NuffNang

Friday, March 30, 2012

Telstra, You Had Better Hope No-One Dies, While You Can't Provide an Essential Service

This problem has been on going for 50 or more years (I've lived here for 15 years) and the previous owners (widow) had to walk down the road to report her husbands death because the telephone wasn't working AGAIN.

13.11.10 How Many Faults and How Many Deaths?


17.11.10 Update No. 2 on Telstra fault of 13th November 2010

That's just the BIG memorable events on the last 3 years.......... There has been days where the phones don't work and I report and it's fixed without Telstra even telling me that it's fixed........ It's even feasible that the phone lines go down and I don't realise, if I get home late and the kids are with me and I have no need to talk to them.

2001 - Our boat was stolen and the police didn't believe me that we hadn't had phones for a one week.

November 2003 - The neighbours house was burgled and we hadn't had phones for two weeks.

January 2004 - I've been forced to go to work WITH my leg in plaster due to a broken leg, due to the bushfire risk (Remembering 2009 Black Saturday Fires were only 10  minutes or less from my front door)

I am FORCED out of my OWN pocket to pay for a separate line on the 'newer' network because Telstra CAN NOT or WILL NOT fix my main line and keep it fixed.

We CAN NOT rely on mobiles as the reception is patchy at the BEST OF TIMES :( it works if you hold one arm in the air, stand on ladder on one leg on top of the roof with your elbow touching the chimney. (joke) but I think you get my message.

We are 40km from the Melbourne CBD, and yet we can't get basic services, (including water) Power is also quite unreliable at times, including being 7 days without power ONCE in 15 years. But often we can lose power for 2-3 days at time, although recently this has improved. We still get many brown-outs

But back to telephones, I've rung 132200 (which is written in BIG letters on the back on phone) I've already unplugged the handsets (yet they STILL instruct me to do so) I repeat it's ALREADY DONE.

I wait 20 minutes and finally get a reference number from Telstra. I request the phone be diverted to the OTHER LINE THAT I PAY FOR OUT OF MY OWN POCKET because of Telstra's inability to provide a basic service.

I have my reference number with an estimated restore date of 4th April 2012. I have my phone diverted.

I THOUGHT I had my phone diverted, I only became aware it was INcorrectly diverted thanks to a Telstra technician, it turns out that the diversion number put in place WAS INCORRECT. Telstra OVERSEAS CALL-CENTRE can't even get THAT RIGHT.

Finally my diversion phone is working THAT I PAY FOR FROM MY OWN POCKET, THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO IF TELSTRA DID THEIR JOB.

Did you know - I am first name basis with the phone technicians?

That's how OFTEN this happens

Telstra pull up your pants........................... because God help you if ANYONE I KNOW and care about dies because of your inability to rectify a 50 YEAR OLD FAULT

Service finally restored 3pm on Monday the 2nd April 2012

5 comments:

  1. You may recall that I grew up in the country, in Gippsland 30km out of Warragul. It was real bush but any phone fault was fixed very quickly. Once underground cable was laid, I don't think we ever had any phone problems. The electricity went off more often, but it was always quickly repaired, with very grateful milking cows.

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  2. The faults have been GREATLY reduced with the building of the new house and consequently a new line in from the street, but the problems still happen and remain long-term it's never unusual for a period of 1-2 weeks to pass BEFORE a repair is inititated.

    In a dairy industry area - electricity is essential, for the chilling of the milk. A generator can be used for the actual milking, but not the chilling because of the length of time between collections :(

    Thanks once again for the comments Andrew!

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  3. Telstra really did jump for joy when NBNco bought the ageing infrastructure, now when they repair or replace lines in/out to homes NBN by rights should foot the bill. Hopefully that may also mean they will get the job done quicker. 4th April 2012 sounds like a slow boat to China.

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  4. No hope and buckleys of the NBN getting anywhere near my place before say........... 2020 IF I AM LUCKY!

    "This is the NBN rollout activity in your area.

    Fibre | Work to commence within three years - we will commence work in your area from Mar 2015*.

    It is estimated that the average time from work beginning to NBN services being available is 12 months."

    So I don't expect ANY resolution of service issues realistically BEFORE 2015 more likely 2020..............

    Only 40km from Melbourne's CBD................

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  5. I am only 45k as the crow flies from Canberra and yet we don't get a mention at all so I'm sure we won't see it before 2020 as well. My son who lives 4ks from CBD in Canberra is not on the list either.

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