julesrogers Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 My husband is trying to get us set up with a phone line, broadband and tv etc with Telstra for the new rental place we move in to next week. He spent 4 hours online yesterday agreeing a deal with their online customer services only to be told that he would have to go into a store as they needed sight of ID etc. He's just been in to a store and has been declined through lack of credit history. We have a bank account, phone contracts, a lease agreement, he has a permanent job.... They were also unable to match any deal he worked out online (if the credit history issue was resolved). The guy in the store said he'd call someone higher up for clarification tomorrow..... Anyone else have this problem? How was it solved, if at all? We need to get a landline sorted at the very least so we can call home (our mobiles are with virgin and their prices are about to rocket). Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwolst77 Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Just Telstra being Telstra. 100 points proof of ID check UK (foreign) passport is only 30 points for Telstra, Optus and everybody else it's 60 points. Unless you have an Aussie driving license your screwed. I've been here 6 months (457 visa) and had credit cards etc issued within 2 months, so I don't understand the lack of credit argument. As I have said at the start of my post it's Telstra being Telstra, I work in the same industry and they are just as daft on a professional level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesrogers Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 My husband was told he got the 100 points with the passport, Medicare card, visa and bank account. Just don't understand it really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozinoz Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Just Telstra being Telstra. 100 points proof of ID check UK (foreign) passport is only 30 points for Telstra, Optus and everybody else it's 60 points. Unless you have an Aussie driving license your screwed. I've been here 6 months (457 visa) and had credit cards etc issued within 2 months, so I don't understand the lack of credit argument. As I have said at the start of my post it's Telstra being Telstra, I work in the same industry and they are just as daft on a professional level. You have to be here for 6 months to swap your Drivers Licence over to an Aussie one HOWEVER you can get a Proof of Age Card immediately from the RTA or similar (depending on State) if you have a UK Licence and it carries the same POI point weight as a Licence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozinoz Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 http://www.telstra.com.au/help/contact/complaints/ Call them and go through to the complaints line. Tell them you are going to report them to the Telecommunications Ombudsman http://www.tio.com.au/ if they do not resolve your complaint immediately. Do not take no for an answer and ask to speak to a supervisor if they try to fob you off. If your Hubby has to go into the store again, just tell him to do the ID check, nothing else and they can print out confirmation then and there. The staff member was probably trying to get a sale. It is ridiculous but Telstra store staff have always sucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled Pink Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hmmm that's weird. We got signed up to Telstra within 4 months of being here, only evidence we showed was a work contract and proof of address. We were 457 visa holders at that time too. We sorted it all in store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Just go with someone else, it's not like they offer great deals or anything. Or service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozinoz Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Just go with someone else, it's not like they offer great deals or anything. Or service. It is not always possible. I moved within the same suburb in Sydney Metro and the only carrier here was Telstra so I could not keep my Optus Service. When I rang around the Telstra resellers were not interested because there was not profit margin. If Telstra owns the lines and no one has connected a service with Optus years before at the property you are moving to you are basically screwed. On the bright side Telstra has far better speeds even on ADSL and once connected will bend over backwards to help you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PontePom Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 We actually booked our Telstra phone service and cable broadband before we even arrived here When we arrived they rang them to arrange a date to come out to sort for us The lease was running on our rental for 2 weeks before we arrived which helped us maybe? But it was 3 years ago and maybe they got tougher??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugby Lad Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Do you live in a capital city? If so just go with someone else. If you don't then it's a bit of a problem because only Telstra really works out bush.They're a pain in the arse company to deal with - even if the guys in the shop are lovely (and many are) they have no authority to do anything and have to constantly ring the Philippines. I also find them very expensive - but that goes without saying really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled Pink Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 It is not always possible. I moved within the same suburb in Sydney Metro and the only carrier here was Telstra so I could not keep my Optus Service. When I rang around the Telstra resellers were not interested because there was not profit margin. If Telstra owns the lines and no one has connected a service with Optus years before at the property you are moving to you are basically screwed. On the bright side Telstra has far better speeds even on ADSL and once connected will bend over backwards to help you We were largely in the same position. We also heavily depend on the Internet for International and interstate work purposes, so after extensive evaluation of other services that were available, we came to the same conclusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozinoz Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 So there is no misinformation for those coming from the UK to Australia. There are Landline 2 telephone providers... Optus and Telstra. Everyone else is a reseller of their lines. There are 3 Mobile Phone providers... Optus, Telstra and Vodafone. Everyone else is a reseller. For example iinet is a Telstra Reseller and Virgin is an Optus Reseller. If someone says you have choice in Telecommunications in Australia... it is limited to 2 or 3 and more often than not with Landline and Pay TV it is limited to none as the lines either belong to Optus or Telstra. If it is a Telstra Landline then you will find the resellers are not interested and if you do go with a reseller and have a problem with your line... good luck with getting it fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 You have to be here for 6 months to swap your Drivers Licence over to an Aussie one HOWEVER you can get a Proof of Age Card immediately from the RTA or similar (depending on State) if you have a UK Licence and it carries the same POI point weight as a Licence This is 3 months in Western Australia. You can change your licence any time within that 3 months however you will need proof of a residential address, like a utility bill or bank statement with your address on. http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/20669.asp#20952 all info is on this webpage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozinoz Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 This is 3 months in Western Australia. You can change your licence any time within that 3 months however you will need proof of a residential address, like a utility bill or bank statement with your address on. http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/20669.asp#20952 all info is on this webpage. Cheers That is really good information. I guess the Police always like to know where you are in Perth Also it is very important to know that if you permanently move States within Australia you MUST change your Driving Licence within 6 months or you will be fined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesrogers Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Update - now all sorted! Got a call back from the store who progressed the enquiry but was again told no go on credit history. My husband rang the sales team again, went through it all and suddenly he was on the system, they had a record of our bank account and was approved! Got an even better deal and package than through the original negotiations! Installation on Friday so we will see if it all comes true! Thanks for the comments on the driving licence too - very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I got messed around in a Telstra shop soon after I arrived. Walked out and into Optus who couldn't do enough for me. Haven't regretted it once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesrogers Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 We looked at Optus but unfortunately they didn't cover our property. Otherwise wouldn't have hesitated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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