makes much more sense to me.
If Telstra isn't Bigpond, and vice verse, why does my email account come from Telstra with a Telstra letterhead?
My wireless broadband USB dongle has the icon of both organisations.
While they are not one and the same, they really are one and the same.
If they were separate there would be much less confusion.
I was paying my bill to an account number a few years ago, yet I kept getting threatened with disconnection.
It worked out I was paying the phone bill to the email account, and the phone bill wasn't being paid. I had an auto payment on the internet account, so there was a large credit on that account. They couldn't work it out. I had several anxious moments with them as they investigated the problem, and in the end they gave me the credit and I didn't have to pay phone bills for about 3 months.
That entire organisation is grossly mismanaged and very hard to keep track of because of the overseas "connection". (pardon pun)
What is a Telstra share worth these days shareholders?

bill12 · Guru

I finally had an admission from the telstra lady that she can,t understand the billing system- how does she expect the customers to understand it!So, once more into the fire, I will ring them again today. I don,t expect anything, but you have got to try.I will write down times and who I am talking to this time. Its such a hassle, really.Bill

the rocket · Guru

it really annoys me that all of us have to live with this cr@p and its happening every day to someone and sometimes when you complain you get challenged, where has customer service gone? when are they going to realize, you would not be wasting your time if there was not a genuine problem?

Honestly, this happened last time I bought chicken: "could I have 2 kilos of chicken in two bags please" and I get "this is a bulk price and we only do one bag" so I said "fine I'll have 1 kilo". I have taken to thinking now, if it is too hard - go without. quite a few things are in need of servicing or fixing - they can stay that way.

hope you get it sorted out/most upsetting for you and one should not have to go to the lengths now needed to get a satisfactory result - the world we now live in.

One other thing Bill12, have they got ya by the balls or can you get Optus or any other carrier on the island? If there is another carrier, I know what I would be doing.

-- Edited by the rocket on Friday 13th of April 2012 02:47:41 PM

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

bill12 wrote:
The problem with that is I live on an island , and its $40 ferry ride to go and talk with a telstra rep.I don,t think they know what the right hand is doing, and it doesn,t talk to the left. Drive you insane at times. Bill

-- Edited by bill12 on Thursday 12th of April 2012 05:44:00 PM

bill, can't you swim, biggrin biggrin

Seriously you need to contact the ombudsman

bill12 · Guru

I have contempleted going over to optus, but the coverage in fringe areas is not good. It works on Magnetic is, but not in some areas. The package from optus was 1/2 the price from telecoma, so if it all comes to a head, I will probably go over to optus.I am on a contract, but it ends in Oct. I would like to get out of the contract, and will see what the ombudsman says.Anything would be better than argueing will the brain dead idiots from Telecoma. Bill

-- Edited by bill12 on Friday 13th of April 2012 04:20:36 PM

bill12 · Guru

I just spent 25 mins on the phone with some sheila in the Philopines, and still have no joy. I am definately going to complain to the ombudsman. Stay tuned.

Happywanderer · The Master

I had the same problems with Origin Energy this morning. Received in the mail a final warning notice for my electricity.
Rang them smartly and gave them whatoh!.
As I said how can I pay a final reading when I have not received the account. She apologised profusely. It had been read on 2/4 as I had requested, account still in the mail.
Told her I will be ripping up this final warning notice with action to be taken, and thowing it in the bin and will patiently wait for a proper account.

bill12 · Guru

I have just put in a complaint with the telecomunications ombudsman. I got a reply from them imediately, While I am still waiting for a telcoma reply. Will post what happens. Bill

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Happywanderer wrote:
I had the same problems with Origin Energy this morning. Received in the mail a final warning notice for my electricity.
Rang them smartly and gave them whatoh!.
As I said how can I pay a final reading when I have not received the account. She apologised profusely. It had been read on 2/4 as I had requested, account still in the mail.
Told her I will be ripping up this final warning notice with action to be taken, and thowing it in the bin and will patiently wait for a proper account.

if its not too late, do NOT rip up any paperwork sent to you, you may need it a proof later down the track, and keep a record of phone calls made and what was said during the ph calls

Happywanderer · The Master

wombat, I didn't rip it up. I actually wrote the details she gave me on it, the final amount and the date its to be paid by. She will be thinking its been ripped up though.

kandagal · Guru

Before we went on our cruise, on27th. Jan i paid my current Testra bill + an estimated amount to cover the next bill while we would be away. Just before we got back to Oz my daughter sent me an email to the ship - a bill had come from Telstra saying I owed for Jan & Feb + an amount for being overdue. When I got back i phoned them & after a long conversation they agreed I didn't owe them at all. Then last week my next bill arrived & behold there was still all the arrears on it. So another long phone call & they have agreed again I don't owe them any back money. So I have just paid the current amount & waiting with interest to see what the next bill says.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

have you guys tried to ask T if they will phone you back cos you are on a high priced mobile, they never phone back, it's the same with most buisness these days nobody will phone you back.

I'm with amaysim prepaid great company

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

bill have a look at amaysim and see if that will work for you, it uses Optus

http://www.amaysim.com.au/

Cruising Granny · Guru

Telstra and Bigpond do phone back I'm happy to report. I've tested that system a few times.
I think the accounting problem is caused by overseas contract billing distribution. They don't have the latest final information when they put the statement out. It's a matter of the timing.
It just goes to stress the problems of this overseas contract administration. Cheap for them, pain in the ass for us.
It's very inefficient and ineffective. If you didn't notice the problems and simply paid the bills, I doubt you'd be given the actual credit in the next bill. It would just be pocketed without another word.
We shouldn't have to record ever detail of every phone call to complain about service to us.
Keep the pressure on the ombudsman. Telstra is the major offender in these matters, but there are others, like the power distributors.

the rocket · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
bill have a look at amaysim and see if that will work for you, it uses Optus
http://www.amaysim.com.au/

so does Virgin.

Happywanderer · The Master

_wombat_ wrote:
have you guys tried to ask T if they will phone you back cos you are on a high priced mobile, they never phone back, it's the same with most buisness these days nobody will phone you back.
I'm with amaysim prepaid great company

I tried to get centrelink to ring me back as they gave that option when I rang to change my address. They wouldn't accept a mobile number so after 3 attempts of 20 minutes each time over 3 days I finally got through. Ringing them from my mobile.

neilnruth · Guru

I think you'll find that T has put in a new billing system and not all are OK with it yet. Pity.

pauline · Guru

Like it or not if you are on the road and travelling throughout this GREAT country you have to be with Telstra, we might not like that fact but it is a fact that if you want the best coverage wherever you might be that is the way to go and maybe we should stop whinging about it.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

pauline wrote:
Like it or not if you are on the road and travelling throughout this GREAT country you have to be with Telstra, we might not like that fact but it is a fact that if you want the best coverage wherever you might be that is the way to go and maybe we should stop whinging about it.

not 100% correct pauline, even telstra struggles in some outback locations, we are not with telstra and can make contact from anywhere in Australia and I do mean in the real bush and out of the way places, you just need a HF radio, I can contact the VKS 737 operators and also the RFDS, although the RFDS now days does go through the VKS 737 network and not direct to RFDS.

Not a cheap option but I consider it cheap insurance and you only pay for it once, the only on going charge is for being a member of the VKS 737, I think that is about $110 a year now.

There is also another option, a sat phone, not cheap to use, I think they are about $200- $300 & $1 a minute