🚀 go-pugleaf

greg@defcen.GOV.AU (Greg Price) writes:

>* Is the extra money charged going from private to business rates really
>going to have any significant effect on telstras ability to provide the
>service.

I doubt it.  Had a problem at a client site a few weeks back with
a modem line.  The client was paying business rates for the rental
on that line, and the service we received was bloody attrocious.
In fact, one of the Telstra people we spoke to got downright rude.
According to various Telstra people that we spoke to, they "only
guarenteed 9600 bps for data on voice grade lines".  Within three
telephone calls, this had been reduced to 2400 bps.  After four
days we finally got in direct contact with a technician at our
local exchange who knew something about comms... called him back
a little before 5:00pm, but by then he'd left for the day.  Typical. 
This is the kind of "service" that I've come to expect from Telstra.

Telstra, LIFT YOUR GAME!  You're a commercial entity who is charging
for services that you don't seem to be able to provide.  You've changed
your name, now CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE.

Some constructive suggestions to any Telstra management that are
reading this:
*	Talk to your existing employees and find out who knows anything
	about Data Comms, even if its just from a hobbyist or personal
	use perspective.  These are the people that we, your customers,
	need to talk to, because it's pretty obvious that the people
	we're talking to now know hardly anything that can help modem
	users.  See final sugggestion....

*	Talk to your CUSTOMERS before getting tariffs changed.  If
	you're worried about bad publicity or anti-trust suits then
	make an effort to ASK FIRST - how many BBS operators did you
	contact prior to having the tariff guidelines changed earlier
	this year?  I'd guess, and say no more than five.

*	Look at other Telcos overseas and how they liase with/treat
	board operators.  Use this as an example.
	
*	Establish a Telstra group specifially to deal with 
	data comms.  It doesn't have to be big, just talented :-)

I for one can't wait to evaluate Optus' local call and ISDN offerings.
At least with Optus I've managed to get "I'm sorry Mr Ciavarella, I
can't help you with that (speak to manager)" rather than 4 or 5 repeated 
phone calls to find someone at Telstra who _can_ help.  I've often
wondered if there is a third call subsidy group after City and country
subscribers - the people who make service calls to Telecom.... 

Regards,

Mike Ciavarella.

Disclaimer:  I speak for me, and me only.