Orcon change to 100/20 help with billing

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Orcon change to 100/20 help with billing

DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#197873 16-Jun-2016 07:43

Hi - any help appreciated from any Orcon people here.

I don't think I can stomach calling an international helpdesk again as I'm likely to change ISP's out of frustration dealing with them.

I recently upgraded to Fibre 100/20 from 30/10

(the backstory on why is here http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=82&topicid=196278)

In a nutshell, the helpdesk dealing with my enquiry on upgrading was pretty good and *assured* me it was a speed upgrade and no extra cost (apart from $1 more a month), no extra charge for modem, no contract. Everything else stays the same. GREAT! I thought....

First after my original posting I find an older email on the 23rd that my Internet will be upgraded by 26th May for free. Turkeys I thought. First a txt now an email. Ah well.

Nothing happened on 23rd. So I wait.

I get a call on the 6th June from a guy I could barely understand, something about the new plan I requested and a technician needs to visit. He said the new cost was $110 month. I pointed out it was just a plan change, and I currently pay $99. He said Yes, that's correct - I'll just pay $99. And assured me that it's just a speed upgrade. I double checked. Yes $99.

A modem turned up on the 13th June and our fibre internet went dead. No notification that it was to go dead that day. It was bad timing for us.

Plug in new modem...and nothing... no internet. Call helpdesk. Get passed between two level 1 support people - one actually insisted asking me if I contacted "the other company" and asked me if I had paid my bill! Even when I said I have no 'other company', she still asked. And then started claiming her system was down that's why she asked. Don't forget the insane hold time. 1 hour 20 mins later, eating dinner with a phone to my ear, Orcon updated my account after getting my MAC and serial number, and voila! I had internet.

14th June I get a txt message - my fibre upgrade is complete and I can now plug in my modem! Bit late.

Today I logged into my new Orcon account online and noticed there is no Voicemail addon. So I tested it - it's gone. Vanished. So it wasn't just a plan upgrade as I was lead to believe.

If I re-add it, I get charged $4 month.

So now questions arise

a) What am I actually getting charged for per month? The Orcon portal doesn't tell me.

b) Have I ended up on a contract as they sent me a modem?

c) am I getting charged for that modem?

d) Where is my voicemail and I want it back at $0 as per agreement.

Dealing with this is the #1 reason I hadn't upgraded to 100/20. So I can't handle calling the helpdesk again - it's too painful.

Any help appreciated!

PeterReader

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#1574796 16-Jun-2016 07:43

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

you have reset your modem and router
your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing - you are not being throttled by your ISP due to going over the monthly cap
your tests are always done on an ethernet connection to the router - do not use wireless for testing
you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

Your ISP and plan
Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)
Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)
Your general location (or street)
If you are rural or urban
If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin
If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service
If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

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DrDee

273 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 45

#1574945 16-Jun-2016 11:31

If they did re-sign you to a contract, make sure you insist on getting the free month as well.

I am 12 days into a plan change, paying the higher cost and getting the old download speed still.....

DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#1574947 16-Jun-2016 11:39

DrDee:

If they did re-sign you to a contract, make sure you insist on getting the free month as well.

I am 12 days into a plan change, paying the higher cost and getting the old download speed still.....

I asked explicitly if I would be on one, and they said no - so therefore they can't put me on one.

And retrospectively giving me only a free month to resign up on a contract isn't that appealing considering the hassle I've gone through with them.

This is going to be interesting how this pans out I think. Will call helpdesk after lunch so I don't have enough stress today :)

DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#1575021 16-Jun-2016 13:45

And I bit bullet and called.

1. Voicemail. They need to request to the backend team and get approval for it to be added. Will take several days. I expressed displeasure that it was their stuff up and that time frame is not acceptable. Hold. Then she said they have escalated and it will be looked at today/tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath. I've heard that before.

2. Modem. I'm not getting charged for that. no rental charge. Something good. yay.

3. I'm on a contract. She insisted to go on 100/20 then it's a contract and said she has to put a request through to dispute it. I wanted to speak to someone higher up and that is not what I was told - no dice. Would not put me through. In the end she put a request to pull call logs and it would be 7 - 10 days before I hear back. Her tone made me feel like I'm lying and they want evidence - which is fair enough for evidence, but a bit of customer service and a 'warm' tone wouldn't go amiss, which I told her and then promptly hung up on the robot.

It's a bit weird, since if I hadn't phoned up for the upgrade - I would have got it automatically .... does that constitute agreement to a contract?

Honestly Orcon - this is a bit of a joke. Becoming a stressful experience really.

next step - write up a format complaint so it's on file.

sbiddle

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#1575029 16-Jun-2016 14:08

I'm pretty sure all Orcon plan changes now are a migration to an entirely different backend and voice platform. This is why they send you a new router so it can auto provision against the new backend.

DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#1575050 16-Jun-2016 14:29

sbiddle:

I'm pretty sure all Orcon plan changes now are a migration to an entirely different backend and voice platform. This is why they send you a new router so it can auto provision against the new backend.

Yup that's not an issue. Issue is they stuck me on a contract, despite assuring me otherwise. And they took off my voicemail and said it would be after weekend before I get it back, IF it gets approved. This is on top of the nightmare getting connected and misinformation.

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DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#1575718 17-Jun-2016 13:18

bameron (Cam) has sorted me out. Top marks to him! :)

Awesome stuff :)

tripper1000

1648 posts

Uber Geek
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#1584421 1-Jul-2016 22:45

Hey, what modem were you upgraded from and to?

I received an unsolicited upgrade (with no new modem) and things seem to be a bit glitchy ever since. I've got the Genius white modem and prior to upgrade it was rock-solid. Since upgrade I've had to reset it a couple of time a week.

MadEngineer

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#1584423 1-Jul-2016 22:52

"Everything remains the same" - I sugges you double check that one.

I for one did not realise you lose voicemail.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#1584450 2-Jul-2016 07:27

tripper1000:

Hey, what modem were you upgraded from and to?

I received an unsolicited upgrade (with no new modem) and things seem to be a bit glitchy ever since. I've got the Genius white modem and prior to upgrade it was rock-solid. Since upgrade I've had to reset it a couple of time a week.

Went from the black modem to the white modem. The black modem was pretty rock solid. The white one I've had to reset once, but it seems to be ok.

DarrenJ

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#1584451 2-Jul-2016 07:29

MadEngineer: "Everything remains the same" - I sugges you double check that one.

I for one did not realise you lose voicemail.

yup - I doubled checked everything to make sure it was on record. I don't trust the Orcon helpdesk people.

Yet I lost voicemail in the upgrade.