Fibre Connection Part 4

On 13/02 2012, exactly one month after the saga started, I decided to bite the bullet and told Exetel to cancel all of my applications. rang Telstra and relayed the issue of the telephone number not being in my name, went through the whole connection process, faxed my lease to prove I was the resident and off they went.

8:00 am Monday, 20th Feb, I rang Telstra to find out when the line was going to be active and was told by the COB.

8:00 am on Tuesday morning Rang Telstra again to be told

There is one more issue that needs to be find and it should be done by lunch time but they like to allow a couple of hours for it to be fully operational.

4:00 pm Tuesday I test the line.... still no phone.

8:00 am  Wednesday Ring Telstra.  The codes just need to be updated. It'll be on by 10am.

1:00pm Wednesday Ring Telstra.

Telstra: A tester will have to look at this and will give you a call

Me: How long is this going to take?

Telstra: Hopefully they'll get back to you today.

Me: When I ring the number it is engaged. Did you not test the phone lines when you do the work at the exchange?

Telstra: Because this is fibre all we do is check there is a light coming down the line?

So it appears that not only does Telstra wholesale tell thrid party serivce providers that someone they connected to fibre does not have it, they don't even test that the work they have done is operating correctly.

Stop blaming social media for people that have problems

I am getting really sick of the stories about "the dark side of social media"... Its not social media that makes people nuts it simply makes it more visible.

I was reading an article on www.forebes.com today titled What Does The Face Book Double Homicide Say About The Dark Side Of Social Media and what I took away from it was that most of the incidents quoted happen every day in the real world not just in social media, and in a lot of cases there where external relationships that where the triggers not the involvement in social media.

People who are open to suggestion that leads any sort of violent crime or self harm are just as susceptible to these suggestions while going to school, work or a bar so why blame social media.

The fact is that these types of issues have been on the increase and that maybe it is more to do with the society than the social media.

Another paragraph in the story states

The internet has also give fuel to conspiracy theories, allowing crazy or just very angry people to find other crazy or angry people. It’s a great vehicle for hate speech. Like minds can form communities where none existed before.

This is just not true,  there have been groups around that have been sprouting hate messages long before the internet ever existed.

I freely admit that it makes it easier for people to voice their opinions, look at this post, but so does standing on a box in the middle of the street.

People have to be predisposed to either the hate or suggestibility and that I think is where the real issue lies.

Check the deal before buying it

I receive emails from deal sites as much as anyone, my247.com has a deal for today that looked ok.

 Save $15! Celebrate High Tea with a friend for just $30pp at 16th on Park Bistro and Dessert Cafe

Enjoy a luxurious relaxing afternoon at 16th on Park Bistro and Dessert Cafe with your friends indulging the revival of a traditional High Tea.

Scrumptious desserts and decadent sandwiches in the middle of the day with a glass of sparkling on arrival? Yes please!

For just $30 get treated to Princess Josephine's High Tea Experience with:
A traditional three tiered stand featuring an indulgent selection of freshly baked scones, sweet treats, and mouth-watering Deluxe Ribbon Sandwiches

Your choice of 1 pot of tea from a wide selection of teas from 16th on Park's Boutique Range or their signature freshly brewed coffee & a glass of sparkling on arrival.

Experience High Tea like no other at 16th On Park, the dessert specialists of Brisbane!

This experience is not to be missed for a special day out with your friends.

So I checked it out.

If you to to the website for 16th On Park it looks quite nice. Open the menus to see what is included in the High Tea and to my surprise its $36 not the $45 implied in the deal.  

Reading down the menu it is actually Queen Alexandra’s High Tea for $45 with a much larger offering.

I don't think anyone has tried to pull a fast one however it just goes to show that you have to check every little detail.

FYI.  The menu provided here has been saved locally incase it is removed from the 16th On Park site.  The source is linked here.

Fibre Connection - The Saga continues

Spoke to Exetel again today since their status page says the connection should have been active yesterday.

The operator goes off to check and says 

Your application has been rejected becuase you do not have fibre at the property.

My response 

You've got to be kidding.  Your operator told me thay could see two lines going into the property 1 active and one inactive and on 13th January Telstra came and connected the OTN.  You can see all of that on your notes.

The operator went away for a minute and asked me to select 3 days after 29th Feb.  

My response

Your telling me that it going to be another 2 weeks that makes it two months trying to get this service on. What's your complaints department details? 

He gave me their email details and promised that Telstra would contact me between 29/02 and 02/03.

My problem is that I don't think it is really Exetels issue.  From what I keep getting told by them is that they send the application to Telstra and they keep responing with there is no fibre at the address. 

If Exetels response is true, and I have no reason not to believe them,  then either

1. Telsra's system is not up to date and the application is being falsely rejected
2. Exetel have internal issues and are trying to hide it, or
3. Telstra is deliberately trying to make it hard for third part suppliers to provide a service.

No matter what the reason the two compaines combined have left me no option but to contact the TIO.

Update on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:00AM by Wilkie IT

Testra has tweeted

@wilkieit (1of2) I can definitely see how frustrating this can be for you but your provider should have advised you to contact

@wilkieit (2of2) Telstra Wholesale. You've contact Telstra FOH who are unable to assist with another providers orders -Matt

@wilkieit (1of3) I understand that but you aren't a Telstra customer either. We can only assist customers connecting directly with Telstra.

@wilkieit (2of3) Unfortunately there isn't anywhere for you to check the status of the Fibre to your building though. Your best bet

@wilkieit (3of3) Your best bet would be to ask your building manager -Matt

My response 

@Telstra What I was looking for was a way to prove to the service provider that the fibre is connected short of opening the services

and taking photo's i don't know what else to do. I am in the middle of filling out the TIO complaint becuase i don't see any other solution

Telsrta won't help and Exetel reply on information from Telstra. Catch 22

Dick Smith - A Perfect example why they are failing

This post could be subtitled yet another complete customer service failure.

I went to the Dick Smith Electronics site on 31 Jan 2012 and ordered an EPSON WF545 Multifunction Colour Printer entered my PO Box knowing I would not be home to collect it. Everything looked fine.

02 Feb 2012 18:00 Received email Shipped with Star Track Express.

06 Feb 2012 09:00 Checked the tracking details - Onboard for delivery.

06 Feb 2012 16:00 got to PO Box nothing there.  

Checked Website on iPhone. Returned to Depot check address. I thought that can't be right, you can't find a Post Office?

Rang Star Track to be told

We Don't deliver to post office boxes

Gave them my address details and was then asked to wait, after a minute the woman came back and said

Under Dick Smith's rules we are not allowed to take your address this is classed as a redirection. You have to ring them and they'll ring us.

I ring Dick Smiths explain the issue and they take my details.  I am told

I'll contact Star Track now so it can be resent tomorrow morning.

My Phone conversations finished 16:10 pm

07 Feb 2010 09:00 the Track and trace details are as below

So here I sit being promised that the item will be delivered today and yet being quietly confident that yet another business is screwing its customers by not having some basic checks in place.

As a Software / Website  developer this is exactly the sort of thing I check for.

I'll let you know how I go.