[LINK] Telstra doubles line rental charges for non-Telstra using schools

[Marghanita da Cruz]

I constantly get calls from Optus offering to take over the billing of 
my home line from Telstra. It has mystified me how they manage to 
undercut the people actually providing the infrastructure. Let alone who 
will fix the line if a problem occurs...

But perhaps this is a legacy of the "wall" between Telstra Wholesale and 
Retail...

more posturing and flag raising....

M

brd at iimetro.com.au wrote:
> Quoting Kim Holburn <kim at holburn.net>:
> 
>> I just heard this on the ABC news.  Can't find it on-line yet.
>>
>> Schools that don't use Telstra are going to be charged double for  
>> their line rentals.
>>
> 
> Telstra the new school bully
> By Bruce McDougall
> Daily Telegraph
> September 14, 2006 12:00
> http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20408936-5001024,00.html 
> 
> 
> SCHOOLS have gone to war with Telstra, accusing the telecommunications 
> giant of
> price "gouging" on their phone bills.
> 
> Primary principals claimed yesterday that Telstra (tls.ASX:Quote,News) had
> decided to punish them for keeping their business with other providers, 
> such as
> Optus.
> 
> Schools in NSW have been advised that the cost of their line rental - 
> charged by
> Telstra - will almost double to $35 a month unless they bring all phone 
> business
> back to the carrier.
> 
> Those affected include poorer schools in suburbs such as Raby and Minto, 
> where
> the increases threaten much-needed funds for educating students.
> 
> School phone bills, including multiple landlines and mobiles, run into 
> thousands
> of dollars annually.
> 
> The Daily Telegraph has learned that Telstra is phoning hundreds of NSW 
> schools
> offering a special deal on calls and rental in a bid to lure them back.
> 
> However, schools that decide to stay with an alternative carrier will be
> penalised through the higher line rental charge, controlled by Telstra.
> 
> Their calls are charged to Optus or their chosen carrier, but the schools
> receive a separate bill from Telstra for line rental.It is this charge that
> Telstra is increasing - from $19 to $35 - for schools that fail to put 
> their
> telephone business with Telstra exclusively.
> 
> In recent years at least 150 cash-strapped schools have switched from 
> Telstra to
> Optus or another carrier to save money on phone charges.
> 
> The funds have been ploughed back into projects, equipment, facilities and
> books.
> 
> Spokesman for the Public Schools Principals Forum Brian Chudleigh said 
> yesterday
> that Telstra was "ripping off" the schools by increasing line rental.
> 
> "This is a massive hike for schools, but many are not yet even aware of 
> it," he
> said.
> 
> "Telstra is threatening us by saying it owns the phone lines and will 
> jack up
> the rental if we stay with Optus."
> 
> Mr Chudleigh, principal of Robert Townson Public School at Raby, said 
> schools
> had estimated they could save up to 35 per cent by "shopping around".
> 
> In 2004, under Telstra, his school's monthly bill for one phone line was 
> $91. In
> August this year, with calls charged to Optus, it was $59.
> 
> Sarah Redfern Public at Minto said it has had to return to Telstra to 
> qualify
> for the $19 per month discounted line rental.
> 


-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
Ramin Communications
http://www.ramin.com.au
Phone: 0414-869202
Email: marghanita at ramin.com.au