telstra broadband connection

[Him again]

Has anyone had a problem getting homephone and broadband connected? We have now been refused twice due to so called credit ratings. I presume this is because we have recently arrived in Oz and have no credit history, this was not a problem for electricity companies or renting though! Any feedback much appreciated, as we are just being sent from pillar to post and getting no straight answers at the moment, everytime I go to the Telstra shop they tell me to ring Telstra and everytime I ring I get sent back to the shop.

[Rabeah]

They do this with every new migrant, the same they did with us when we came over, Telstra is rubbish regarding new customer service.

The first 2 months we got 5 gb only with them and a landline for free local calls which was blocked for international calls. We upgraded after 2 months in the country, after hubby was pissed off and impended to cancel the whole. Since then we've got 200 gb but no free local calls anymore.

Next year we are planning to chance to yes optus, they've nearly the same bundles but with less landline costs. They are the 2nd biggest provider in Australia and don't do the hassle with new migrants like Telstra.

For international calls we use a 'international calling card' anyway, that's cheaper (only 50 cent from the landline and the card is prepaid, available for 5,10,15,20 bucks and more at the Post Office) in case we're not using Skype.

[Ktee]

Ok there is no such thing as a credit rating like we have in the UK, over here it's a credit report and you don't have one until you actually apply for credit. On the credit report it says whether or not you applied for credit but it won't divulge whether you received it or not. As you are new to the country if you really have no choice but to go with Telstra (since they brought this new scheme in for new arrivals it's crap for lots of people so I would recommend going elsewhere) then a way around it is to apply for your phone line first (don't mention the internet to them) once you have this you are then a telstra established customer and should have no problem in then applying for the internet.

I cannot guarantee this will work 101% but it has worked for most of the new arrivals I know. I am just glad there weren't so many hoops to jump through when we moved over

[star123]

When we arrived we signed up with optus for internet, just rang up and it was sorted, they even came and set it up, we had been here 6 weeks when we first applied and had no hassles, maybe worth giving them a call??

[robeaves]

Telstra customer service is awful. I tried to sign up with them when we first arrived. Called them on a Sunday and was told that someone would be in touch to set up our account and arrange installation, 3 - 4 days went past and i got bored of waiting so signed up to iinet online (who i can highly recommend). When Telstra did finally call they were calling to let me know that an engineer would be round to connect us, i took great pleasure in telling them I did not agree to a service with them so please cancel the engineer as i had taken my custom elsewhere, iinet connected us and all was well.

 

Every month we received a $0 bill telstra to my sisters address where we first lived when we arrived so not even at the address where we wanted the phone and broadband (they had my sisters because we signed up for mobiiles when we arrived) so i called them to stop the bills and close the account, it took two attempts to cancel the bills but they finally did and gave us $60 credit for no reason i took that as compensation haha.

 

We are now with TPG as we moved house and iinet did not service our new area. I recommend them both and wouldn't go with Telstra unless it was a particularly good deal or they were offering something that i wanted and no one else could provide.

[Guest brogs12]

Hi,

 

I am not sure where you are in Adelaide, but I would look at Adam Internet - www.adam.com.au. They are an Adelaide based ISP and offer great service. I think as long as you have a credit or debit card that you set up a direct debit with, they will sign you up without a credit report as such.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

Telstra really are awful, the pits and terrible!! I had such massive issues with them trying to get things sorted that in the end I threw a massive wobbly in the shop cancelled the lot and we went with Optus, whom I have to say have been really good - they did make a bit of a boo boo with us but really tried hard to fix it asap, credited our account with 2 months worth of credit and called on a couple of occasions to see if we were ok and all happy now, so can't really fault them for trying. Telstra literally said to me "If you don't like it, you can go to another provider". So I did...

 

We passed the 'credit report' thingy with Telstra no issues, but then we had already been in the country for 14 odd months (travelling) and had had pre-paid mobiles with them, so perhaps get a pre paid SIM card with them - it won't help instantly maybe, but its a cheap way ($2 I think) to start a footprint with them - having a bank account obviously is needed as well. We didn't top up our mobiles every month - we had 4 months when we didn't top either of them up as we were in the middle of no-where, so it doesn't have to be topped up every month or anything, just having it with them and you being on their files helps (the address was a contact address from WA we had as well, so the address doesn't have to match anything either).

 

Having the pre-paid sim might mean you are a registered with them customer and can then the next day/week get a telephone line etc a lot easier, its worth a try if you can only have Telstra and your hands are tied, but to be honest, I'm like robeaves, I wouldn't go with Telstra ever ever again unless I really had to. (I still have a mobile with them, and had taken out a post paid mobile with them previous to the house issues, so still have that as I'm tied into it, but I don't think I will be renewing with them)

[Guest Mrs Bon Jovi]

Telstra really are awful, the pits and terrible!! I had such massive issues with them trying to get things sorted that in the end I threw a massive wobbly in the shop cancelled the lot and we went with Optus, whom I have to say have been really good - they did make a bit of a boo boo with us but really tried hard to fix it asap, credited our account with 2 months worth of credit and called on a couple of occasions to see if we were ok and all happy now, so can't really fault them for trying. Telstra literally said to me "If you don't like it, you can go to another provider". So I did...

 

We passed the 'credit report' thingy with Telstra no issues, but then we had already been in the country for 14 odd months (travelling) and had had pre-paid mobiles with them, so perhaps get a pre paid SIM card with them - it won't help instantly maybe, but its a cheap way ($2 I think) to start a footprint with them - having a bank account obviously is needed as well. We didn't top up our mobiles every month - we had 4 months when we didn't top either of them up as we were in the middle of no-where, so it doesn't have to be topped up every month or anything, just having it with them and you being on their files helps (the address was a contact address from WA we had as well, so the address doesn't have to match anything either).

 

Having the pre-paid sim might mean you are a registered with them customer and can then the next day/week get a telephone line etc a lot easier, its worth a try if you can only have Telstra and your hands are tied, but to be honest, I'm like robeaves, I wouldn't go with Telstra ever ever again unless I really had to. (I still have a mobile with them, and had taken out a post paid mobile with them previous to the house issues, so still have that as I'm tied into it, but I don't think I will be renewing with them)

 

We both got prepaid SIM cards from Telstra when we arrived. A few months down the line and they wouldn't give either of us a phone on contract. When I asked if the same would apply to broadband etc the guy just shrugged and said "I suppose." We walked out of there and into Vodafone and got one no probs. Didn't even bother with them when it came to Internet etc when we moved.

[Keith & Linda]

Telstra brought my wife to tears accusing her of being a liar, and we had to get someone we know to tell them that they had actually called us on a number Telstra said we did not have . So out they went, but, stupidly we went back to them some 12yr later, but totally useless again so they lasted approx 3 months, they did give me credit but also tried to keep me to the 2yr contract I signed, when actually the had re-activated my wifes account from 14yrs ago and not the one I had signed:wacko: I still get an invoice every month with $160 credit, 2 yrs now! prob cost them that in paper and postage too!

 

Telstra customer service and sales people should be burried 20ft in the ground, because deep down they are good people.

 

Whats the difference between a catfish and a Telstra customer service person ? one is a scum sucking bottom dweller, the other is a fish!

[Blossom]

Yep, avoid Telstra if you can.

 

I'm with Adam and have VoIP phone. I hardly ever have it 'online' as I use my mobile 99% of the time. On an odd occasion I had it on I got a cold call from Telstra asking me if I would like to change to them. 'No, not a chance' I say. 'Why is that?' 'Because your company is terrible and I vowed never to go back'. 'Ok, fair enough' he says lol.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Ok there is no such thing as a credit rating like we have in the UK, over here it's a credit report and you don't have one until you actually apply for credit. On the credit report it says whether or not you applied for credit but it won't divulge whether you received it or not. As you are new to the country if you really have no choice but to go with Telstra (since they brought this new scheme in for new arrivals it's crap for lots of people so I would recommend going elsewhere) then a way around it is to apply for your phone line first (don't mention the internet to them) once you have this you are then a telstra established customer and should have no problem in then applying for the internet.

I cannot guarantee this will work 101% but it has worked for most of the new arrivals I know. I am just glad there weren't so many hoops to jump through when we moved over

 

The credit report is so important. Having a fixed phone line scores you points when you apply for a mortgage too!

We first started out with Optus as Telstra were full of it! Applying for small credit items from stores like Radio Rentals etc soon gives you a credit rating.

 

Tamara

[DougM]

Hi,

 

I am not sure where you are in Adelaide, but I would look at Adam Internet - www.adam.com.au. They are an Adelaide based ISP and offer great service. I think as long as you have a credit or debit card that you set up a direct debit with, they will sign you up without a credit report as such.

 

I've been with Adam for years and can say that their service has been excellent. However, I understand that earlier this year, they were bought out by Telstra!!! No change in my service..............so far.

[zebedee]

The Telstra \ Adam deal fell through - so Adam remains as an independent SA ISP - which is great as that's why we choose them. They have been very good for us as well.