Telstra Tales

[Toggy]

Well; the technician spent the day working on the line. Impressed he was not with all the shoddy patchups by previous workers. Replaced all the fancy new gear (which was faulty) then found faults in pits which had been filled with gel (this I think is to waterproof the joins; but destroys the plastic coating on the wire. Great fix eh.) Then finds major problems at the exchange which has not been properly updated to take the new equipment. Apparently work starts tomorrow to revamp the exchange.

Finally it appears that things may be done properly. This is the service that we pay for and should accept no less. It is obvious that with the correct type of person the job can be done properly.

Because of so many complaints; the fault response has been "upgraded" and I can expect a call on a regular basis (probably until the sale) to see that the service is adequate. If not; ring the direct line and bypass the complaints desk and report the fault that way.

The service appears to be quicker tonight & has only dropped out once which is probably due to the approaching storms.

Ken

[Cliff Rogers]

Who knows what PMG stands for?

post master general.

cliff, I aint that old mate.

nuh, it's Pigs, Monkeys, & Goats....

I just thought you might have been the bloke in the middle there but if you aren't that old, I guess that lets you off the hook.

The cable markers & pit covers up our road still say PMG.

At least the techs that come out our way aren't still driving around in Red Combis.

[adrian]

The phone service from Telstra is brilliant these days. When I was a trainee in the PMG we were allowed to have a 2% failure rate before the 'Network Police' would start sending nasty letters to you. Since I left Telstra in 1998 I have only had one call that didn't return a tone of any kind after dialling. That was a common occurence in the old electro-mechanical days.
The people I have a problem with are the ones who answer email queries at Bigpond.
If you want to test them just send them an email with 2 very specific questions. The first reply you get might answer the first question but invariably the other will be ignored.
I have the cheap broadband service and on a 24 month contract so I asked them if I could upgrade to a 12 month contract on a better service and whether I had to pay for any additional installation costs. The website for the upgrade had a 12 month option and said I would have to pay nearly $200 for installation. So what is their answer ......."go to the website."
I send back an email saying that they didn't answer my question because the website gives me the 12 month option blah, blah.
So they answer the first question and completely ignore the second question about install costs. So I email them again and this time I inform them that I worked for Telstra for thirty years and trained and worked with one of the present Directors and that I would email him and ask him if he knew why his staff couldn't answer the email.
Next email I get "We're sorry for the misunderstanding......."
Telstra's customer Service sucked in the sixties and seventies, was brilliant in the eighties and has reached rock bottom now that shareholder value rules. Maybe when they are fully privatised......???

[adrian]

All most people want is fair service for fair pay.

Rant off.

Ken

I'm not surprised that you are peeved. Telstra should should stop burning off, sending their cows to chew the cable and they should definitely stop causing lightning strikes.

[Toggy]

Well; I won't be too sarcastic in reply.

My point is; that if they had of done the job properly in the beginning; no cow nor fire problem.

lightening is a different matter. Obviously repairs for this type of damage is catered for in their pricing.

The point is; I pay top dollar for the service, so expect a top service.

I suppose you are prepared to pay big money for substandard food (rotten meat for instance) Yeah; I bet. Pigs might fly too ( and I am not talking about the police helicopter).

Ken