[TelstraClear] $450 install fee... ouch!

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amigo

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Topic # 12263 8-Mar-2007 00:36

I've just bought a house and will move in in a few weeks time, I had checked the street and saw it had cable so I called TC to have my cable internet connection reconnected at the new address. They said it was all fine, no problem.

Had a cable guy ring today to say that the nearest pole was on the other side of the street, halfway down the road, and to make matters worse my house is on a back section, total of 85m distance. Said that they'll do up to 70m for free, but the excess 15m I'll have to pay $30/metre = $450!

Does this sound reasonable?? I see Dick Smith has quality cable for about $3/m. Sure they've got to dig some holes, auger between and patch them up, but they'd be doing that anyway if the pole was closer. Hmm I wonder if they'll let me run my own cable along the driveway fenceline and they can join it at the start of the drive? :)

It's a bit frustrating, as a few months back I got a VOIP router, ditched my landline, yay! and I've just got used to using the much cheaper (well actually its been free) and better VFX voip phone service,

$450 seems a lot but I worked out that If i end up just going with a Telescum line and an ADSL service I'll eventually over two years be paying more than $450 in extra monthly charges and get a crappier service.

Then again if I go with the $450 install, a couple of months later Telescum will probably end up allowing naked DSL connections on their lines and I'll be kicking myself. (Does anyone here know if this is ever likely to happen in the near future?)

At the moment I've cancelled the install, while I decide. A $450 bill at this time is not the most welcome on top of the lawyer fees and new big mortgage to pay!

In another thread I was reading that TC were giving $100 Noel Leeming vouchers if you move house and reconnect with TC. Does anyone know if this applies to cable only connections or was it just with their phonelines? Maybe I can hit them up for that to soften the blow a bit.

What would you do?

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Biddle Corp

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Reply # 63133 8-Mar-2007 06:10

The $100 voucher is for any form of reconnection. I have cable only with no PSTN and got the voucher.

If you sign up for a term contract with TCL you generally pay no connection fee, is there any reason why you are choosing not to do this?

TinyTim

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Reply # 63143 8-Mar-2007 10:06

amigo: ...a couple of months later Telescum will probably end up allowing naked DSLconnections on their lines and I'll be kicking myself. (Does anyone here know if this is ever likely to happen in the near future?)

The bill was passed last December, so it's on its way, but you probably won't see anything till later next year.

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Reply # 63156 8-Mar-2007 12:14

amigo:

Then again if I go with the $450 install, a couple of months later Telescum will probably end up allowing naked DSL connections on their lines and I'll be kicking myself. (Does anyone here know if this is ever likely to happen in the near future?)
What would you do?

No idea how good naked DSL might be. But if I were in your shoes I would go for the bird in the hand viz. TCL service. I would firstly escalate this issue as high as I could in TCL - maybe somebody from there is reading this.

Secondly I would find a way to tack on the $450 to my mortgage - amortised over the life of the mortgage it won't make any discernbile difference to your regular payments.

I am TCL are baulking because the ROI on your installation is beyond their normal timeframe though the additional cost for 15m can't be much. Most of the cost would be in the wiring in your home I would imagine

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antoniosk

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Reply # 63168 8-Mar-2007 13:33

amigo:
I've just bought a house and will move in in a few weeks time, I had checked the street and saw it had cable so I called TC to have my cable internet connection reconnected at the new address. They said it was all fine, no problem.

Had a cable guy ring today to say that the nearest pole was on the other side of the street, halfway down the road, and to make matters worse my house is on a back section, total of 85m distance. Said that they'll do up to 70m for free, but the excess 15m I'll have to pay $30/metre = $450!

Does this sound reasonable?? I see Dick Smith has quality cable for about $3/m. Sure they've got to dig some holes, auger between and patch them up, but they'd be doing that anyway if the pole was closer. Hmm I wonder if they'll let me run my own cable along the driveway fenceline and they can join it at the start of the drive? :)

It's a bit frustrating, as a few months back I got a VOIP router, ditched my landline, yay! and I've just got used to using the much cheaper (well actually its been free) and better VFX voip phone service,

$450 seems a lot but I worked out that If i end up just going with a Telescum line and an ADSL service I'll eventually over two years be paying more than $450 in extra monthly charges and get a crappier service.

Then again if I go with the $450 install, a couple of months later Telescum will probably end up allowing naked DSL connections on their lines and I'll be kicking myself. (Does anyone here know if this is ever likely to happen in the near future?)

At the moment I've cancelled the install, while I decide. A $450 bill at this time is not the most welcome on top of the lawyer fees and new big mortgage to pay!

In another thread I was reading that TC were giving $100 Noel Leeming vouchers if you move house and reconnect with TC. Does anyone know if this applies to cable only connections or was it just with their phonelines? Maybe I can hit them up for that to soften the blow a bit.

What would you do?

Hmmm, based on these prices, someone is paying 70x$30 = $2100 to get to your place. Astute is a contractor, not an employee of TelstraClear. So real money is going out the door to dig up to you, and it's not you that's paying that bit....

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Reply # 63205 8-Mar-2007 21:18

TCL ran conduit along my fence from the pole on the street to my rear section. Not sure of the exact length but at least 30m. I don't think they will do that now but I am glad since it meant no digging up my driveway and the only underground part was across the driveway which they did with a sidewise drilling machine (no idea of the exact technical name)

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Reply # 63207 8-Mar-2007 21:26

$30 p/metre doesn't sound too bad to me. I know it is you who has to pay it but you are getting most of it for free. Across 85m it is really costing you $5.29 p/metre.

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lchiu7

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Reply # 63212 8-Mar-2007 22:00

My average TCL bill each month (triple service, 2 phone lines, lots of digital TV and 10Mbs/40G Internet) is about $200 so I am a good customer :-) so their investment has probably recouped itself over the past 4 years

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Reply # 63213 8-Mar-2007 22:06

Could you guys please do not use the term "telescum" on Geekzone? There's no reason for this here.

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amigo

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Reply # 63226 9-Mar-2007 00:10

sbiddle:

If you sign up for a term contract with TCL you generally pay no connection fee, is there any reason why you are choosing not to do this?

I'm guessing that I may be entering a new term contract anyhow (though they didn't mention that on the phone). Problem is that the cost is extra to their standard install (which gets waived in the term contract).

I'll ring TCL again and sob about the extra cost and see if they do an extended term to cover the excess. If not I'll use the opportunity to hit them up for the $100 voucher.

I'll also talk the the cable guy to see if he'll run it along the fence as that will be a neighbour-friendy solution (shared drive), they wont be cursing at me as soon as I move in... Checked the fence today, and it looks pretty solid.

I'll let you guys know how I get on.

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Reply # 63240 9-Mar-2007 09:33

That brings up a good point. Have you talked to the neighbours? They may want telstra as well. Then you maybe able to share the cost of bringing the cable up the drive.

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amigo

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Reply # 66305 4-Apr-2007 16:52

*Update*

I did a net check on the expected speed at the property using DSL and it came up with, "maximum speed of less than 2Mb is expected at this address - possibly due to distance from exchange, age of wires etc...". So that has really focused me on persevering with Telstraclear.

I spoked to the Asute cable guy about running the cable up the fence, but he said, "a few years ago we could have, but not now...changed policy".

I called TC to ask about whether they could do an extended contract to cover the excess costs... few days later I got a message someone saying no sorry, cos its contracted out... blaa blaa...

I called again to ask about the Noel Leemings voucher...and to go ahead with the install at my expense. After one hour and a quarter hours on hold!!! I finally got to speak to a real person, but they couldn't help me and put me on hold through to someone else... they didn't know, and put me through to someone else...

I explained the situation and asked if there was anything to do to soften the blow. He checked with a manager and they said that the promo was over and they had run out of vouchers. Though the guy was sympathetic and said he thought $450 was too much for me to pay and would speak to their team leader about it... he would call me back later that after noon...

Week passed with no word, so I went on hold again and got the customer service person to track down who I was speaking to, and said he was away from his desk, but should be back soon and has emailed a message for him to ring me...nothing...

Rang the next day...this time I worked out if you call on cell phone you get priority treatment. The lady told me that she couldn't put me through to the guy but had spoken to him and said he would call me...

Another week passed...

Phoned again... lady said she couldn't put me through as he was in a different building, and wasn't allowed to give me his direct dial, but would speak to him and ask him to call...straight away....

Hour later... got the same lady... told her he hadn't called, she said she would email him... I got angry with her and said that's what they've been doing for over 2 weeks... she put me on hold, then put me through to someone at his department, who then put me through to him!!

He seemed suprised that nobody had got back to me (I reminded him that it was him who was supposed to be getting back to me!)... he appologized and said he's all over the place solving lots of peoples problems. He said he'd have a meeting with his team leader that afternoon... told me to ring him back at 2.45 if I hadn't heard from him...(gave me a phone number to his office)

3:00 I ring, but he's in a meeting... 4:00 I ring and the operator spoke to him and passed on the message "everything is sorted and a manager will call me shortly"....

Next day no calls... ring him back and frustrated he admitted that they were hopeless, and he would book the install right now and have the excess charged to the manager's expenses.

Yay!! Persistence pays off!!!

Had the cable guy call me on Monday about consents, but pointed out that they also have to get compliance consent from Orion as they are only allowed 3 lines on their poles and my one will be 4. Said it may delay the process a bit.

Today the cable guy rings and says, "There's a problem..." My heart sank... figured it was the Orion problem... "I just measured up, and your distance from the pole is 81m, TC will only pay up to 70m....."
I interrupted him... Man they are going around in circles!!! Told him that it was all sorted... TC were paying the excess... gave him the guy's number... Asked about the Orion problem, and he said they may have to put in a new pole, which would delay things...

BTW I've been in the new house for over a week now... still paying for my internet connection that was supposed to be continued over at my new property... so I hope to find some progress in the next week or I'll be on at them about a refund!!

kdn

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Reply # 66408 5-Apr-2007 09:39

I did a net check on the expected speed at the property using DSL and it came up with, "maximum speed of less than 2Mb is expected at this address - possibly due to distance from exchange, age of wires etc...". So that has really focused me on persevering with Telstraclear.

Where can you do this?

amigo

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Reply # 66416 5-Apr-2007 10:53

kdn:

I did a net check on the expected speed at the property using DSL and it came up with, "maximum speed of less than 2Mb is expected at this address - possibly due to distance from exchange, age of wires etc...". So that has really focused me on persevering with Telstraclear.

Where can you do this?

http://www.orcon.net.nz/popups/pop_linechecker/linechecker.php

It doesn't give an exact speed, only a more general like "below 2Mb, more than 2Mb, more than 4Mb". Many other suburbs in Christchurch came in as more than 4Mb, but mine was below 2Mb. :(

I see Orcon are doing homelines now, using the telecom network. More expensive though, if you live in Christchurch or Wellington.

xlinknz

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Reply # 66426 5-Apr-2007 11:44

Tried that Orcon test and it said I can get in excess of 4Mb but the max I get is 2.6Mb

Anyway I had fun wih TCL and Astute too, The TCL service [underground] stops 2 doors down and across the road and there was no way TCL were going to extend the cable network if they had to go underground :(

Shame as I was a TCL cable customer for 4 years but now on dsl which despite my previous anxiety I am very happen with [Xnet]

I too get so frustrated calling TCL - one ends up on hold for ever LOL

Bring on naked DSL or Wimax !

kdn

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Reply # 66434 5-Apr-2007 11:59

Im at week 5 of being netless.. (im at work at the moment in case you were wondering).. we are at the "show the (two) landlords the design for the proposed trench".. I would've gone to telecom weeks ago but really don't want to pay 40 a month for a phone that is never going to be used..

Flamer.

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