Telstra frustration
Having separated from my wife, I decided it was about time I changed my Telstra telephone bill, so that it would be in my name (and not hers)… now there is a recipe for BIG problems!
For many weeks, Telstra would pass the buck:
If I called, they would say I’m not authorised to make changes on this account… she needs to call.
If she called, then Telstra would say I need to call to change ownership to my name…
Eventually, Telstra told us we both had to be on the line, in order to change ownership.
OK, we both sat down in front of the phone, called Telstra, only to be told they cannot change ownership over the phone… we both need to go into a Telstra Shop!
I figure: we can nail them on this… there is a limit on how many combinations of requests they can make before they are cornered,and then have to do what we ask…
Sure enough, we go into a Telstra Shop, and after a few “sure, we can do that” replies from the sales guy, they eventually admit that they cannot do it, and that we must call to fix things.
Fine. We will call from the Telstra Shop, so if they say “go to a Telstra Shop”, we can get them to talk directly to the shop guy.
So the sales guy dials 132200 for us (funny, I never used that number before…).
Nevertheless, we find ourselves talking to a lady that seems to know what to do…
She says that the line needs to be disconnected, and then reconnected in the new name…I’ll only be without a phone for about 1 hour.
Just to be sure, I also ask about my “duet” service (I have 2 phone numbers going to 1 physical line… the 2 numbers ring differently, so I know if its a personal, or a business call.
She then goes: “oh, that might be a problem… I didn’t realise that you had a duet line”
I’m thinking: she should be able to see that on my account details… I thought it would be obvious.
It turns out that Telstras new billing system doesn’t support duet lines, as they are phasing out the service (no doubt to make more money by forcing people to pay for 2 separate lines).
Anyway, after a lengthy discussion with her supervisor, she tells me it can be done via the “old” billing system, and that tomorrow (Friday) morning, it will be done. I get the reference numbers, and I eagerly await this change.
At midday, on Friday, I call Telstra, asking for a progress report, as I can receive business calls, but I cannot make calls, and I cannot receive personal calls.
I’m told “It should have been done by now…I’ll make a note on the system and schedule to be done by close of business today (Friday)”
Since nothing happened by the end of Friday (midnight!), I call again, first thing on Saturday morning…
At this stage, it gets a bit confusing, as I’m shuffled between 4 different departments.
I eventually end up talking to a rude and condescending guy… but I put up with him, as he actually seems to know whats happening and what needs to be done to get my phone fixed.
Apparently, the line disconnect and re-connect cannot be done via the “online system”… and someone actually has to perform the work at the exchange! Who would have thunk it!
Now we are into the weekend (a long weekend as well!), so I have to wait until Tuesday before I can call to say “it ain’t working”.
On Tuesday, Telstra log it as a line fault, and get a technician to fix it.
Now I’m wondering: the phone and internet were working perfectly…all I wanted was to change owner details…and now I’m dealing with “faults” that didn’t exist before.
Anyway, the technician calls me the next morning (Wednesday), and after 2 attempts, fixes my phone line…
So thats the end of it?
No!
Since I get my broadband internet via an ADSL service on my phone line, I find my internet stopped on Monday morning.
It seems that when a line is disconnected and then reconnected, then any ADSL “codes” on that line are cleared.
And since my internet is not with Telstra, then they don’t give a shit.
I have to ask my ISP (TPG) to have my broadband re-connected. TPG then need to request Telstra to place the TPG ADSL codes on my line.
I even tried to call Telstra, to try to speed up the process, but I hit a brick wall, as only an ISP can make that request.
In the end, I have to wait days for Telstra to take their time doing something that should only take minutes (some might say it should never have happened at all!).
I finally get my internet back on midday on the Monday after my internet was disconnected.
Normally, 1 week without internet isn’t a problem for me, but when I depend on it for many parts of my business, then it becomes difficult.
Grrr.
…and I thought these things only happen in the Philippines…
Good luck 🙂
1 week without internet for me???? I am dying 😀
It might have been easier to just stay with your wife lol!! I don’t have internet at home right now because I can’t find a way to do it. We have cell phones on a family plan through our son, we watch tv through our antenna tv and no land line…. We’ll figure it out some day, til then I don’t go on enough to worry about it.
I too have “Duet” probs, although I still have the same wife (lol). I am the Hon Sec of a not for profit group I make outgoing calls via the Duet line and was getting two listings (one for each number) on the same bill. I then just gave my Treasurer his section to pay.
The last bill came in with ALL numbers listed under the main land line number, no separation. Impossible to sort which is which, without manual recording as you make calls, and collate when the bill comes in.
I’ve been told this is an enhancement to the billing system. Ok, so they now record all deatils of local calls ,(like I give damn about them, un-timed and fixed price)but thay don’t even say I have a “Duet’ on the bill.
Their option is two lines, the extra costing 3 x the “Duets” $6 a month.
NOT HAPPY