CDMA phone scam
Submitted: Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:04
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Zodarp
Has anyone been having trouble with telstra, not being able to change phone plans. Our CDMA phone contract has recently expired and wishing to go to a cheaper or capped plan was told to stay with the current plan. As the CDMA service will be finishing in 6 months no changes or plans will be offered. I can see their point, additional paper work, little profit etc. However the $80.00 plan I was on included a certain amount towards the purchase of the handset. At the end of the contract period I was to inherit the phone free of all purchase costs. Now telstra want me to continue to pay the $80.00 monthly plan, including the handset cost component until CDMA finishes. I asked what other options were available and was told to
sign up for the next g service. As I do not have a next g handset and telstra do not have a phone that is suitable ( has a decent handsfree in car kit) I feel telstra are trying to force me into a bad decision that I will be have me paying for something that may not be the most suitable for the next 48 months. The result of this argument with telstra will mean I will be continueing to pay for a handset that I already own until the CDMA service runs out or a suitable phone becomes avaliable. If my business could survive with the limited GSM coverage I would not hesitate to move to another carrier. I consideration that should be taken is how many other users are in the same situation and how much is telstra gaining from their lack of service. It seems that these vendors sell you what they want to sell not what we wish to buy.
Regards Zodarp
Reply By: Russ n Sue - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:13
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:13
G'day Zodarp,
Write a letter to the Telecommunications Ombudsman. He/she will be very interested to hear that Tel$tra want you to keep paying for a 'phone that you have already paid for. As would the ACCC if you wrote to them.
For the cost of two stamps, you could really give Tel$tra some pain. Try and get them to state, in writing, that they won't let you change to a cheaper plan and include that with your documentation.
It doesn't matter if it takes a little while to resolve, they will have to give you a refund. (Been there, done that.)
Cheers,
Russ.
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Reply By: madcow - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:19
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:19
Also We have found that the recharge for the cdam ( ours is prepaid) for $20.00 is only good for a month. It used to be 6 months! I have a work phone ( vodaphone which coverage is crap)) that I can use for regular use and the cdma is mainly for bush work as we live in the sticks. We were offered a digital replacement for free a while back but the coverage is just not there for us. We are being held at ransom it appears
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:40
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:40
Hi Madcow
One thing you can do is to buy your recharges in $5 lots (the minimum ) at a Telstra
shop. Each lasts for 14 days.
Its a bit messy , and they hate me buying 10 of these at a time but it works out at $11 per month instead of $20 for my phone which is casual CDMA like yours.
Robin Miller
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Follow Up By: madcow - Tuesday, Jul 24, 2007 at 07:56
Tuesday, Jul 24, 2007 at 07:56
We have since found out that if you purchase a recharge through an ANZ ATM we can get a $25.00 voucher will last 2 months. We'll give that a try.
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Reply By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:30
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:30
They will move you to Next-G for free and probably give you a new handset too if you ask nicely... call them up and work it out with them - keep the pressure on and you might just get a handsfree kit too.
The handsfree kit makes no difference to reception as far as I can tell... the range is as good as CDMA was on a good day with a antenna and h/f kit.
For me, the Samsung A700 is working fine.
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Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 13:17
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 13:17
If your $80- plan had a cost component within the $80- fee for handset purchase then you would find that the purchase component difference should now be made up with an additional call allowance.
If they "Gave" you the phone based on your signing a $80- plan then the handset was fully subsidised and you do now own it.
Both methods have been used by Telstra in marketing phones depending on when you originally signed up so you need to find out exactly what your contract said to see how it applies to you.
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Reply By: Dave Thomson - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 14:55
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 14:55
Its typical of Telstras tactics in trying to drum up more business {at your expense} had to laugh last month Telstra launched a web site to ask people who they blamed for the slow speed of Broadband {ie the govenment etc} and out of 79,000 participants a staggering 85% blamed Telstra.................... LOL, they instantly pulled the plug on the site hahaha.......would'nt give them a cent , in fact if they were the only phone company I'd buy a carrier pigeon LOL
regards,
Dave
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Reply By: Graeme & Wendy - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 15:01
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 15:01
I Have a CDMA phone and a CDMA (MiniMax) Modem, both of which will become useless next year. So, a couple of weeks ago I tried what Andrew has suggested, however telstra doesn't work that way, so NO GO. In fact the people that I spoke to in the West Berleigh Telstra
Shop told me that I have to BUY a new phone and BUY a new modem and
SIGN UP for a PLAN even though I am not on one now and haven't been for some time. When I got a little upset by all of this they just said "bad luck".
I then called telstra on the phone and when I actually got to speak to a person, he said that I should put my complaint in writing. I did that and sent an email to telstra's Mobile Support uint and received a reply that said "Bad Luck".
I am switching to and Iridium Satellite phone with a data pack so that I can get my emails and Telstra can do without my business. BAD LUCK!
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Follow Up By: traveller2 - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 15:21
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 15:21
Except that Telstra are the Aussie agents for Iridium so now you will have to pay them even more!
Fully agree with the CDMA situation, I still have the original Kyocera CDMA phone that I got when they turned the perfectly good analogue system off and made everyone change. A move that opened the mobile to new players and lost Telstra a huge percentage of the mobile market.
Now the ****** are doing it again!!
They don't have a simple one piece phone that makes and receives phone calls, I don't want a flip but a one piece handset with a carkit and pay the same amount I am currently, but they want me to
sign up for a next G minimum $40 a month! which they can shove as far as they like!
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Follow Up By: stocky - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 18:32
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 18:32
you DONT have to buy a phone - "free" phones available on plans from $20 - of course contracted for 24 months
Most people on CDMA modems get free upgrades to NextG ones - at least those with PCMCIA card types - maybe you have been speaking to the wrong people????
Look what Telstra are doign with contracts and stuff is NO different to the others - want a free phone -
sign a contract. Dont want to
sign a contract - buy the handset outright - but you will still need to connect for a guaranteed min term - but at least you can change plans as it suits you
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Follow Up By: Muddy doe (SA) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:05
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:05
My experience was that you got a free nextG upgrade phone from Telstra only iof you met 2 criteria:
1 - You were already on a CDMA contract that was not yet completed therefore they "release" you from the rest of that contract.
2 - You are prepared to
sign up to a new post paid 24 month contract on the NextG service.
In effect they are using the NextG rollout as a means to migrate all CDMA customers that have only a few months on contract to now be 24 month contracted customers!
If you already were out of contract with your CDMA or just bought it outright then there is less inducement to go to a NextG service - it will be a case of "come
sign up to NextG or bad luck"
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Follow Up By: traveller2 - Tuesday, Jul 24, 2007 at 08:10
Tuesday, Jul 24, 2007 at 08:10
My point EXACTLY, I'm long off a contract, my existing plan costs $15 a month and that covers most calls I make, the phone is purely for emergency/important calls when away from home.
Because they are turning the CDMA off next year(and rapidly denigrating the service in the meantime, it works in far less
places than it used to) to get the offered "FREE" phone I have to
sign up for a couple of years at a minimum $40 a month (for what I consider to be a dud phone, more if I want a better one)
Having been screwed once before like this when they turned the perfectly good analogue system off and I binned three perfectly good phones and three car kits plus data connections etc. I'm not happy at all!
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 17:31
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 17:31
I have 3 CDMA phones in the family and business, through a telstra wholesaler called Itel.
We also have our land lines and internet connection through them in a combined deal.
Itel have confirmed that my CDMA phone service will be switched off soon, date to be confirmed since telstra are closing the system down.
But Itel can not offer me Next G as a replacement, since telstra refuse to wholsale Next G through any one but Telstra. Itel can only offer me GSM, which does not work for us when out of town on site, or travelling.
Think it is about time I got onto the ombudsman and/or ACCC.
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Follow Up By: stocky - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 18:35
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 18:35
Correct - Telstra does not allow ANYONE else to use NextG - and why if you spent mega-millions would you let anyone else use it???
Go into business - design a product - then get told you MUST sell it to others at wholesale rates - whats fair about that?
Its called a "business advantage" - you want the product - you know where to buy it!
Its what makes this capitalist world of ours go round!!! :-)
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Follow Up By: Go-N-Grey (WA) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 22:19
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 22:19
Telstra got millions from the Govt for the NextG rollout, just ask anyone involved in the long haul rail freight business.
It's no co-incidence that NextG has almost complete coverage across the Nullarbor on the rail line, and along most country rail lines in Oz.
Not a lot to do with "Business advantage," but it sure helps.
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Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:10
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:10
Zodarp, I think some of your comments are judgemental rather than fact. There are a good phones with in car kits, several have stood testament to the LG TU500 and we have one of those. It works
well and with the external antenna is great. The phone will skip to GSM if you don't get Next G or will work OS too.
With the rate you pay you should get changed to that ok, but the car kit will be extra. I wired ours though. I am still not sure what you assert is the scam.
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Follow Up By: Zodarp - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:34
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:34
Hi John
Continuing to pay for a phone you already own, not being able to select a capped or lower cost plan and being told to accept a new product that has an incomplete network with unsure coverage. All my comments are based on the judgements telstra have made in considering my requests. The facts speak for themselves in their response.
Regards Zodarp
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:23
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:23
If the $80 included acomponent for the handset then they should drop the price once its paid off, thats the ripoff perpetrated by Telstra
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Follow Up By: stocky - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:47
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:47
NO - the way it works is you get a free phone if you
sign up on a $80 plan which would have given you $80 worth of calls - NO PHONE COMPONENT
The way it works is if you commit to them for the contract term the phone is YOURS TO KEEP - after the contract expires you are free to chose WHATEVER plan you want
If you chose a MRO that would have been ON TOP OF your PLAN amount and that would have stopped once the selected MRO period (12, 18 or 24 months) had expired.
More a case of a phone
shop employee not understanding what they are selling and hence not being able to explain it CLEARLY to the customer - hence confused customer not understanding what they agreed to.
On the Next G Front - LG phones have the best documented reception - the LG TU500 and the newer TU550 are the best for country areas HANDS DOWN
TU550 available for $0 upfront on $60 plan with car kit for $49 with 24 month contract
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 23:14
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 23:14
So what do we
sign up for? What the dummy in the
shop tells us (who we implicitly trust cause they ARE the expert) or what the small piece of paper says that we get once we part with our heard earned?
One would think that the
Shop Dumy is misrepresenting the deal, in which case we should get a refund or other gratuity.
But how do we prove that?
Score :
Dummy 1
Us 0
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Follow Up By: stocky - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 23:45
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 23:45
Thats the problem with the phone
shop industry - they are just pleb sales people - there for a pay check and commission - the more they flog the more they get paid and in a few few weeks get a new job somewhere else - very few EXPERTS in phone shops!!
Better off finding a "little guy" comms specialist in the back blocks - no BS, good advise and not working on commissions to get paid! More likely to end up with the right gear for the job, proper antenna, proper installation and a whole lot happier experience!
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Reply By: Member - Linda M (VIC) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:48
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 19:48
Zodarp, did you see the show Landliine on ABC tv yesterday? Helen Coonan the Minister for Comms implied that the government could ask telstra to defer turning off the cdma network if it isn't equivalent to or better than next g. I have a cdma and won't be changing over til I have to. Too many stories of dropouts etc on next g.
Anyway, that's not exactly what your post was about but I thought you might be interested in the story. If you find the programs website through www.abc.net.au/ You can watch the story online. The suggestion to approach the ombudsman for your current problem is a good one or even approach your local MP.
good luck
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Follow Up By: Ianw - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 22:25
Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 22:25
Here is a hint for all you prepaid CDMA users. When you eventually have to
sign a contract for NextG (if you want a free phone) be aware that you will lose all credit left on your CDMA phone. I changed over 2 weeks ago, rang last week to enquire about whats happening with my unused credit, was told that a condition in the contract was that it was forfeited. As I agreed to the change in response to a call from their call centre, I told the bloke that no mention was made of this condition during the phone call. He discovered that all reference to my prepaid CDMA had already been deleted from their system. Eventually he agreed to give me $10 credit on my next bill. (After many protests by me and many consultations by him with his boss). "Shut up" money I guess but I hate getting ripped off, especially by TELSTRA.
Ian
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