[TelstraClear] Traffic usage spikes: overcharged to the max

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] Traffic usage spikes: overcharged to the max

rliddall

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#72102 20-Nov-2010 13:37

Today I just received the most astronomical bill I've ever gotten for TelstraClear which was due to $306.66 of internet overage charges. We have a standard residential 25GB broadband pack which shows usage of near on 270GB...1 hour alone incurred 62.5GB. Based on my service to date and our download speeds, I can't even fathom how we could pull down that much data in an hour! For the past year, the most we've used is around 35GB.

First question: has anyone else struck this? If yes, how did you resolve it with TelstraClear? We've spoken to their customer service team in Manila and have been given the standard response 'terms and conditions...you must pay...'.

Here's a snapshot of month's use:

I know how much we are using yet we have no clue how to escalate this issue. We believe it's an issue with the usage meter but don't know how or who to contact. At this point, we want to refuse payment but we can't even get in touch with a person on their side to even discuss this with. Any help or pointers would be appreciated.

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#407068 20-Nov-2010 13:45

I'd hit them up on twitter or facebook.. The call centre is a pointless waste of time these days. Who wants to wait 22 mins to get nowhere like I did this morning.

edit: 2 mins before seeing this I was looking at my usage for my mobile data... waiting 10 mins for it to load just to find it's 3 days behind and today is the end of month.

michaelmurfy

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#407070 20-Nov-2010 13:56

Have you got a properly secured access point with either WPA or WPA2 and a strong password?

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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rliddall

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#407080 20-Nov-2010 14:45

Hi there, wpa2 and very strong.

michaelmurfy

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#407083 20-Nov-2010 14:50

rliddall: Hi there, wpa2 and very strong.

Ah that's alright then, I would likely say it's something to do with their systems, I know that getting through to them is a bit of a pain on the phone so your best bet is to @reply them on Twitter or flick them a support email explaining there is no way you could have used this sort of traffic.

Screeb

698 posts

Ultimate Geek

#407086 20-Nov-2010 14:51

rliddall: 1 hour alone incurred 62.5GB.

That's 142.22Mbps, so yeah, unless the meter is combining from several time periods ("catching up") then it's definitely broken (well, I guess you could say it's broken either way).

rfast

20 posts

Geek

#407088 20-Nov-2010 14:55

How do we (the consumers) make the point about how woeful their offshore call centre is?
It must have cost them quite a few existing and probably potential customers!

Morph

190 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#407091 20-Nov-2010 15:16

Can't Sent Pm since you are a new user
And i don't like giving out my work email in public.

The only thing I am going to say on the matter get yourself through to faults, Obviously explain its impossible to do that , He can log notes saying that its obviously not possible Ask to be put through to Inhome SAR team ( Remember these are the people who can help so be very nice and polite and explain everything calmly)

Explain because of the usage meter you have a big of $$$ and that you shouldn't have to pay it due to it being a system error.

And fingers crossed that should be the end of it.

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scensation

63 posts

Master Geek

#407105 20-Nov-2010 16:29

Unbelievable. Oh dear. TCL, I wonder just when will you be ready to provide a competent and reliable usage meter?

blakamin

4431 posts

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Inactive user

#407113 20-Nov-2010 16:57

scensation: Unbelievable. Oh dear. TCL, I wonder just when will you be ready to provide a competent and reliable usage meter?

When they get a competent and reliable call centre?

Yeah, right, they shut that one down!

rliddall

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#407136 20-Nov-2010 18:28

Thanks all!! We hear you Morph 'stay calm' (mantra lol) - thanks for giving us a direction! Our first call to Manila was very calm...then not so calm on the second...then the total opposite on the third - however, I can't help but feel for the Manila operators. They appear to only have 1 line for any and all calls relating to TCL's internet provision and no info. on any other points of contact to escalate to - absolutely ridiculous. Going by the above we're all in full agreement that the overage is simply crazy - 142.22Mbps (Screeb thx) would be nothing short of miraculous. We have a week before payment is due, so here's hoping the Inhome team will agree with the Forum. We'll keep you all posted.

Ragnor

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#407211 21-Nov-2010 01:35

Firstly I would double check the machines on your network by checking they do not have any virus/malware/torrent programs running. Also install usage monitoring on each machine.

Malwarebytes Scanner
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Networx Monitor (remember to go to settings > ignore lan traffic)
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/

So many many many times people are like: we couldn't have used that much and in the end it turns out machines on their network (or their neighbours using their wireless) did.

After you are confident it wasn't you, start asking for a breakdown and investigation of the traffic used.. they should be able to produce this imo (at least hourly breakdown of the traffic usage and what type to where). Manila CSR's won't obviously so Twitter is probably your best bet.

Belsamber

22 posts

Geek

#407715 22-Nov-2010 14:53

Ragnor:
After you are confident it wasn't you, start asking for a breakdown and investigation of the traffic used.. they should be able to produce this imo (at least hourly breakdown of the traffic usage and what type to where). Manila CSR's won't obviously so Twitter is probably your best bet.

Actually, TCL don't keep data on what your traffic is and where it goes... Just bytes in and out, as per this post by olof.

As far as I'm concerned, this is a good thing...

rliddall

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#407760 22-Nov-2010 16:03

As confident as one can be Ragnor. We've checked all machines for malware etc...have installed (but too late admittedly) usage monitoring, again, on all machines and everything seems fine on our side (so far). Our encryption is WPA2 with a very strong password in place. Using TCL's own metre we are able to pinpoint traffic spikes of 4 x 2 hr windows with usage ranging between 49-65GB with a further 1 hr spike of 62.5GB (noted earlier).

Having outlined the above, would you consider it possible to have that much traffic on a residential line in suburbia? (serious question) - thx.

BTW: We're currently awaiting a response from TCL tech support...with fingers and toes X'd.

Ragnor

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#407945 23-Nov-2010 00:10

Belsamber:
Ragnor:
After you are confident it wasn't you, start asking for a breakdown and investigation of the traffic used.. they should be able to produce this imo (at least hourly breakdown of the traffic usage and what type to where). Manila CSR's won't obviously so Twitter is probably your best bet.

Actually, TCL don't keep data on what your traffic is and where it goes... Just bytes in and out, as per this post by olof.

As far as I'm concerned, this is a good thing...

Hmm good point, had forgotten about that. Really they should still be able to do a report from their source logs of hourly usage.

The catch up spikes in the Online usage meter a probably a huge source of confusion.

Ragnor

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#407946 23-Nov-2010 00:14

rliddall: As confident as one can be Ragnor. We've checked all machines for malware etc...have installed (but too late admittedly) usage monitoring, again, on all machines and everything seems fine on our side (so far). Our encryption is WPA2 with a very strong password in place. Using TCL's own metre we are able to pinpoint traffic spikes of 4 x 2 hr windows with usage ranging between 49-65GB with a further 1 hr spike of 62.5GB (noted earlier).

Having outlined the above, would you consider it possible to have that much traffic on a residential line in suburbia? (serious question) - thx.

BTW: We're currently awaiting a response from TCL tech support...with fingers and toes X'd.

62GB in 1 hour is definitely not possible, however as explained in that link to Olaf's post the meter might have been catching up for usage from earlier days.

However it seems a bit too extreme to be normal. Talking with their helpdesk + twitter and facebook is the way to go.

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