Breaking News

18 Oct 2010.
Apparently the email to Paul O'Sullivan sent last week - did the trick. I talked to Nathan (different Nathan) this one from Customer Relations. For the first time I have been contacted by someone who was aware of the whole story.

This may be the end of my saga.
Here's hoping....
Otherwise Telstra's extra data plan expires 31 October.

August 12 - It couldn't get any worse, could it?

Part 4 - 12 August

I read the comments in Whirlpool to find out I am not the only one who gets hung up - upon

and I went to TOLL couriers today, man they have been so nice, nothing was too much trouble for them. They showed me the original consignment request from Optus with the wrong delivery address (so they couldn't even leave me a card to say they couldn't deliver my package). 

Anyway I had to wait a few minutes there, while this person in front of me was in tears about her phones, one had been delivered but the other two were still in Optus's hands in Sydney apparently. Despite Optus informing her they had been dispatched. At least Optus told her they had been dispatched. Too bad the lady was supposed to be leaving the country tomorrow, maybe she could pop into Sydney on her way overseas and pick up the phones?

I attempted to email Optus - so I could email attachments to show them what happens on their web site (like this previous post) so I sent off emails to the only Optus emails I could find

pers_mail@optus.com.au, 
OptusWholesaleWeb@optus.com.au, 
cis.support@optus.com.au domain@optus.com.au, 
hostmaster@optus.net.au

Dear all,

sorry to cross email - but these are the only emails I could find when I viewed the various forms on your web site (view source.... don't you love reading HTML?).

eg. https://www.optus.com.au/portal/site/aboutoptus/menuitem.8ec78f21a99f2c66d0b61a108c8ac7a0/?vgnextoid=befcbab5610b1110VgnVCM10000029867c0aRCRD, whirlpool - eg http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/769200.html and whois

Wish me luck....

Benedict

I got two bounces

and one reply from OptusWholesaleWeb@optus.com.au

Hi Benedict,

This dropbox does not handle customer billing disputes.

You need to refer all billing disputes to Customer Service on 1300300937.

Regards,

Web Analyst/Administrator

Systems & Implementation | Optus Wholesale & Satellite

1 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113

Polite, but no offer to forward my email on to whomever I need to communicate with.

And the two bounces:

<pers_mail@optus.com.au>: Recipient address rejected: User unknown in relay recipient table' (delivery attempts: 0)

<domain@optus.com.au>: Recipient address rejected: User unknown in relay recipient table' (delivery attempts: 0

So even though I emailed these address. I wasn't on their whitelist, so I can't even communicate with them. 

And I got a customer quality service phone call as I write this asking me how I felt about the service. I am tearing up in frustration as I write this. The CSO asked about my phone call to Shane on Monday - and I said what about my problems Tuesday and Yesterday and my postings to the Optus web site?


CSO:  "I am sorry I cannot access these" - sigh. 


me: Can I email you my letter describing the problems? 


CSO: "Oh no we don't use email". 

Oh and for the record I have no complaints about the individual human staff, just the structure, web site and disorganised infrastructure. If I was having trouble with the staff I would have asked to speak to a supervisor and the supervisor's supervisor if I thought it would help. (More on that later, when I talk to Amin from 'retentions" - which from what I hear can't do much anyway.*)

Anyone out there, do you think there is anything to complain about to the TIO (yet)? As, unlike, another telecommunications provider, it is just gross incompetence, systems failures, probably severe understaffing. 


Optus must spend millions on advertising but wastes their opportunities at the other end. Turds do not polish well.


g'night
Benedict










* http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1017400
from this site there is an interesting quote: all I can think to reply, is been there, tried that, bought the t-shirt and ... well nothing .....


As I said, all this is judged base on a case by case basis, if you say you have been with Optus for more than 5 years, good payment history, and has multiple services under one account, then advice the rep that if they cannot do anything about the cancellation fees, you would port out to another carrier.

If only I had an iPhone4

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/10/7-geeky-ideas-for-using-apples-facetime/#more-42926

11 August - Ordering my new iPhone 4 on the Optus Website

11 August

Trying to order an iPhone4 on the Optus Website

Click on the iPhone4 graphic Toby the CSR (Customer Service representative) said...

I fill in the form on 

https://www.optus.com.au/dafiles/OCA/OptusHome/HomeRedesign/offers/iphonepreregistration/?sid=MobAFeat1:Pow:OSC:MPOST:OCA:MPOST:29072010

and here is a screen shot - where is the button to click to "accept"?

I hit return and prayed...

9 August - Part two - the litany continues

9 August 2010 

I call Optus I eventually get through to a customer service representative,  I ask Shane (ID=CP396399) to have Optus call me back either Tuesday 0900 to 1200 or Wed 1300 to 1400 or Thursday 0900 to 1300,

10 August

get an SMS that says it is from Optus, "please call 1509".

I phone 1509 - I get a recorded message "We are sorry but that service is not available from your number". 

Sigh...

11 August

So at 2pm I get a call from 02 9027 8000 - unfortunately I was unable to take it at that time, but a few minutes later I call back (02 9027 8000) only to get a message saying that I cannot call this number and to try one of the customer service numbers.

So I call Customer Service.

After some 4 levels of key presses and listening to messages, I get thru to someone, only for them to hang up on me (I think they were trying to put me on hold, but maybe they were having a bad day - see http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/769200).

Unfortunately next chance I get to call I get thru to Toby from online Sales Support, he got an earful of my frustration, after listening to 4 levels of "press 1 if you want....", I suggested that Optus was almost as bad as Telstra (sorry for swearing there!)

Oh and Toll apparently delivered the phone on 5th August as Optus informed me that was going to happen. Well today I find out it was attempted to be delivered at 0817 hrs apparently. 

Consignment number OD 88907838  Ph. 131531

<IRONY MODE>Nice that you told me before I actually asked today (11 August).</IRONY> TOLL would have left a note to say the parcel could not be delivered, if only they could have found the address. Hey at least some good news, even though it is after hours (the Optus line is closed for the night) at least I can get through to TOLL, too bad the phone has probably been sitting in their warehouse for a week and they are having trouble finding it.

Actually - it's worse, TOLL have just got back to me (after hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!) to say they found it. Apparently they had instructions to deliver to Unit 10, 6 Something Street, Suburb. (There is no 6 Something Street BTW). I wrote on the web site (OPTUS) to deliver to

Suburb Shop, Units 5-6, 10 Something Street, Suburb, Any staff can sign for it. 

Sigh...

Okay - you would think that would be enough....

But every time I get through to Telstra - er I mean Optus, I have to go through the whole story again. Part one (previous) from 7 August - Shane the original CSR didn't have that message from me to you yet, then today 

when I phone the help number, nobody could access this information either. No body could change anything because it was the wrong department or they didn't have authority or they couldn't access that information. 

It would seem that on Sun 1 August when I tried to order both phones online, somehow you tied the 32 Gb iPhone to 04xxxxxx43 not 04xxxxxx76 (I mean Mid July I requested a micro-sim for my soon to be released in Oz iPhone4 for 04xxxxxx76). I received the Micro-sim about 28 July. Actually also the call made mid July I asked your CSO to call me back the next day anytime between 0900 and 1300, no I never received a reply.

There has been a tradition of Optus not being very macintosh friendly. I remember about a decade ago Optus were advertising their Broadband with the ad filled with imacs, except they specifically excluded supporting the MacOS from technical support is someone was having problems getting connected to the internet. Here is a link to a discussion in 2006 about this problem. 

So - I am reluctant to have the 32GB iPhone4 returned to you to be 'reset' or something at your offices where hopefully I would receive it in a week or two (and you would have paid multiple courier costs etc...) so hopefully you will be supplying the 32Gb iphone attached to 04xxxxxx43 on the $29 plan for the extra handset cost of $20 (which was the costs planned for when I logged on 1 Aug 2010 for the ordered 16Gb iPhone4) and not the $26. Hopefully you will see the extra $144 ($6 x 24 months) in 'costs' on your part will be offset by not having to courier the phone back and forth, having your staff "reset" the phone when you must be very busy with lots of iPhone issues with all your new iPhone customers, and have me even more disgruntled at having to wait wait wait...

Now on the topic of waiting. Apparently I cannot order a new iPhone4 plan for 04xxxxxx76 and only register an 'interest' - didn't I do that in mid-July? As the phone is currently on back order for about 4 weeks. Sigh, so me (04xxxxxx76) who has been waiting for an iPhone4 since about Jan 2010, tried to get in ASAP - I would have called Midnight 30th July - but I had to travel interstate - I ordered the two iPhones as soon as I got home Sunday 1st August)

So now - I am about to try to 'express' an interest, for an iPhone4 32Gb for 04xxxxxx76 on a $49/month plan with a handset cost of $15/month. One possible good thing could be that by the time I get my phone the price of the iPhone4 may have dropped or even iPhone5 may be out by then. 

Hey I just remembered, on Aug 1 when I ordered both phones apparently the online bonus was 2 months free access? I wonder what happened to that? (2x$29 plus 2x$49 = $156)?

This is an amazing story - I should put it on a blog!

Vodaphone/3 are looking better all the time......

(I have been waiting for the iPhone 4 on my 04xxxxxx76 number since I knew I was coming out of contract in March 2010).

7 August - All I want is a new iPhone

Copy of message sent to Optus on their complaints section of the web site:

What a mess of a bill I just received. I requested the $49 cap plan for 04xxxxxx76 and the $15 extra handset payment for the iphone 4 32GB over 24 months. I preordered the SIM which I have received. I have not received the iphone yet. Also, later, I ordered the iPhone 4 16GB on a $29 plan with a $20/month handset payment over 24 months for phone number 04xxxxxx43. 

The bill I just received (would email a copy but your software doesn't allow any attachments) is both confusing and wrong.

It shouldn't have been activated yet because I have yet to received either iphone. I suspect that you haven't planned on sending me a second iphone for the 04xxxxxx43 and you have probably sent a 16GB for 04xxxxxx76 when and if I ever receive it. So the amounts attached to each phone should be $19 cap, and how can their be a non-eligible component of $17.44 before GST? when your bill said up to $70 ($63.64 ex GST) should be included as part of the cap?

The two phones were out of 'contract' in March 2010 so there shouldn't be a problem there.

So I need a new bill with 2x$19 caps and no excess charges (okay maybe the $4.24 ex GST on 04xxxxxx76).

Hopefully as I requested the 32GB iPhone 4 ages ago I should be receiving it soon.

Hopefully the second iPhone 4 16GB (can it come in white your web site didn't make this an option and I can see why - apparently Apple can't get the colours right) and the second micro-sim are also on their way - but somehow I doubt it, as you couldn't have messed this bill up more if you had deliberately tried!

It hasn't been a month since ordering the phones (I ordered both phones Sunday 1 August) so how come I am paying $49 cap plan for last month anyway?

Also your web site offers 2 months free access fee also there was an older offer for June 2010 where by phone one of your consultants offered $10 less a month on a handset cost as I had been an ongoing customer and intended to renew for 24 months. Another customer service officer called me when I was busy at work, and I asked that he phone again a couple of hours later at lunch time - this didn't happen and no one contacted me back since. 

So - hopefully you are sending me a 32GB iPhone4 (Black) a 16GB iPhone4 (White if possible) and a micro-sim for 04xxxxxx43, as I already have one hopefully it is for 04xxxxxx76 - just to help you - the sim is an Optus USIM 32 1xxxx xxxxx 6 OT post paid..

Hopefully the current bill will be reissued for a total of 19+19 (inc GST)

Future bills will include only a $15 and $20 handset charges, only when the phones are received, for 2 months. This will revert to $49+$15 (for 04xxxxxx76) and extra data charges if the cap is exceeded, and $29+$20 (for 04xxxxxx43), for a total of $113/month for a further 22 months. 

Hopefully the two phones will arrive at my work Monday 9th August, but somehow I doubt it. 

I think it would be reasonable for you to offer me either a free upgrade to a $59 plan from a $49 but charging $49/month or taking $10/month off the additional handset price per month (a previous phone offer made in June 2010 by a phone representative). 

Your move.

Oh, while this is in question, and I should have a bill of either $38 or maybe $42.24 (under the old $19/month $50 cap each inc GST plans). This is due 18 Aug 2010 I intend to pay the $38 by that date, but of course things may become so messy that I might inadvertently forget to pay by that date. I hope you can understand. 

filename: OptusbillcockupAug2010.rtf

other:

Customer Relations Group,

PO Box 306,

Salisbury South, SA 5106

Sent via email/web post

Enquiry Number is: 1-227042990  11/8/10 

Preamble - Mobile Phone Networks in Australia

Welcome to my blog. I have had an interesting 10 weeks with Optus one of the three mobile phone carriers in Australia (Optus, Telstra and Vodaphone). All other carriers basically use the infrastructure or are subsidiaries of those three. Other companies include Virgin (Optus), 3 (Vodaphone), Dodo (Optus).

I have been with Optus for three years after several years with Telstra (like most Telecommunications companies also not known for being easy to deal with) when I could have two phones on one account for less than I was paying for one phone with Telstra (not known for being competitive).

If you want to know more about which mobile plan is least worst for you, and you are in Australia then please checkout the forums on Whirlpool.

All the details in this blog are true, or slightly changed to obscure some personal details I don't really want 'out there'. Nonetheless, the events in this story really have occurred (are occurring), because I could never make anything this convoluted up if I tried.

I hope this blog will help you with your inevitable problems with the telco(s) you have to deal with. Maybe, just maybe someone from these telcos <IRONY> will read this and actually make some changes?</IRONY>