[TelstraClear] TelstraClear-ly incompetent: A look at the last 5 years

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] TelstraClear-ly incompetent: A look at the last 5 years

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425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215069 15-May-2009 15:21

anatoki: As I said in the other thread, it's a problem with 1 particular host so I'd hazard a guess and say the problem is with FairFax Media and not TelstraClear. It may be worth logging a fault with TelstraClear if you really are concerned (and really want to see all those ads they're trying to serve you!).

I've tried from a couple of other computers that are not on TCL and they show the SMH website fine. I guess it could be something fairfax have got wrong, but if other ISPs have their networks configured to avoid the problem, then it points to TCL not caring about their customers' experience.

But then again, I've not really got a problem with it because I have a workaround and have posted it here on geekzone a couple of times so anyone with google-skills will be able to figure it out.

DS248

1697 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#215083 15-May-2009 16:22

I checked the site a couple of days ago (& just now) and it loaded 'immediately'. Previously took 'forever' (10Mbs cable, Wellington northern suburbs).

Not that I normally frequent smh.com.au - just checked to see if problem was 'fixed'.

Stathi

24 posts

Geek

#215121 15-May-2009 19:07

Interesting to hear about TCL currently I'm with Telecom on their Pro plan in Wellington and was looking at getting the bunndle TCL offer with phone/tv/cable which comes out cheaper if I go with Sky. Question is TCL that bad.

Cheers
Stathi

DS248

1697 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#215136 15-May-2009 20:31

Depends on usage. For me 2Mbs upstream (& CAP) is more important than 25 vs 10 DS - preference would be faster US (have large data files to upload). For others DS may be more an issue.

Main problem is over promising, but closely followed by under performing. Have lost much of the edge they had over the competition & are behind on TV (& on CAP). TV is possibly just a leapfrog situation, but I recall a speech by Freeth a few years ago (business or engineering audience) were he talked about focussing on increasing their return from their cable customers. Ominous words - unfortunately I did not save the article.

For me cable internet is still best, but they appear to be milking it for all it is worth & their reluctance to expand the cable catchment is a bit ominous - even refused supply to friends 2 houses down a driveway (off a cabled main road). Hard to understand the lack of 25Mbs in Wellington since they claimed to have finished the upgrade 6 - 12 months ago, except the absurd pricing which presumably crippled uptake in CHCH. Would have though a (near) free upgrade of plans would have been a better business model. They inherited the technology to be two steps ahead of the competition & build up a bigger custumer base but it may be too late now - probably see the writing on the wall with the FTTH talk floating around.

JonC

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215187 16-May-2009 08:33

DS248: Depends on usage. For me 2Mbs upstream (& CAP) is more important than 25 vs 10 DS - preference would be faster US (have large data files to upload). For others DS may be more an issue.

Main problem is over promising, but closely followed by under performing. Have lost much of the edge they had over the competition & are behind on TV (& on CAP). TV is possibly just a leapfrog situation, but I recall a speech by Freeth a few years ago (business or engineering audience) were he talked about focussing on increasing their return from their cable customers. Ominous words - unfortunately I did not save the article.

For me cable internet is still best, but they appear to be milking it for all it is worth & their reluctance to expand the cable catchment is a bit ominous - even refused supply to friends 2 houses down a driveway (off a cabled main road). Hard to understand the lack of 25Mbs in Wellington since they claimed to have finished the upgrade 6 - 12 months ago, except the absurd pricing which presumably crippled uptake in CHCH. Would have though a (near) free upgrade of plans would have been a better business model. They inherited the technology to be two steps ahead of the competition & build up a bigger custumer base but it may be too late now - probably see the writing on the wall with the FTTH talk floating around.

Absolutely - well summed up. TCL have a great product, but they aren't pushing the envelope - they're quite happy to milk their previous investment for all its worth.

Cable will always have the advantage over any copper telephone wire technology in that TCL can guarantee good connection speeds - ADSL is a lucky dip depending on your location. They can also offer higher upload speeds and if they're willing to make the investment required for DOCSIS 3, they'll be WAY quicker than anything possible over a telephone line.

techo

46 posts

Geek

#215188 16-May-2009 08:39

DS248: "even refused supply to friends 2 houses down a driveway (off a cabled main road)"

In instances where there is a long coax length from the street to the house, the signal loss is too great to provide reliable service.

TCL are working on developing solutions for this issue.

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215204 16-May-2009 11:20

My biggest beef with telstraclear atm is that they do not allow you to get their TV package without having a phone line.
Um excuse me i already have your internets mr Telstraclear.......without a phone line.

Why cant i have my cable TV? And why isnt it in HD you b@stards?

Dont get me wrong i like Telstaclear and what they do, im just peeved at this particular policy :(

The force is strong with this one!

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

Stathi

24 posts

Geek

#215449 17-May-2009 22:50

The reason you need the phone line is that Sky Box Office needs it to book the movie, now that may have changed but that's what I was told about a year ago. Now I heard Sky are changing that but that's for Sky customers

Davos

85 posts

Master Geek

#215536 18-May-2009 09:42

To compete, HD will be a requirement. TCL's longtime silence on this makes me wonder if they are considering whether they should even be in the DTV market. Is it cost effective to be in it when you can only deliver to Wellington and Christchurch?

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#215544 18-May-2009 10:19

rossmnz:

My biggest beef with telstraclear atm is that they do not allow you to get their TV package without having a phone line.
Um excuse me i already have your internets mr Telstraclear.......without a phone line.

When Saturn first launched you could get TV by itself (as it was their only product!).

Once they then launched their PSTN network and started reselling Sky channels my understanding is that Sky imposed some restrictions on TV only being available as part of a package and not being available by itself

You can however get a TV + broadband bundle, there is no need for a phoneline as part of the bundle any longer (unless things have changed in the past 2 years since I last queried it).

I don't think there initial Sky restrictions still apply, I think TCL are just happy keeping it bundled to upsell customers.

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215757 18-May-2009 22:47

im just going by their website, which currently does not let you try to price up a skytv/internet combo.

it says phone line is essential.

Perhaps its one of their marketing ploys and the guys on the sales will actually let you away with it?

The force is strong with this one!

SnowWookie

24 posts

Geek

#216192 20-May-2009 09:50

My issues with Telstra (having just sent them an email)

Broadband speed during work hours (i.e. mon-fri 9-5) is appalling. I sometimes work from home and often find myself wondering if I'd be better off on dialup.

Data plans are over priced. I'm currently on the LightSpeed 20G plan and the equivalent plan with Telecom is $20 a month cheaper and allows for 25Mbs speeds.

The digital TV EPG frequently displays no results, and 6 months after the website claimed there would be an announcement on HD TV, there has still been nothing.

Last night, my internet failed while I was working. When I rang the support hotline, I was informed that it was closed. This was bad enough, but when I called back this morning, I was informed that I would have to wait [b]2 days[/b] for a technician and that I would need to make myself available at some time between 12:30 and 4:30.

Congrats TC, you've actually made Telecom look attractive again.

Ragnor

8222 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#216197 20-May-2009 10:10

SnowWookie:

... and allows for 25Mbs speeds.

Sure if you have good house wiring, good line quality to the exchange/cabinet, don't live in an area with congested backhaul, your ISP has enough national and international bandwidth, the server at the other end you are communicating with has enough bandwidth available to your connection... and only if you live within 1000m or so of the exchange or cabinet

SnowWookie

24 posts

Geek

#216204 20-May-2009 10:19

Ragnor, I know that, but it's probably still at least as good as TC's 10Mbs. plus it's $20 a month cheaper and my friends who have it don't get the extreme slowdown during the day.

DS248

1697 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#216265 20-May-2009 11:31

SnowWookie: ...
Broadband speed during work hours (i.e. mon-fri 9-5) is appalling. I sometimes work from home and often find myself wondering if I'd be better off on dialup.

Where are you located? Are you using a multi-stream downloader?

I work from home in the Wellington northern suburbs area full-time and using FDM, get 10Mbs (or close to it) on almost all downloads, day and night. Can depend on the web site, but these days it is rare to get much below 10Mbs. Recent uploads of several 30MB - 200MB files ran fairly well spot on 2Mbs (via ftp).

Of course the system does occasionally go down, but for the most part I find it reliable.

Price is a different situation. In that regard they do seem to be lagging. Also, it would be nice to see some of the promised but as yet undelivered upgrades / facilities.

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