Telstra @#$%

[nissannewby]

Im not sure on the ruling of this but I will post anyway. Mods feel free to do whatever.

I will try and keep and short. The missus and I went to Telstra to get our accounts combined and a better deal (I know they don't go together). So prior to the change I had a wireless device and my mobile with an added data pack, Sharee had her phone also with an added data pack. Now this was a little costly, so leaving Telstra (this was nearly 3 months ago by the way) we had our accounts combined and a 50gb ADSL connection for the house, since we now had 50gb to use at home the additional data packs on our mobiles were removed and once the internet connected the wireless device would be cutoff.

Now Telstra has been unable to supply us with an internet service and with no extra data we are now having issues exceeding our data limit and we all know what charges are like once the limit is exceeded. So excessive phone bills are now being received and Telstra have basically said they have done everything, its like I live to close to the city to be covered by "the best network in the country" and to be honest there current tv ad campaign spruiking on about how they cover 1 million more square km than their nearest provider does not fit with what they tell me lol.

So after all that Im just wondering if anyone has had any experience or advise on who to talk to, where to go etc etc. It really does annoy me that these big companies which are only made because of us little people start to push their weight around and try to get you to buckle and pay their fees.

Thanks guys

[MEGOMONSTER]

I know this won't help your cause, but I had this very problem, exceeding my data last month With the excess data side of the bill being $578 Luckily for me it is capped at $160. Rang up my service provider and said since I've been a good boy they will give me a maximum credit allowable by the company of $140 and I pay the remainder on the proviso that I purchase a $20 data pack to cover the remainder of the month. I said fine, so my bill was suppose to equate to about $90-100 total. I get the bill today and says I owe $228. Slight steam escaping from ears and another phone call to fix their f##k up of my f##k up. Lol

[kevin07]

keep pushing up the ladder don't get off the phone till your satisfied you will get there.

[Stropp]

Call and ask to speak to a supervisor it's called escalation or you will put in a formal complaint with the communications ombudsman (I worked for Telstra) so this will definitely help, if you don't get satisfaction go ahead with the call to the ombudsman, things will move quickly once you do.

[Cuppa]

I can’t help but just want to commiserate Matt. I’m having a fight with our water company at the moment over our first bill at our new house..... for almost $700 when it should have been under $60. What really pisses me off about these companies when they stuff up is that it us, the bunnies, the customers who have to do all the ‘running around’ to sort out their mistakes. There is something fundamentally wrong when they stuff up & place no value whatsoever on my time AND they treat the issue only as one of ‘loss of income’ for them rather than having any sense of fairness & justice to their customers. Prior to involving the ombudsman today the best the company have been prepared to ‘offer’ is a ‘rebated’ bill of $400, with a ‘rebate’ being allowed once in 5 years. ie. continuing to treat us as though the fault is ours, not theirs! I see no reason why we should pay almost $350 more than what we should owe because they failed to take a meter reading after being informed of the property sale settlement date. Grrrrrrr.

[PMC]

Im not sure on the ruling of this but I will post anyway. Mods feel free to do whatever.

I will try and keep and short. The missus and I went to Telstra to get our accounts combined and a better deal (I know they don't go together). So prior to the change I had a wireless device and my mobile with an added data pack, Sharee had her phone also with an added data pack. Now this was a little costly, so leaving Telstra (this was nearly 3 months ago by the way) we had our accounts combined and a 50gb ADSL connection for the house, since we now had 50gb to use at home the additional data packs on our mobiles were removed and once the internet connected the wireless device would be cutoff.

Now Telstra has been unable to supply us with an internet service and with no extra data we are now having issues exceeding our data limit and we all know what charges are like once the limit is exceeded. So excessive phone bills are now being received and Telstra have basically said they have done everything, its like I live to close to the city to be covered by "the best network in the country" and to be honest there current tv ad campaign spruiking on about how they cover 1 million more square km than their nearest provider does not fit with what they tell me lol.

So after all that Im just wondering if anyone has had any experience or advise on who to talk to, where to go etc etc. It really does annoy me that these big companies which are only made because of us little people start to push their weight around and try to get you to buckle and pay their fees.

Thanks guys

G'day Matt,

As per Stropps advice, file a formal complaint with the telecommunications ombudsman's office, they will ask you for the following;

"If you have made a complaint to your telecommunications service provider and it is unresolved, you can lodge a complaint with us online. Have any relevant information handy when you lodge your complaint, for example, dates of important events and names of people you have spoken to."

Hours
Our office hours are 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, Australian Eastern Standard Time (Australian Eastern Daylight Time when daylight savings is in effect)

Complaints and enquiries
Phone 1800 062 058 (Free from landlines, standard rates apply for calls from mobiles). If you call from a mobile you can ask us to call you back.

Use our online complaint form
You can also use this form to update us about your complaint. tio@tio.com.au

Regards,

Paul

[04OFF]

Telstra played the same game here, sending me a text message to say id used 68% of my mobile data allowance, id stop using the ph straight away (manually turn data OFF) then 20 min later id get another text saying id used 106% of my data !(of course then im getting charged penalty rates)


This happened a couple of times, it took a few calls asking why they even bother to me a text, sounds like a deliberate trap, and I cant understand how it can be legal to conduct themselves in such manner, ended up getting a refund for all extra charges.



So yeh, don't give up Mat, they are pro's at scamming you into extra charges, its complete BS, I used to wonder how teenagers could rack up $1000 bills without knowing, after being with Telstra less than 12 months myself, I can now fully understand how it happens.



Soon as my plan is over im switching back to pre-paid, at least when you've used your credit, they tell you straight away, and no extra/penalty charges ever, and you can top up credit over the phone, its sooooo much less hassle.IMO

[nissannewby]

Call and ask to speak to a supervisor it's called escalation or you will put in a formal complaint with the communications ombudsman (I worked for Telstra) so this will definitely help, if you don't get satisfaction go ahead with the call to the ombudsman, things will move quickly once you do.

Yeah I have already escalated it and was even assigned a case manager and still no resolve it's like they think "oh he's in a contract so he has to pay anyway" and the really don't give a fark if I get what I want. I think I will contact the ombudsman and see what my best option is in regards to canceling it all so I can actually go elsewhere and get a better deal.

[Hodge]

Had a fight with hellstra many times. Every time their stuff up. In the end everything was resolved, refund was given but at a cost of me ringing around and a lot of frustration.
Largest issue is a language barrier.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Forum Runner

[nissannewby]

keep pushing up the ladder don't get off the phone till your satisfied you will get there.

I really do not have that much time to sit on the phone, I have spent hours on hold to basically take 2 steps forward and 3 steps back not to mention you can't seem to talk to anyone remotely of English speaking back ground.