Telecom disbanding charity subsidies

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Telecom disbanding charity subsidies

barf

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#8051 30-May-2006 17:44

as per the topic, as of July the 1st, Telecom will no longer offer residential rates to charities.
I feel obligated to publicise this fact because one of my clients was receiving this benefit from Telecom and TCL won't offer us charity rates despite saying that they do!

I'm looking at VoIP solutions and have found some providers who can undercut the major telcos. But this doesnt help the situation because I can't get an internet connection into the office without subscribing to a telephone service!

I think New Zealand needs to make some changes. If we all peer our networks more we could force these companies to subscribe to our networks, instead of vice versa. Just an idea.

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#37196 30-May-2006 20:30

Can anyone confirm what rates Home Business users pay?? Sorry but this isnt my area, but just a thought you may qualify as a Home Business?? Anyways I am sure someone would know the answer to this!

Cheers

Stu

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#37197 30-May-2006 20:33

Home Businesses pay Residential line rates for up to three lines. And Telecom phoned me the other day and said something about special toll rates on a Home Business deal.

Felix

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#37276 31-May-2006 12:22

hey barf,

any specific reason why telecom should provide any discounts to charities? Surley the govrnment should be taking care of this?

Perhaps the current "nationalization" envirnoment is going to hurt those that it was suposedly intended to help? Such as charities, rural communities, SME's, ME's and the poor...

Also, there is a long way to go IMHO before VoIP networks will provide a service level great enough to replace what industry does already.

Felix 5ive

barf

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#37308 31-May-2006 14:47

any specific reason why telecom should provide any discounts to charities? Surley the govrnment should be taking care of this?

I understand what you're saying, but regardless, Telecom are'nt doing their reputation any favors. And I'm not just chewing the ULL bit.

Also, there is a long way to go IMHO before VoIP networks will provide a service level great enough to replace what industry does already.

IMHO appreciated but, Local VoIP networks can and do already provide service on par with that of Telecom and TCL's. Slingshot's iTalk at $10 a month seriously undercuts the majors and it's more versatile than a traditional PSTN connection.

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barf

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#37309 31-May-2006 14:53

nzbnw: just a thought you may qualify as a Home Business?? Anyways I am sure someone would know the answer to this!

Cheers

Thanks for your reply.
The charity does not qualify as a home business because they operate from an office in the Christchurch CBD.

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Felix

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#37310 31-May-2006 15:15

with a new level playing field, perhaps you can expect Slingshot / Telstra to fill the gap? Or maybe that wont happen at all... I personally believe the consequences of regulation will be best demonstrated by things like this...

you need to understand that corporate responsibility goes as far as return on investment... I don't think many comapanies that have 2.2 Billion shaved off their value will put charities at the top of the list when it comes to things to do with their money...

barf

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#37311 31-May-2006 15:31

FYI this is not a consequence of regulation.

I have had this date in my calendar since Janurary

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Felix

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#37314 31-May-2006 15:42

and people say Telecom wasn't ready for regulation ;-)

Jama

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#37316 31-May-2006 16:03

Felix what has happened to your normal leftie, tree hugging self? You're sounding a tad centre right these days....

Felix

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#37326 31-May-2006 18:17

:-) as you know jama, I was all for helping the poor... sacrificed a tax break to help them out... all that... they came for big business and I said nothing... they abused the resource management act and I said nothing... they stole the foreshore and I said nothing... they lied about welfare and I said nothing... they got caught speeding on their way to a game of rugby and got let off and I said nothing... they got busted for beating children in school and got away with it and I said nothing... they took 9 billion dollars (probably actually 4.5, but that's still beside the point) and offered no services in return and I said nothing... then they nationalised Telecom and no one said anything...

yup... my faith in the Labour party has been diminished beyond repair.. I've been a supporter on principle all my life... never again...

... only problem is there is no viable alternative in this country.... on any side of the political fence...

Felix 5ive

riahon

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#37328 31-May-2006 18:32

I blame the media.
Surely you can only get beat up so many times before somewhere in the deep dark recess of your psyche you figure - "to hell with it"

paradoxsm

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#37338 31-May-2006 19:31

The "residential" plans are often the worst value Apart from the "free" local calls, often taking tolls spend into account, Many a charity would probably be better of on something like BusinessTime (the $1/50c capped calling to landlines and 027*) I recall it's only something like $55 which includes some Exchange services (callminder/callwaiting/callerID)

Of course some will be worse off, remember poor Telecom is taking an awful beating lately and probably has to tighten up, same with Vodafone. And there are alternatives to Telecom whom might offer local calls free to business. (Woosh if you dare) or just install iTalk VoIP phone for $10 a month and use that for local calls.

*Oh yes.. and 025, who's rung one of those in the last 3 months?

barf

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#37349 31-May-2006 20:31

paradoxsm: just install iTalk VoIP phone for $10 a month and use that for local calls.

thats the plan, except slingshot only undercut on mobile rates, (TCL's local-call toll rates are cheaper) with a little Asterisk dialplan trickery it will all come together.

Something I am upset about is we are forced to purchase a landline/PSTN in order to get broadband. No amount of haggling seems to exempt me from that unless I buy a huge data pipe (ie TCL offered to dig up the street and install fibre). But at least "naked DSL" is in the list of new government regulations.

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wirelessluva

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#37369 31-May-2006 22:34

great to have all the facts here - why on earth would telecom just can this service for no reason.
maybe there were a lot of 'charities' getting freebies with nothing in it for telecom.

any other business would look to get some return for their sponsorship .. any idea what your client does in return for this discount Barf ?

bcourtney

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#37377 31-May-2006 23:08

wirelessluva: great to have all the facts here - why on earth would telecom just can this service for no reason.
maybe there were a lot of 'charities' getting freebies with nothing in it for telecom.

any other business would look to get some return for their sponsorship .. any idea what your client does in return for this discount Barf ?

huh? There generally is an acceptance that nothing is given in return, these charities are often providing a free service to the community and as such those amongst us should help out in what way we can. I don't ask for my sponsored child in India to offer me anything in return for me helping them out. A lot of software companies offer charity licensed software at a greatly reduced price and don't need anything in return.

I think it's a shame that Telecom has removed these subsidies for charities, it was a great way for a company that can afford to help out to show that it has some empathy for those organisations that are doing something for the good of society as a whole.

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