[LINK] A consumer's experience ... Was: Phone line down

[David Boxall]

I thought I'd responded to this, but it doesn't seem to be in the Link 
archives.  Must be the Alzheimer's kicking in.  I reckon putting 
Telstra's performance on public record is worthwhile.

At 11/03/2007 11:37 PM Adam Todd wrote:
>
>> Apologies if this has already appeared on Link.  My phone line was 
>> down for over a week and I haven't read the backlog of messages.
>
> Not telstra?
Yes, Telstra.

Lightning fried my ISDN network terminator on the Thursday.  I couldn't 
get through to the call centre until Friday morning.

The following Monday, I got a text message saying that I had an 
"appointment" that morning.  I was on the bus at the time, headed for work.

After midday, I got a call saying that Telstra hadn't managed to get a 
technician to my job.  I agreed to an appointment the following Friday 
afternoon.

Come Friday, nobody turned up.  I gave some poor call centre droid a bit 
of a blast, then demanded compensation.  The droid said that Telstra is 
claiming an exemption because the problem is attributable to 
"non-Telstra equipment", then added that I could expect the line to be 
out of action into the next week.  I don't remember much after that: 
it's all a red haze.  Anyway, the box was replaced next day (plus a 
Telstra-supplied surge-guard/filter).

An NT1 Plus II isn't Telstra equipment?  Failing to keep appointments 
isn't attributable to Telstra?  I guess I should pursue compensation (I 
did take time off work after all), but I'd much rather minimise my 
exposure to Telstra's bureaucracy.

Come to think of it, that's brilliant.  To avoid compensation claims, 
just be such obnoxious arseholes that nobody wants to have anything to 
do with you.  As a shareholder I see merit in that.  As a customer on 
the other hand ...

-- 
David Boxall                    |  I have seen the past
                                 |  And it worked.
                                 |               --TJ Hooker