Sick of phone "Service Providers"

[artme]

What bloody service?
Changed from Optus to Bigpond/Telstra.
1) Telstra salespeson didn't inform us that we had to pay amonthly fee for each email addrees.
Get stuffed! we are using live.com and hotmail.
2) Phone out of service 4 days in first 15! There is a "fault in the line up the road but we can't afford to fix it" Doesn' that take the cake!?!?!?
I'm sure it will cost less to fix than a day's pay for Sol and the three amigos.

[Ron Dunn]

Telstra is the worst possible choice any internet user could make. Terrible plans at an extortionate rate.

Go to Whirlpool (whirlpool.net.au) and use the Broadband Choice function to find a better provider for your needs. All you need to do is enter your telephone number and a few preferences, and you'll get a list of suitable ISPs.

[echnidna]

Trouble is out in the sticks you get stuck with telstra.

[Ron Dunn]

You may get stuck with them for your physical line, Echidna, but you don't need to actually pay them for anything more than line rental.

For example, I went to Whirlpool and keyed in the number of the Timboon library. The local exchange is enabled for ADSL, has ports available, and there are around 100 ISPs offering plans through that exchange.

[echnidna]

sounds good but I'm on the nirranda exchange, not Timbbon, which is also enabled.
I'm 9km from the exhange on 4th rate copper which cannot even give a reliable dialup.
on isdn it is workable but telstras pulling the pin on home isdn in november.

I don't think adsl will work here

[Ron Dunn]

*ouch*

Do you get a good 3G signal? Optus are enabling a lot of new 3G points, and their mobile internet rate is somewhere around $50 for 6Gb per month.

You might not have full-time 3G yet, but if you see it light up occasionally on your mobile, then you MIGHT have a hope of getting a non-Telstra service.

[echnidna]

Nextg is absolutely hopeless here unless you have a special phone and then its quite ratty.

How do I check for 3g signal? without buying an optus phone?

I know optus is commisioning more towers more or less hereabouts but don't know when.

[artme]

Guess what? Since changing to Telstra have had no end of trouble.
SWMBO spent more than an hour on the phone today trying to sort out the bill.
Knock off time came and they simply hung up without so much as a by your leave.

[tea lady]

And then they ring you up at dinner time to ask you if you want to check you are on the right plan.....

[ptc]

I am on Westnet.
Bugger the Mexicans.

[Stuart]

The internet is overrated.

[damian]

I have to second moving to another provider. You have to understand this:

First there is the physical connection to your local exchange. This is always telstra for those of us out of town, unless you go wireless which is another kettle.

Then there is the connection from the exchange to the ISP's gateway. This is usually either telstra or optus, although there are some others.

Then there is the gateway - your ISP's servers, and the customer support.

When I had a connectio issue when my phone was with optus, even though the line was telstra, because they didn't get it fixed within the SLA time limit optus gave me a credit without me even asking, they then claim it back from telstra. I call in a problem and they chase telstra till it's fixed. It's like hiring a lawyer. I have a friend who had intermittent, and mostly none, phone service for 3 months. She argued with telstra for another 3 months about compensation until finally giving up. She still has no compensation and never will.

If you ditch telstra your still stuck with their infrastructure to the exchange, but at the very least you'll have someone to nag them on yor behalf, fewer arguments over wrong bills, and maybe other services and better value on what your buying.

They are absolutely the worst service provider choice you have. The only reason I switched my phone rental back to them is the $20/mnth rate. I hardly use the landline and only keep it for my adsl. We don't have adsl2 at Mt Crosby as far as I know, and no optus.

Whirlpool absolutely rocks. It is such a beautifully written site.

[MALPT]

Whirlpool absolutely rocks. It is such a beautifully written site.

How true - to think it started slowly (just like WWF I guess) with a guy who was installing cable tv (yes a "cable guy") as a technical/knowledge base service for his clients and potential ones....

The internet is overrated.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!