Botched NBN installs leave folks with no internet, or recourse Australia's Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Simon Cohen says the agency can do little to help subscribers dealing with broken National Broadband Network (NBN) installations. While the agency can flag complaints with NBN Co, the entity building and operating the NBN, it appears unable to do anything to force the utility …
This was related to a Telstra connection that didn't happen. They told me point blank, they can only action something if a telco "won't" do something. If said telco "can't" do anything (for whatever internal reason) they just throw their arms into the air and say 'we can't do anything either'.
It's a nice little loophole that absolves them of having to actually do anything.
I've dealt with them to, with a satisfactory outcome.
My complaints about Vodfone's constant network failures, was met by Vodafone telling me my phone at the time (HTC Desire Z) was incompatible with their network. Fair enough, except one slight problem, they sold me the phone, it was branded with their ROM (when I bought it at least, and was flashed back to it during the complaints to ensure they couldn't claim any BS), and still under warranty.
Vodafone offerd to "upgrade" me to all sorts of other phones, none of which had the features I required, which was Android OS and a physical QWERTY keyboard.
Got in contact with the TIO, told them the problem, and what I expected (either another android based qwerty phone, or immediate release from the contract without termination fees), and they basically poked Vodafone with a pointy stick until I got released from my contract.
Consequently took my phone to Telstra, and had no such network issues until they finally started converting the 3G frequencies over to 4G, and finally killed off GSM.
I have dealt with TIO five times regarding the one Telstra install -
it was a month late,
Telstra tried to charge $300 for a connection their own web site said would cost $60,
after they promised to give me a $240 credit it was only $150,
they totally balls up the next bill so that not even the TIO could decipher it
when I changed provider because of their dishonesty they wanted to charge me a $300 cancellation fee.
In every case within half an hour of talking to TIO Telstra were on the phone grovelling.
TELSTRA = Tell Everyone Lies & Screw Totally Resident Australians
Unfortunately very true. Labor created NBNCo as a monopoly provider and there is even less that competitors can do about it, because with FTTN, HFC & FTTP competitors cannot install their own hardware and connect directly to the client.
Australia would have been better serviced by selling concessions to operate each of the 141 POIs. This would mean a company would provide wholesale services for a fixed timespan with maximum pricing and appropriate KPIs.
No, really, this country is a freaking joke. We cannot do a SINGLE THING right.
I suggest giving up now, cut our losses, sell the entire nation as an open cut mine, with the proceeds going to the current government and their donors, trust funds and offshore accounts.
The population is probably worth a few hundred each as indentured labour or something, but don't expect too much as the majority of them voted the current government in; they clearly don't have much between the ears. On the positive side they don't seem to notice when they are fed on sh1t3 so they are cheap to feed.
Given that NBNco was originally set up as a replacement for the fuckup that was the Telstra float ( the infrastructure side should have been separated from the services side) it is difficult to see how it could be any different. Now the current govt has the mentality that anything not bolted down should be sold to their mates in private industry I expect they will be selling off NBNco to the highest bidder (amongst a selected range of bidders of course, can't have our infrastructure falling into foreign hands)
> I expect they will be selling off NBNco to the highest bidder (amongst a selected range of bidders of course, can't have our infrastructure falling into foreign hands)
You do realise that Labor's stated plan was to sell NBNCo as soon as the network was shown to be viable commercially? I believe the term for this is "socialising the risk, privatising the profits".
It amuses me no end to see people whining about Liberal policy when Labor policy was the same or worse.
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