Hey Telstra Congratulations you just lost business !!!
I got a phone call from Telstra to say NBN is now available so I ordered it but they were taking 3 months to connect it. My neighbour told me he had signed with Tangerine and it was being connected in a few days. This caused me to Investigate all my Telstra accounts and at the end of the day I have saved $92 a month and got better services
Telstra ADSL 1 $100 a month( restricted data use ) now with Tangerine NBN $78 unlimited data unlimited land line phone calls an phone rental Saved $22 ( NBN Connected in 10 days )
I had a 4G dongle which is not needed as phone can be used as a hot spot ( I did not know this and Telstra did not tell me just kept collecting $50 a month.) Moved 2 mobiles from Telstra (currently $50 for $500 of calls and 5meg data to Optus sim only $40 a month for unlimited phone calls in Australia 300 minutes of International and 8 Gig data which can be shared
GOOD BYE TELSTRA
brickies said
09:06 AM Mar 18, 2017
Hope you are happy with Optus has your mobile carrier .
Peter Rose said
09:09 AM Mar 18, 2017
So do I but many say its Good and many say its Bad same sort of feedback as Telstra
So far I have been very impressed with the customer service from Optus
the rocket said
09:30 AM Mar 18, 2017
Hello peter rose, a very warm welcome to the playground. Lots of friends here u have yet to meet. Cheers. Rocket n strop
Traway said
10:01 AM Mar 18, 2017
Telstra keep a lot of their nomad customers by restricting access to other carriers in remote areas. No Optus coverage between Hyden WA and Ceduna SA. Learnt this the hard way but 2 weeks with no phone or internet was a touch relaxing.
Goldfinger said
11:19 AM Mar 18, 2017
I have both Optus and Telstra pre-paid broadband plans here in Eaglehawk/Bendigo...the Optus Broadband signal strength is pathetic at best and non-existant at worse.. and can only really be
used during midnight/early hours...Telstra has full signal strength 4G/3G....even the Optus shop here in Bendigo can't recommend any reliability as they have been stating for past 4 years
that they need a "new tower"...or access near the tower top where Telstra transmitters are...I have appropriate aerial set up as well so obtain the best/worse Optus signal available...Optus is
invariably cheaper than Telstra here...however with little/no service strength...where's the savings?...good luck.....
Telstra ""service shop"" here in Bendigo is pathetic..Optus very obliging and available...however Telstra knows it has the signal strength here in Bendigo region that others can't/don't so don't have to offer
anything else to continue to obtain ""business""...its Australia today....hard for the average punter to ever have a win on anything IMO...Hoo Roo
Desert Dweller said
11:44 AM Mar 18, 2017
Best of luck not having Telstra as your mobile phone carrier out in the bush. We've had nothing but extremely efficient service from them.
Santa said
11:46 AM Mar 18, 2017
"GOOD BYE TELSTRA"
Good luck Peter, suspect your going to need it.
rockylizard said
11:57 AM Mar 18, 2017
Desert Dweller wrote:
Best of luck not having Telstra as your mobile phone carrier out in the bush. We've had nothing but extremely efficient service from them.
Gday...
DITTO DD ... unfortunately, Telstra is the only carrier that covers the majority of the Strayan country. Don't fall for the "99% of the population" rubbish - that is the population in major cities .. and some major towns.
I have been surprised just how reliable the Telstra coverage has been and that I have even had a signal in some remote places I end up in.
Those without Telstra rarely have a good/reliable/usable signal out in the sticks.
Too bad Telstra is the most expensive ... and have a fairly poor customer service response when ya need some info.
Cheers - JOhn
macka17 said
12:19 PM Mar 18, 2017
Hi.
DOn't know who signed you on with Telstra but your services were pathetic.
We've been with Telstra since before the "bricks" came out. 40 odd yrs.
I had one of the first bricks.
We have ADSL2+, Semi Rural. 4.75km from tower and 42km from Rocky.
Normally good (7.2 to 8.3). Recently listed as Congested,
and 4 is a good day down to .8 at times.
NBN connection By NBN to Telstra. Is on 22 this month
FREE Modem and $90 pm. (25\5)
All there is at present.
500gig + 200 g bonus pm.
Free home ph. calls local and interstate. O'Seas at $2 capped.
Mobiles...
Prepaid. Telstra. Blue Tick (Samsung J1 handsets). You buy to suit.
Me,
$30 pm. = $700 calls . $200 O'Seas. 1.5+1.5g of that internet thing.
I use around 1\2 a gig on emails.
Di.
$30 per 2 months = 15c Per min calls worldwide. NO credit.
and every time I add cash from mine to cover her call costs,
her renewal date goes back more.
Early June at present. last time she paid was in mid Feb.
When I transfer my $30 pm cash across to her to use on calls.
She around $285 in credit at moment and rings son in US coupla times a week.
2 yr contracts..
So WHAT. You have to have a phone.
And Telstra the ONLY one gives anything outside of town.
with brilliant service. IF YOU POLITE AND SMILE.
Some of the whinging on here and elsewhere about Telstra service.
and the service I KNOW I and others get.
they must go on line snarling.
Just remember. "you'll ALWAYS get what you give".
You Polite.... etc.
brickies said
12:45 PM Mar 18, 2017
Peter Rose maybe you should have ask the question first on the forum , Has we have lots of member with experience of phone coverage out on the road , Cheap phone company if you live in a big city , But when you leave the big smoke your cheap plan goes up in smoke signals .
Peter Rose said
12:49 PM Mar 18, 2017
From the people I have talked to its 50/50 between Telstra and Optus so not everyone agrees
Time will Tell
brickies said
12:52 PM Mar 18, 2017
Has I did say it depends on where you want to travel if you stay in built up areas they will be fine but if you go west young man be aware .
jules47 said
12:57 PM Mar 18, 2017
I agree with Brickies - there are places where Optus works well - but Telstra has connection in more remote areas - and more towers going up all the time.
We have travelled round the country a couple of times, and an Optus connected phone was banished to the top drawer for the duration.
Bruce and Bev said
01:28 PM Mar 18, 2017
Hi Jules :)))
I agree with Jules comments. We have Optus when we're at home (Perth) but as soon as our plan expires in a couple of months we're dumping them. Terrible drop outs in the metro area (not so much covereage, but too many customers, so the system just starts dropping off connections). We're going to go pre-paidd Vodaphone.
The customer service we have had from Optus is just bloodu hopeless - most of their call centre operators cant speak English well and hard to understand, let alone them understand why you are calling.
Last year, apparently Optus made No 1 as the most complained about Telco to the Telecomms Ombudsman.
We have a pre paid Dave phone from Telstra which we use when out in the country.
If youre going to be going do a lot into the country travelling pre-paid Telstra and then one of the other Telcos with poor service in that area is the way to go. Post paid accounts mean that you may be paying monthly fees for months and not able to use their phone or data service
You can buy pre-paid from all Servos (never struck any that don't) and the cheapest is a $10 one - most of the Telco shops sell a minimum of $20 pre paid vouchers
macka17 said
01:31 PM Mar 18, 2017
My Optus "try out" is at throw distance from North end of Cooktown Jetty.
A Vodaphone version tried to stop a train down in Melbourne.
It failed.
We've been caravaning in this country since '74. UK prev 10 yrs or so.
Telstra the only NEARLY Consistent service of them all here.
NOT perfect, but the best of the pick.
Example.
ADSL2+.
Last 3 months we listed as in a "Congestion"area
Monthly bill $110. ($86 for BIGPOND service.)
We ring 133933 Billing. speak to Supervisor,
and so far. evey bill been knocked down to $40\42 per bill.
I have no complaints. almost.
THEY can't help all the people moving here to a small exchange
build for 12000. now over 30000.
NBN in next street. is running at 40\42 when I was there yesterday.
And his brother in New Zealand, sitting on 90...........And going up.
Hmmmm
brickies said
01:56 PM Mar 18, 2017
Maka I am a Telstra don't like you knocking down your bill , What about my share returns .
aussie_paul said
02:11 PM Mar 18, 2017
brickies wrote:
Maka I am a Telstra don't like you knocking down your bill , What about my share returns .
lol.
Aussie Paul.
Bryan said
03:14 PM Mar 18, 2017
Peter Rose, at the end of the day its your decision and what suits you best at any given point in time.
Izabarack said
03:14 PM Mar 18, 2017
Would love to go back to Telstra. Two months into new phone plan with Optus and I have already spent 11 hours at the keyboard or on hold or trying to talk to someone for help with the stuffed up bills. Go to the Optus Customer Care online site and read some of the comments. I am so sorry I did not read some of those comments before signing up.
Iza
Bushpie said
05:18 PM Mar 18, 2017
After years in the bush with T phones were always fine ........internet left a lot to be desired of.
But yes if you are wandering around the country Telstra is your best option........in the city find the cheapest.......
With retirement and travel iminent I will be getting back on the T bandwagon........hope they havent fogotten what a wonderful I was and all those dollars they took from me.........
Eaglemax said
06:58 PM Mar 18, 2017
Tried Onetel, tried Optus, Tried Vodaphone....now back to Telstra for last 10 years and I wont change.
Santa said
07:06 PM Mar 18, 2017
Eaglemax wrote:
Tried Onetel, tried Optus, Tried Vodaphone....now back to Telstra for last 10 years and I wont change.
Its a pretty common story.
Lancelot Link said
12:36 AM Mar 19, 2017
Who actually owns the lines that carry each providers signals? I am confused. I cannot see a connection on my wall that says Telstra, Optus, Dodo or any other provider. So who am I actually paying for the line into my house? Who is transmitting the signal to my mobile phone? It is time we asked the question of our politicians, "Why do we pay for a signal that is carried on the same line and paid for at different rates?" The whole process of selling off utilities needs redressing at a national level. We need utilities back in Government control, not in the control of overseas companies!
sandsmere said
07:47 AM Mar 19, 2017
jules47 wrote:
I agree with Brickies - there are places where Optus works well - but Telstra has connection in more remote areas - and more towers going up all the time.
We have travelled round the country a couple of times, and an Optus connected phone was banished to the top drawer for the duration.
I agree Jules, and what you have said is not just an opinion, it's fact.
But maybe Peter Rose does not intend to travel in country areas .
Peter Rose said
07:58 AM Mar 19, 2017
I am still pleased with my decision to move to Tangerine for my NBN and to Optus for my mobile carrier.
Notwithstanding the many Negative comments about Optus in this thread some other travelers have told me they would never move back to Telstra ever !!
We are Newbies on this board but we are experienced travelers. We did 18 months in a 20ft Regent in 1998/1999 and had a brick in the glove box for emergency use only. ( Good Old Nokia 5110 )
Following that we lived and traveled on a 50 ft motor boat for 10 years and for a while our phones were connected via 3 which was the worst ever telecom decision.
We have a satellite phone for when we are in remote areas ( just for safety ) but we are old enough to remember when there was no mobile phones and we were not all tied to a mobile phone. Some time without a phone may well be refreshing.
brickies said
09:20 AM Mar 19, 2017
Peter Rose has you can see people on the forum will tell what they think and what they have found , But in the end it's your choice and only you can make .
macka17 said
03:42 PM Mar 19, 2017
Brickies.
Mr Shareholder (chucle)
Hold a board meeting this week, And tell that "underpaid" Boss.
that the day I get the SERVICE I'm paying for. 8 to 12..meg?..
I'll give him the money I contracted to pay for it.
%%ages of one, results in %%ages of, T'other too. OK.
Goes both ways mate. says he with a titter or two.
From what I've heard from Neighbours with other carriers in Metro. Melb. Rcky Brissie etc And Darwin.
Telstra leases line space to the others. and they often get congestion,drop outs there too.
I've ALWAYS found Telstra easy to talk to and get things done.
A chat with Supervisor normally sorts 98% of items. Or an Escalation if outside problems.
YES. They cost more. But YES. They always fix it and reduce costing if it ongoing.
WHO else does that Among the other carriers????. Tell me. I personally prefer to pay a bit more and get a solid product.
As far as older times. We always took our 0-30 meg HF Transc with us with a 30 ft length of wire with ceramic Backstay insulators on it to string. I still play at times.
And the 27meg bounced all over NZ and other States most days, with clear air. Clear as a bell mainly.
I often chatted to a fisherman in Aukland. like he was next to me. ME.. Adelaide.
You can 97% get somebody on the air on marine bands, at most times of your day\nighttime hrs.
And YEP. a month now and then is good with no phone. I often leave mine home when we go O\S or away in van.
The next time it's battery is flat won't be the first.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 19th of March 2017 03:49:09 PM
Phil C said
03:54 PM Mar 19, 2017
For the record...
Welcome to all the new members.. This is a great forum. Make sure you subscribe to Grey Nomad Times via the link on the website.
I have taken Vodafone to the Telecommunications Ombudsman twice (and won)
I have taken OPTUS to the ombudsman twice as well and won..
We are with Telstra for the following reasons.
1. Most of Australia is covered.
Last year we went to Perth, Esperance etc from Adelaide. MOST of the journey had at least 2 bars on 3G. We were able to communicate home even at the whistle stops (Mundrabilla etc)
2. Despite some negative experiences from some folks, we have never had an issue with bills, service or customer care. In fact I get a phone call every 3 months to suggest better ways to do our business with them. Last call saved me $25 a month so no dramas there.
3. When we did have an issue with a phone (I dropped it in the loo) they were very quick to change the service (at no cost to me) and get me back on line.
To be honest Telstra may not be the cheapest telco, but in my opinion the best..
Cheers
brickies said
05:19 PM Mar 20, 2017
Maka you will be mention at the next board meeting , We may have improve your service to get more money out of you , Or maybe just farm you out to someone else , But we would not like to lose you has you have paid us a lot of money over your 105 years
My neighbour told me he had signed with Tangerine and it was being connected in a few days. This caused me to Investigate all my Telstra accounts and at the end of the day I have saved $92 a month and got better services
Moved 2 mobiles from Telstra (currently $50 for $500 of calls and 5meg data to Optus sim only $40 a month for unlimited phone calls in Australia 300 minutes of International and 8 Gig data which can be shared
So far I have been very impressed with the customer service from Optus
Hello peter rose, a very warm welcome to the playground. Lots of friends here u have yet to meet. Cheers. Rocket n strop
Telstra keep a lot of their nomad customers by restricting access to other carriers in remote areas. No Optus coverage between Hyden WA and Ceduna SA. Learnt this the hard way but 2 weeks with no phone or internet was a touch relaxing.
used during midnight/early hours...Telstra has full signal strength 4G/3G....even the Optus shop here in Bendigo can't recommend any reliability as they have been stating for past 4 years
that they need a "new tower"...or access near the tower top where Telstra transmitters are...I have appropriate aerial set up as well so obtain the best/worse Optus signal available...Optus is
invariably cheaper than Telstra here...however with little/no service strength...where's the savings?...good luck.....
Telstra ""service shop"" here in Bendigo is pathetic..Optus very obliging and available...however Telstra knows it has the signal strength here in Bendigo region that others can't/don't so don't have to offer
anything else to continue to obtain ""business""...its Australia today....hard for the average punter to ever have a win on anything IMO...Hoo Roo
"GOOD BYE TELSTRA"
Good luck Peter, suspect your going to need it.
Gday...
DITTO DD ... unfortunately, Telstra is the only carrier that covers the majority of the Strayan country. Don't fall for the "99% of the population" rubbish - that is the population in major cities .. and some major towns.
I have been surprised just how reliable the Telstra coverage has been and that I have even had a signal in some remote places I end up in.
Those without Telstra rarely have a good/reliable/usable signal out in the sticks.
Too bad Telstra is the most expensive ... and have a fairly poor customer service response when ya need some info.
Cheers - JOhn
DOn't know who signed you on with Telstra but your services were pathetic.
We've been with Telstra since before the "bricks" came out. 40 odd yrs.
I had one of the first bricks.
We have ADSL2+, Semi Rural. 4.75km from tower and 42km from Rocky.
Normally good (7.2 to 8.3). Recently listed as Congested,
and 4 is a good day down to .8 at times.
NBN connection By NBN to Telstra. Is on 22 this month
FREE Modem and $90 pm. (25\5)
All there is at present.
500gig + 200 g bonus pm.
Free home ph. calls local and interstate. O'Seas at $2 capped.
Mobiles...
Prepaid. Telstra. Blue Tick (Samsung J1 handsets). You buy to suit.
Me,
$30 pm. = $700 calls . $200 O'Seas. 1.5+1.5g of that internet thing.
I use around 1\2 a gig on emails.
Di.
$30 per 2 months = 15c Per min calls worldwide. NO credit.
and every time I add cash from mine to cover her call costs,
her renewal date goes back more.
Early June at present. last time she paid was in mid Feb.
When I transfer my $30 pm cash across to her to use on calls.
She around $285 in credit at moment and rings son in US coupla times a week.
2 yr contracts..
So WHAT. You have to have a phone.
And Telstra the ONLY one gives anything outside of town.
with brilliant service. IF YOU POLITE AND SMILE.
Some of the whinging on here and elsewhere about Telstra service.
and the service I KNOW I and others get.
they must go on line snarling.
Just remember. "you'll ALWAYS get what you give".
You Polite.... etc.
Time will Tell
We have travelled round the country a couple of times, and an Optus connected phone was banished to the top drawer for the duration.
I agree with Jules comments. We have Optus when we're at home (Perth) but as soon as our plan expires in a couple of months we're dumping them. Terrible drop outs in the metro area (not so much covereage, but too many customers, so the system just starts dropping off connections). We're going to go pre-paidd Vodaphone.
The customer service we have had from Optus is just bloodu hopeless - most of their call centre operators cant speak English well and hard to understand, let alone them understand why you are calling.
Last year, apparently Optus made No 1 as the most complained about Telco to the Telecomms Ombudsman.
We have a pre paid Dave phone from Telstra which we use when out in the country.
If youre going to be going do a lot into the country travelling pre-paid Telstra and then one of the other Telcos with poor service in that area is the way to go. Post paid accounts mean that you may be paying monthly fees for months and not able to use their phone or data service
You can buy pre-paid from all Servos (never struck any that don't) and the cheapest is a $10 one - most of the Telco shops sell a minimum of $20 pre paid vouchers
A Vodaphone version tried to stop a train down in Melbourne.
It failed.
We've been caravaning in this country since '74. UK prev 10 yrs or so.
Telstra the only NEARLY Consistent service of them all here.
NOT perfect, but the best of the pick.
Example.
ADSL2+.
Last 3 months we listed as in a "Congestion"area
Monthly bill $110. ($86 for BIGPOND service.)
We ring 133933 Billing. speak to Supervisor,
and so far. evey bill been knocked down to $40\42 per bill.
I have no complaints. almost.
THEY can't help all the people moving here to a small exchange
build for 12000. now over 30000.
NBN in next street. is running at 40\42 when I was there yesterday.
And his brother in New Zealand, sitting on 90...........And going up.
Hmmmm
lol.
Aussie Paul.
Peter Rose, at the end of the day its your decision and what suits you best at any given point in time.
Iza
But yes if you are wandering around the country Telstra is your best option........in the city find the cheapest.......
With retirement and travel iminent I will be getting back on the T bandwagon........hope they havent fogotten what a wonderful I was and all those dollars they took from me.........
Its a pretty common story.
I agree Jules, and what you have said is not just an opinion, it's fact.
But maybe Peter Rose does not intend to travel in country areas .
Notwithstanding the many Negative comments about Optus in this thread some other travelers have told me they would never move back to Telstra ever !!
We are Newbies on this board but we are experienced travelers. We did 18 months in a 20ft Regent in 1998/1999 and had a brick in the glove box for emergency use only. ( Good Old Nokia 5110 )
Following that we lived and traveled on a 50 ft motor boat for 10 years and for a while our phones were connected via 3 which was the worst ever telecom decision.
We have a satellite phone for when we are in remote areas ( just for safety ) but we are old enough to remember when there was no mobile phones and we were not all tied to a mobile phone. Some time without a phone may well be refreshing.
Brickies.
Mr Shareholder (chucle)
Hold a board meeting this week, And tell that "underpaid" Boss.
that the day I get the SERVICE I'm paying for. 8 to 12..meg?..
I'll give him the money I contracted to pay for it.
%%ages of one, results in %%ages of, T'other too. OK.
Goes both ways mate. says he with a titter or two.
From what I've heard from Neighbours with other carriers in Metro. Melb. Rcky Brissie etc
And Darwin.
Telstra leases line space to the others. and they often get congestion,drop outs there too.
I've ALWAYS found Telstra easy to talk to and get things done.
A chat with Supervisor normally sorts 98% of items. Or an Escalation if outside problems.
YES. They cost more. But YES. They always fix it and reduce costing if it ongoing.
WHO else does that Among the other carriers????. Tell me.
I personally prefer to pay a bit more and get a solid product.
As far as older times. We always took our 0-30 meg HF Transc with us
with a 30 ft length of wire with ceramic Backstay insulators on it to string.
I still play at times.
And the 27meg bounced all over NZ and other States most days, with clear air.
Clear as a bell mainly.
I often chatted to a fisherman in Aukland. like he was next to me.
ME.. Adelaide.
You can 97% get somebody on the air on marine bands, at most times of your day\nighttime hrs.
And YEP. a month now and then is good with no phone.
I often leave mine home when we go O\S or away in van.
The next time it's battery is flat won't be the first.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 19th of March 2017 03:49:09 PM
Welcome to all the new members.. This is a great forum. Make sure you subscribe to Grey Nomad Times via the link on the website.
I have taken Vodafone to the Telecommunications Ombudsman twice (and won)
I have taken OPTUS to the ombudsman twice as well and won..
We are with Telstra for the following reasons.
1. Most of Australia is covered.
Last year we went to Perth, Esperance etc from Adelaide. MOST of the journey had at least 2 bars on 3G. We were able to communicate home even at the whistle stops (Mundrabilla etc)
2. Despite some negative experiences from some folks, we have never had an issue with bills, service or customer care. In fact I get a phone call every 3 months to suggest better ways to do our business with them. Last call saved me $25 a month so no dramas there.
3. When we did have an issue with a phone (I dropped it in the loo) they were very quick to change the service (at no cost to me) and get me back on line.
To be honest Telstra may not be the cheapest telco, but in my opinion the best..
Cheers