NextG Network outage in Queensland
Submitted: Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 16:26
ThreadID:
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3894
Replies:
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Mike DiD
Beware of depending on one form of communications.
Here is a quote from
itnews
"Telstra has confirmed that users of its Next G Mobile network are unable to receive signal in the entire state of Queensland. Telstra customers in Queensland began reporting that phone calls were not connecting and that SMS messages were not being sent from around 5:15am."
----
But having a network fail isn't the only way your Telstra phone can suddenly go dead.
Last month my phone suddenly last network signal - after a while a rang my own number (which I'd had for 8 years) and someone else answered !!! They'd gone into a Telstra
shop and asked for a replacement SIM card. The staff member issued them a new SIM card - but with MY number on it, instead of his, causing my SIM card to be invalidated. There ARE no safeguards in the Telstra system to prevent a working SIM card from being invalidated.
I asked them to assure me that this would never happen again, but their response was nil. If I'd been in a remote area I would have been really stuck - I had to go to a Telstra
shop and get a new SIM card - which they stuffed up - I had to go back again because it was locked from making calls !!!
So how does Telstra treat customers that they've totally stuffed around ? They offered me 50% off the cost a new SIM card !!!! They expected me to pay $15, travel to Telstra
shop twice, put with possible loss of work due to having my phone calls forwarded to a stranger - all because they totally stuffed up.
It's that sort of non-customer-service that's convinced me to sell my Telstra shares - as soon as they rise to a reasonable value !
So the lesson is - if communications is really important, always have a backup !
Reply By: Shaker - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 16:36
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 16:36
Did it also convince you to change networks?
I would think that would have more effect than selling your shares, albeit infinitesimal.
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Reply By: Mr Pointyhead - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 16:49
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 16:49
Put a complaint in to the telecommunications ombudsman.
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Reply By: wilco318 - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 17:43
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 17:43
Hi I gave up on Telstra a long time ago, and am now a loyal Vodafone customer. I have had no issues with them at all in the last 7 years That I have been with them. But I am aware that there network is by far the smallest of the big three.
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Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:12
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:12
Dont come to the middle of QLD then cause your Vodaphone wont work.
FollowupID:
685758
Follow Up By: Patrol22 - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:16
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:16
I'm currently working just 6km out of Nowra NSW - no Vodafone service here either. A contractor working with me had to slip into town to buy a NextG air card and a new phone......to get comms restored.
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Reply By: Member - Peter W (WA) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:02
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:02
Mike.
You must be planning on keeping those shares forever then..LOL
Peter
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Reply By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:10
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:10
Yes, the TIO would be very interested to hear about this.
I take it you didn't get your number back. So if you were a business, would Telstra pay to have all your stationary and cards reprinted with new numbers?
I swapped from Optus to Telstra about 18 months ago because of the poor network coverage from Optus. But while I get excellent signal from Telstra in more
places, too many times I get an SMS to
check messagebank to
check a missed call. The phone was in my pocket, but would not ring for a voice call, only an SMS. This has got to be a network congestion problem; ie, not enough channels within a particular cell. Not happy.
Gerry
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:17
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:17
It isn't congestion, I asked Telstra & they say that Messagebank determines the quality of the signal & diverts if the signal strength is low.
After being told this, I disabled Messagebank, & guess what, I don't miss it!
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:32
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:32
We found the problem occured with certain mobile phones. Not good if you require it for semi-emergency calls and the numbers ringing us are unlisted. grrrr...
Andrew
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:39
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:39
Hi Shaker, I'm not sure how far they reckon the quality of the signal has to be down before they divert to messagebank, but this is in an area (
Perth metro) where I'm getting full signal strength. And it's a Blue-tick phone. Arrrgh!
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 06:37
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 06:37
What model/brand is the phone joc?
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 10:31
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 10:31
Hi Andrew,
We've got two Samsung A411s. Both have exhibited the same problem with NextG in the city.
I chose them based on the Telstra blue tick, the ability to do a direct coax connection for an external antenna and the general good reports on them at the time.
I don't think this is a phone issue, it's more to do with network loading.
Interestingly, whenever I call Telstra (who mysteriously seem to be located somewhere overseas), I am told that the problem is due to a "software upgrade". The next week, I get the same story.
Gerry
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Follow Up By: Member - Christopher P (NSW) - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 11:41
Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 11:41
Buy Nokia, and a decent nokia, i've rarely had problems.
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Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 17:25
Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 17:25
I had the same problem with a Nokia on Optus, which is why I migrated to Telstra NextG.
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Reply By: Member - Old Girl (QLD) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:59
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 19:59
Well I had no trouble with my telstra mobile the local radio said there isnt any mobile coverage in the area then my phone rang go figure. But I had no signal with my bigpond air card.
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:05
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:05
The NextG network was down, though many phones reverted back to the older 2G network (in locations that had this ability).
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:12
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:12
Don't have that out here in Chinchilla Andrew :)
Nice quiet day at work for a change LOL
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FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:16
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:16
Dawn to 7.30 pm nil phones or net in
Muttaburra today.
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Follow Up By: Member - Christopher P (NSW) - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 11:46
Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 11:46
Your air card should've reverted back to 2g as well then, i would be writing to telstra and asking them why??? if they say nothing ask for a supervisor, get names and stuff , tell the "consultant" that unless you recieve a satisfactory response, you will go to the ombudsman with your complaint.
i have the sierra wireles 2g/3g aircard 750 or 850 can't remeber off the top of my head atm and i get signal almost anywhere.
Oh a tip for you all, if out driving and you are connceted to the net via wireless card and antenna you lose connection, there will be a copper about. Happened to me on the easter long weekend, driving around
grafton lost internet connection for 5 - 10 mins approx, blue cop car cruised past, wife was driving.
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Reply By: Patrol22 - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:14
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:14
Excuse me folks but isn't it just possible that ANY network could go down? This time last year I did a 20000km trip crossing Aus a couple of times and in some out of the way
places as well - I had a Telstra NextG, my travelling companion had a Optus 3G setup ....... guess whose phone was most reliable - it wasn't the Optus one I can assure you. The Optus 3G couldn't even get a service in that huge metropolitan outback city of
Marble Bar :-)
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Follow Up By: Muddy doe (SA) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 23:30
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 23:30
Yes - funny how when we are used to something being there it is suddenly a disaster when it is not!
Things break!
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 23:02
Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 23:02
Yes Muddy doe - I remember some long Optus outages in Qld last year (or was it the year before.) Sopme of the airlines lost their network at the same time.
PeterD
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Reply By: Member - Heather G (NSW) - Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:58
Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 20:58
Hi Mile,
I wondered why there was no signal and my mobile broadband wouldnt connect at Lake Monduran near
Gin Gin all day today after having almost full signal strength yesterday! Very frustrating it was. (I couldnt check the
forum)
Also my telstra mobile phone switched itself over to Optus for most of the day which seemed weird, although I did receive a phonecall. All seems to be working ok again now.
Regards,
Heather
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: mylestom - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 07:03
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 07:03
Heather,
Isn't there free WI FI available at the Lake Monduran Caravan Park. Just get your sign-on and password at the Kiosk.
Are you getting any Barra.
Trev
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Heather G (NSW) - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 14:43
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 14:43
Hi Trev,
Yes there was free wi-fi but I already have my own which was back in use last night when I saw the problem mentioned in this thread about the 3G signal being down in Qld.
All is well again now.
And No there are no barra in the dam, according to the men in our group !! They only tried for a couple of days and we have moved on in
search of other
fishing places now. They give up easily I think and should have tried for a few more days.
Cheers heather
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Follow Up By: mylestom - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 20:05
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 20:05
Heather,
There is a few barra in that dam and up to 130cm+, have hooked them and lost the best to the boat just under 120cm.
Sometimes you can get lucky and catch one on your first attempt. Othertimes it can take awhile. A lot of water and timber involved.
But a great dam, my personal favourite impoundment in
Queensland.
Maybe the girls should have shown them how to do it. My wife certainly knows how to catch them up there and outfishes most of the men on a regular basis.
Regards
Trev
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Reply By: ChipPunk - Friday, May 07, 2010 at 20:28
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 20:28
Sell now! It's another Enron....
And as with any shares, if there is a better investment, transfer (sell & buy) even at a capitol loss. Dollars gained are dollars irrespective of where they come from!
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