Forum Discussion
No compassion from telecoms provider
I decided to cancel my landline phone to save money - given the additional costs related to having cancer - and just keep my mobile. Rang my provider today - yes, The Big T. I have landline, internet and mobile with them. Told the wee girl why I wanted to cancel landline. No word of "Sorry to hear that." She launched into lengthy and complicated questions about what I use my internet for, how much I use the landline, etc. Then told me that if I cancel the landline (it and the internet currently cost me $89 a month), I'll have to pay $150 a month to have "stand-alone" internet. I said "That's ridiculous." She said "Yes." Then launched into a sales pitch: "I can offer you a new package with landline and internet and a free tablet for $94 a month." I explained yet again that I don't want the landline. She said, "Well you don't have to use it." She then launched again into an explanation of how great the tablet would be "for when you're out and about," I said, "I don't go out and about. I'm having chemotherapy. Perhaps you missed what I said at the start: I have cancer. You're not helping. You're complicating everything. Don't change my package. Just leave it the same for now." And I hung up. Now I've lodged a complaint. If they don't respond I'll lodge a complaint with the Telecommunications Ombudsman.
37 Replies
- From what I hear of the NBN in this big regional city I, like iserbrown, am glad my home is in the old area. I have good old snail pace access and understand it is faster than the new-beaut lines in the new homes or for those who chose to swap quickly on the promises. Always contact the provider first, then no quick result contact the TIO (often the threat alone works as it costs the company a lot if the TIO gets involved). Anne
- Our experience led us to believe it’s not about logic just $.
- @Sister Amazing how hard joined-up thinking and common sense can be for some peope, isn't it?
- Our phone cable was in a roll on top of the grass verge across the road for years. Everytime the phone went out, we'd contact Telstra and they would make us go through a lot of rigmarole before they'd log the job, and everytime it would be because something had gone through that cable - car, kangaroo, council slasher, fire. Even the local techie officially requested it to be buried (after he had to pick a decomposing kangaroo off it). It took years before someone finally recognised that it cost more to send someone out to fix it each time, than it did to just fix it properly.
- @Romla - I've talked her into moving up here - haven't told her about the internet problem, lol.
- @iserbrown I keyed in my address and it says I'm connected FTTN (fibre to the node). What fibre? No one has been here to lay cables in over 20 years. I said this to them already and they said that there were little Green Boxes (I kid you not) that were scattered around Suffolk Park. I'm still looking for one.
- @PatsyN wish I’d kept the photos I bombarded them with but I think your sister might have success thru the TIO like we did for the same reasons. It was tricky when Telstra/NBN split establishing who was responsible and understand we were the first intervention of this kind TIO had tackled but step one must be to try ( and keep good records even of phone conversations) through your provider first then TIO might take it up like they did with us. Take heaps of photos of shoddy wiring too and forward it as evidence.
- @Flaneuse - You've gotta laugh...
- My daughter and family live in the Lower Blue Mountains west of Sydney and their internet is disgusting. They don't have a timeline yet for NBN.
