TelstraClear is shit

[accidental]

Here's a basic rundown of what's grinding my gears:

August last year I signed up for TCL's 'Invitation Mobile Plan' with a free $400 (at the time) Nokia phone on the 24 month contract.

July this year the phone dies, so I call TCL and they send me a loan phone and a prepaid bag to send my phone to Telegistics (TCL's service affiliates) for repair.

3 weeks later my phone arrives back unrepaired with a sticker on it saying "out of warranty fault, non repairable" quoting "water damage".
Having never let my phone NEAR water, I'm baffled as to how this caused the phone to die. After talking with a TCL rep over the phone over an online photo of the damage, he says it's consistent with moisture damage from condensation/humidity.

I believe that condensation (which isn't abnormal in our flat) is a condition that the phone should be able to handle (and all our other phones have handled) and contest the situation. TCL say that it's still out of warranty. I dispute this and quote the CGA and Consumer Affairs articles on this very matter of 'moisture damaged' mobile phones, that a $400 phone should last under normal conditions for at least the 24 month contract it was supplied with. Meanwhile, I still have the loan phone as I'm fully expecting TCL to provide me with a new phone.

After a series of heated roundabout arguments over the phone with various TCL people that call me, I lose out and have to return the loan phone immediately.

I return the loan phone with the intention of following this up with TDR (Telecommunications Dispute Resolution service) and/or Consumer Affairs.

Instead of buying a new phone, I port my wife's CDMA prepay Telecom phone over onto the plan (because we have to pay for the 24 months whether we use it or not) and I buy and iPhone with Vodafone.

Porting process is a longwinded nightmare (TCL are munters, obviously).

I decide that it was such a shitstorm dealing with TCL that I can't be bothered with the stress of resolving this issue, so leave it alone.

Next billing cycle we're charged extra for having TWO phones on the plan, my old number is still attached to our account, so I have to get that refunded.

The next billing cycle, this happens AGAIN. I get my old number removed again.

This latest billing cycle, TCL direct debits $202.50 out of our account for "Telegistics Damaged Or Loss Loan Phone Recovery Charge"
BULLSHIT.

I used their own prepay bag to send the loan phone back over 6 WEEKS AGO! Now I have to deal with some more shit over the phone, during business hours, trying to get our money back.

If we weren't bound to this 24 month mobile contract, I'd be telling them to f**k right off.

/rant

[zach]

Do you get to see proof of water damage indicators?

[emetic]

Yeah, there are little moisture stickers inside the phone.

If I were you, I'd drive up to the head office and stab them all. I wouldn't suggest or condone you doing so, however. It's just what I would do because I'm cool and psycho.

[accidental]

There was never any mention of moisture indicators at any point. The evidence photo of somewhere in the guts of the phone only barely showed some White specks on metal shielding.

I've still got the phone so I can check the inicators if I know where to look. It's a 6275i.

[loose_unit]

Tell them you feel they haven't upheld their end of the contract and point out all the mistakes.

Also, tell them they need to show you exactly what the indicators are and how you can check yourself.

[accidental]

I've already given up on the phone situation, but this latest charge takes the freaking cake. And because I'm on direct debit, they've already taken the money! Needless to say, I can't exactly afford it.
Trust me, I'm removing myself from direct debit with TCL after this.

[loose_unit]

Originally Posted by accidental

I've already given up on the phone situation, but this latest charge takes the freaking cake. And because I'm on direct debit, they've already taken the money! Needless to say, I can't exactly afford it.
Trust me, I'm removing myself from direct debit with TCL after this.

You should be able to get it back.

[accidental]

Not necessarily. I held onto the loan phone for longer that I should have, because I was in the middle of a dispute. They could very easily continue to be dicks about it.

[loose_unit]

... dude, argue with them - they are totally in the wrong here charging you that money.

[accidental]

I had a bit of an argue with them today. Even though TCL were charged for the phone by Telegistics (because I had it for over a month) I managed to convince them that I shouldn't have been charged for it because I was in the middle of a dispute which should have gone in my favour.

The residual bummer is that because the charge has already been DD'd out of my bank account they don't give it back, they just credit my TCL account.

[FaceAche]

I remember working for a company a few years ago, who were supposed to debit this customers account $35.00 on a Direct Debit Authority. One of the data entry people missed the decimal point, and $3500 was debited from this customers account.

As a result, they had mortgage payments not going through, cheques bouncing, EFTpos on a $400 shop at Pak 'n Save declined - was not good.

Basically, when you set up a Direct Debit Authority, you give whoever it's set up with essentially the same access to your bank account funds as you do. I now refuse to have DD authority's with anyone.

I think it's disgusting that TCL won't give you back the money in the same format in which they took it off you.

I'm currently with TCL for both phone and internet, and this thread is just about enough for me to tell them to shove it. I'll at least have a look around and see what else is out there.

Oh, and Tel Prydain signal? *shrug*

[ahmad]

Originally Posted by FaceAche

Basically, when you set up a Direct Debit Authority, you give whoever it's set up with essentially the same access to your bank account funds as you do. I now refuse to have DD authority's with anyone.

I love DDs - there is a rule to say that they must inform you x days before the DD that $x will be deducted right? So didn't the $3500 show up on that statement?

[accidental]

Originally Posted by ahmad

I love DDs - there is a rule to say that they must inform you x days before the DD that $x will be deducted right? So didn't the $3500 show up on that statement?

There probably is a rule, but by the time the statement arrives in the mail they've already gone and done it. It's technically available to view online immediately, so that would have them covered as far as 'the rule' goes if you get the mail late.

Yeah, I've been quite unhappy with Telstra's service pretty much the entire time I've been with them. Too bad they've got the fastest internet and we hijack the free-to-air TV channels off the cable (we don't get aerial reception at my house). For the our needs, I can't really go anywhere else.

[ahmad]

All my DD bills say "unless you inform us by xxxx date, we will deduct $x on (said date plus a few days)"

[FaceAche]

I'm not sure, TBH. It was a few years ago now, and i've never had DD's set up since.