[LINK] Take the infrastructure back [Was: Friday funny a little early]

[David Lochrin]

On Sunday 05 August 2007 16:39, David Boxall wrote:
> Let me tell you a story:-
> 18 July: phone line damage reported to Telstra.
> 19 July: temporary repair effected, leaving wiring clipped together in
> the bottom of a trench, protected by plastic bags.
> 26 July: a phone call to Telstra faults reveals that the job has been
> closed off and no follow-up organised.  Follow-up arranged.
> 27 July: A linesman arrives, looks at the mess, says something about how
> it can be permanently repaired, then leaves.
> 2 August: a phone call to Telstra faults reveals that the job has been
> closed off and no follow-up organised.  Appointment made for the
> following day.
> 4 August: a phone call to Telstra faults elicits the response that a
> permanent repair was effected by reprogramming the ISDN terminal
> adapter.  A quick look in the trench reveals the same mess, [...]

   The problem seems to be that most Telstra repairs are done by poorly trained technicians whose managers are goaled on call-closure rate.  Throwing a controlled tantrum and escalating the call can help, and I have gone as far as the Local Member for one customer.

   The sooner basic telecommunications infrastructure goes back into public ownership and Telstra is relegated to insignificance the better, in my view.

David