Can any member explain Telstra's policy to me?

We are part of a metro area, but while some of my calls to numbers in my own suburb are billed at a local rate, calls to our CBD area are charged at a national rate.

Called to query this, and could not get an explanation, so asked to be transferred to a supervisor, who told me that it is because we are on a different exchange. Asked to be put forward to someone higher up, and was told they do not take any calls regarding consumer complaints.

Are all Telco's the same? I'm thinking there must be a fairer provider for landline services.

I keep Telstra for emergency and for receiving calls, but I normally make my calls with Skype. A cheap annual subscription allows you unlimited local and STD calls in Australia. Unfortunately it does not include "13" numbers, which are timed and expensive, so you may still want to use Telstra for those.

Thank you Yuyutsu for your information. We were told Skype could only be used if the person on the other end also had Skype. We presume this wasn't correct? So we can use Skype to call any landline or mobile for a small annual fee? Sounds too good to be true. Surely there has to be a catch somewhere.

Oh dear - so far behind the times!

<<We were told Skype could only be used if the person on the other end also had Skype.>>

That's for free. If you pay, you can call any number, but these calls are timed, or you can get an annual subscription. Calling mobiles is not included and is always expensive, but not as Telstra and there is also a package available to buy a monthly block of minutes in advance for less.

Telstra provide a terrific service but they have the most abominable practices one can think of. They don't even have a complaint line, doesn't that tell the whole story ?

I left them, policy and prices drove me away forever.
Cut the home phone, line rental is too high and savings went a long way to phone on a plan that saves me heeps, not them.
And wireless connection at about 5 times the speed in this poorly served, bad lines, area.

Belly,

Who did you sign with? Think we would have to get another gadget for wireless, as my computer is presently hooked up to my landline.
If you or Yuyutsu have better plans, would be interested to know about them.

Individual, completely agree with you. Telstra have had it their own way for far too long. And service? Forget it. Can't even understand the only people one can contact, as their Indian accents are so thick, and half the time they can't understand our accent either.

Outsourcing? Give the jobs back to Aussies! So the wages are higher, but Telstra have sacrificed service for profits.

To me that is a short term view, when it forces people like myself to look elsewhere for better and cheaper deals. Yes, I know they still call the shots, because other Telcos have to use their facilities.

Maybe privatisation would serve us better. Out in the real world, both large and small businesses are aware that service to customers is part of the reason for success.

worldwatcher,

If you contact Telstra on 132200 and when prompted say “complaints”, you should get directed to an Australian site that can help you.

World watcher not sure we should talk of this.
The site,and it has every right to, sells advertising to keep afloat.
First a tip, I live in an area they said had poor wireless coverage.
Wrong.
Most tried my supplier Optus, and left to the one you mention in the thread.
But while no expert in PC I claim far better in all things radio.
So I put my dongle out of the back of PC on a ten meter usb lead cut 45 mm plastic pipe, [drainage]put it all in there and round cap you buy same place as pipe, overall 30 mm long and as high as you can get.
Get friends around, have a bar b q, check each phone brand for best coverage.
BUT bet on far better after you install this simple way.
I get no drop outs and full signal strength in a known poor area!
I tried a different path first, for extremely bad areas a beam areal should be of great help, but could not find a commercial one in this country.
Beam is just like a torch , points in one direction and adds to the strength of sent signals same very nearly, for received.

We only use our land line for a fax, as we don't answer it mainly due to Indians.

My primary phone is my mobile, for which in have an unlimited plan, with 3 gig, or what ever of data, all for just $129 per month with coverage almost everywhere, including the bush.

I have no probs with telstra.

Spindoc,

Nope, didn't work. I got an Indian again. But thanks for trying to help me out. I appreciate it.

Belly, You're a typical Aussie. Now I know why we're called not only the lucky country, but the smart one too. Where else in the world do they come up with such ingenious ways of problem solving? A bit of wire here, a bit of plastic there, and hey presto! Problem solved.

Now do you have any ideas on how we can get charged local rather than national rates for local calls? If so, I'm all ears, because I really would like to shave my bill a bit each month. It's little things like this that really irks me, as well as making my wallet lighter than I'd like it to be.

worldwatcher,

If you have broadband internet through your landline phone-line, have you thought about VOIP?
You need internet speed of at least 512k (which is nothing these days), a service plan with a communications provider (like Engin), and an ATA (communications converter) to connect to a spare LAN port on your broadband Router.
It's a reasonable alternative to Skype.

(Example: Engin (engin.com.au) offers a $14.95/month plan which includes free local and national calls, anytime, untimed, no flag-fall, no nothing, just this low monthly fee: - and on a 12-24 month plan they will throw in the required ATA (comms converter) (normal price $89-119)(like Voicebox Series 2 from Engin). But you will still need a Telstra line or mobile for 000 calls; and calls to 13 and 1300 numbers are about 60 cents - so again Telstra phone - and also Telstra for 1800 numbers, probably.)
(Engin VOIP also has cheap rates for international calls - NZ for about 3.5 cents/minute.)
Of course there are other providers of Voip, so you can compare via Google search.

For those unfamiliar: You need a splitter-filter plugged into the incoming (broadband) phone line (which you would already have if you have both internet and phone service on your landline); and a spare LAN port on your Router.
Phone is connected to the filtered side of the splitter-filter, and the un-filtered side connects to the broadband modem. An ATA is then connected by Ethernet cable to a LAN port on the broadband Router, and a separate phone handset connected to the phone outlet on the ATA – which is then your dedicated VOIP phone.
However, the best ATA’s also have a port to connect to your (filtered) incoming landline, so the VOIP phone can still be used as a normal Telstra phone if the internet or Voip service is temporarily offline.
(This latter setup requires a phoneline double-adapter connected to the filtered side of the splitter-filter, with one outward line then going to the ATA and the other going to a normal – dedicated Telstra - phone.)
Voip has a lot to recommend it.

Just a quick note - 1800 numbers are free on Skype, but I think you need to have Skype credit to do it, even if that credit is not used.

People that I know with VOIP over naked DSL find it unreliable.
From time to time it stops and you need to reset the router, so you might have missed calls in between.

Saltpetre

I've just worked out that using the $14.95 monthly VOIP idea I can save about 80% at least on what I presently pay, even if I still retain my landline. So with some help from my younger very savvy sibling who I see very occasionally and who set up my internet for me, this seems the way to go, as my router has a spare port on it. At the same time I feel I need to keep my landline as we have a priority assistance facility on it which is a necessity for us. But I will make the savings on calls which is good.

Until less than a year ago I didn't even own a computer [or mobile phone], and now finding time to investigate what is on it, and at the same time try to absorb all the new advances constantly being made makes me feel so inadequate. Our local library has a programme where the schoolkids mentor adults once a week for 6 weeks to explain all aspects of computers, which is great, but unfortunately I don't have the hour + travel time it would take to join.

In my own defence though, I am so time poor with being my partner's carer full time 24/7, it doesn't leave me much free time to investigate this new [ to me ] technology, so this is when I appreciate that olo members take the time to help me out, as I literally have no-one else to ask, so I'd like to say thank you all.

World watcher and others.
I combined my plan.
Saved near twenty bucks in doing it.
My family led the way, we are on that server our plans are unlimited free calls to each other.
My total spend is far more than I need, on reflection I could near halve it, at the end of my two year plan.
I Phone included I get 650 minutes of calls a month plus free to family.
And 4 ghz.
For $84 a month.
Now if you, any one, have a ham radio club near you, I am sure some one could put my areal up, in 30 minutes.
Do it your self?
Duck in to any place selling the computer games kids use, buy that USB lead, 15 meters is about, $20
You should try to use less, leads are like a leaking hose, loss of signal rather than water, same effects.
you can do the rest, do not fall off the ladder!

Although Telstra management should be replaced instantly I'd say that the real driver for the intolerable practises are the shareholders i.e. greedy Australians not giving a hoot about other Australians. We have no choice as Telstra is the only provider but if another provider ever came in Telstra would lose 95% of it's subscribers in my area solely due to their customer service. Technically they are as efficient as the best of them but customer service ? Nope !
Too much money spent on advertising & top brass. Telstra is way too expensive in comparison to our northern neighbours.

Re VOIP:

Yuyutsu is right, that if the broadband service (or Comms Provider service) goes down for any reason, then the Voip becomes unavailable - but that's why you need to retain a normal landline phone service, even if it is a 'budget' plan.

People who go with 'naked' DSL may save the $20/mth line rental for a landline phone service on their phone line, but in doing so place themselves in the position of no phone service at all if power goes out (blackout) or if internet or modem or router or ATA or comms service goes down! And they therefore also risk losing incoming calls.
They are additionally hugely vulnerable if a fault develops on their landline (ie the copper wire running into their house) - and thus no internet, no phone, no Voip, no nothing. And, who are they going to call to repair that landline?
So, this is a false and unwarranted 'saving', leaving one 'naked' indeed.

(Funny also how some people don't keep a manual phone handset (ie non-cordless), for use when there is a power blackout. Still, they will say there's always the mobile - but is there?)

With a good quality landline broadband service of 512k, Voip is just acceptable, and may be almost unusable if there is a lot of traffic on the comms system. Speeds of 1024k (1Mb) and higher are preferable, and can provide a near perfect, Telstra landline comparable experience, most of the time.

VOIP is not relevant to those on wireless or 'mobile' broadband, but can be an option with some Satellite services, such as the one I am on, and apparently also on the new NBN Satellite service.
It's worth a look.

Anyone considering VOIP can get a **FREE** account (no monthly, just pay for calls, and cheaper than engin) by first joining the Whirlpool forum, then follow the 'Mynetfone' link in the VOIP thread. Both engin & MNF are reasonably efficient (absolutely brilliant if Tel$tra is your standard) and FWIW, I've had accounts with both since Moses was a boy. Any total dumbcluck can do the setup because the companies can supply a pre-configured phone adaptor that just needs plugging in. Even my 96y/o mother could do it before she left the planet. I have people using VOIP on 256k ADSL, just means you can't browse porn or whatever when the phone is in use or it gets AWFULLY crackly. No problem at all with a 'proper' ADSL connection. I regularly yadda away on two different VOIP services plus run a few different online programs all at the same time, but then I have 22Mb ADSL2.

their Indian accents are so thick, and half the time they can't understand our accent either.

Apologies for nit-picking, but as far as I'm aware, the only offshore call centre owned or operated by Tel$tra is in Manila & the language spoken there is tagalog (abortionated version of spanglish)

Optu$ has one in Bangladesh & Vodafail has an Egyptian one.

Not that it really matters, they are **ALL** equally unintelligible.

Thanks for that extra info on VOIP, praxidice, especially for the notes on Mynetfone, and for the general confirmation of the usefulness of Voip on landline broadband as long as one has sufficient ADSL speed.

This raises the important point that, when people are considering whether to connect to broadband 'wirelessly' (ie on mobile broadband) or via landline, for their home connection, it is worth investigating the merits and potential cost-savings available by adding a VOIP service to a landline internet connection.
Many people go with a 'bundled' 'mobile' connection, attracted by swags of internet download allowance and 'free' mobile phone call time, and that may be great for those who use the internet and their mobile phones a lot, but otherwise it is worth doing the sums.
On my Voip service, I pay $10/month, 15 cents for local and national calls (anytime, untimed), 30 cents for calls to 13 and 1300 numbers, and calls to mobiles are 30 cents/minute, no flagfall, and this fits in well with my limited use of internet and mobile services, and augments my modest mobile phone plan. Oh, and my Voip service is one-way, outward calls only. Anyone ringing me, rings my Telstra landline, on which I have a simple answering machine. I dislike Telstra 101.
Of course, this may not suit those who 'live' on the internet and on the mobile.
Just a thought.

The Whirlpool / MNF deal gives a connection for $0 per month and untimed / no flagfall calls within Australia for 10c (MNF to MNF ones are free). Note that VOIP will also work on a good mobile connection (which obviously excludes Vodafail). Advantages of VOIP over Skype include much cheaper calls & ability to call from phone to phone. Skype for most users involves computer to computer calls although there are (fiddly) workarounds. Engin is a good company too albeit a tad more expensive than MNF. Avoid Pennytel like they have the plague ... they are 'cheap' in every sense of the word.