Last week I got a text from telstra telling me my modem was 'still switched to 4G mobile backuo' (something they did, not me and I have no idea how long I'd been on 4G) and that I had to switch my modem back over to the fixed network. If I didn't do so 'soon' my wireless back up would be slowed down. I was under the assumption that it switched to 4g for short periods when the fixed connection went down but would switch back automatically once the issue was resolved. After all, that was what they advertised.

I followed there instructions which took me to a login on a telstra page where they supposedly would explain how I switch back over ... thats where te real fun begins. They asked for a user name and password. I made up a user name and password when I first opened this telstra account 2.5yrs ago and have never used it since except once a week after I joined when i needed to use it to join onto my netflix which was part of the package. I had no idea what it was.

As I couldn't recall the user name or password I tried to go to their help page and clicked on the link to do a 'live chat' with one of their operators. As is usual with these 'live chats' you ask a question and usually someone comes on within a minute or two and then you start going through whatever you need to resolve. So I asked my question and waitied, and waited .... after about an an hour (this was during business hours) and they having  they failed to respond, I hung up pissed off that they'd wasted my time.

I meant to try again the next day but got caught up with work and forgot. Today I went out most of the day and when I got back I tried to use the internet it is sooooo slow. After battling with it for over an hour I tried again to log onto their page but it kept cutting out because it was taking to long to load up. I tried multiple pages and multiple times but it was always the same result. Eventually it would time out.

So at about 4.30pm my time, (5.30 DLS time) I phoned their call center ... this time iI got a recorded message that 'due to high demand there were delays of 15 to 30 minutes and if I didn't want to wait to try again another time'. I waited. After more than an hour of listening to their crap elevator music, again I hung up in disgust and this time I immediately tried to phone through again. The second time I got a message to say they were closed and to phone before 6pm on saturdays.

So my first call went through at 5.30pm (DLS time), they put me on hold, closed at 6pm, went home and kept me on hold without letting me know they were now closed? How buggered up is that? Terrible service from telstra

Now can anyone recommend a decent internet provider. I was paying $100 a month for unlimited data so anything up to that price will do me. I'd prefer a company that actually answers the phone when you have an issue.

thanks

People who are customers of Telstra are masochists.

John, look up Aussie Broadband.    Based in Australia with Australian call centre.   Unlimited data, fast speed , 100/50 for me  $90 per month.    Just be aware that if you rel on a bigpond email address, you will lose it after a year or have to pay big bickies to keep it

Ask your neighbours who they're using and what speeds they get.

John Smith wrote on Jan 16^th, 2021 at 9:05pm:



The other suggestion would be to log into your router and see if you can reset it.  Open a browser and type 10.0.0.138 or 192.168.0.1 and see if that gets you in.   Or 192.168.1.1 on the newer ones

I've been with Telstra exclusively since we got the NBN here 5 and a half years ago (prior to that I was with Telstra for the landline phone and iiNet for internet - now they're both with Telstra).

Haven't had a single problem with Telstra in all that time (we have FTTP so that may have something to do with it). We do have the occasional service interruption for upgrades and maintenance but they usually schedule that for after midnight and they send me a text to inform me about a week in advance.

Telstra actually sent me a new "Smart Modem" with 4G backup for free a couple of weeks back since they noticed my original modem was over 5 years old (even though it still works fine and I've now packed it away for a spare).

But, I've turned off the 4G backup in the modem settings (192.168.0.1 in a web browser for mine) because I doubt I would need to use it plus the 4G reception where I live is very poor despite being only about 4-5km from Perth City but apparently upgrades are being done to improve 4G reception here.

I've also disabled the 4G backup because I was reading somewhere recently (might have been the Whirlpool forums) where sometimes the 4G backup doesn't automatically switch back to "normal NBN" when service resumes after an interruption and the modem continues to use 4G until the user suddenly notices their internet slowing to a crawl when they're dropped to almost dialup speed after they use the 4G allowance for the month or whatever.

It also doesn't help that most of the status lights for the "Smart Modem" Generation 2 like I've got are on the back of the modem where you can't see them except for a single LED on the front - my old one had all the lights on the front where you can see what's going on at a glance (the modem is right next to my computer desk).

In the attached picture the new white "Smart Modem" is on the second shelf and the old one is on the top before I packed it away for use as a spare if needed.

Optus is better than Telstra—I have used both.

Your bigpond email addy keeps going but you need to use webmail to access it.

John Smith wrote on Jan 16^th, 2021 at 6:09pm:


If you were using netflix and(oviously) did not have to enter a unsername/password your unsername/password is stored in your browser and possibly on google if you allow your passwords to be saved there.

Setanta wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2021 at 9:09pm:


Yep, that's something else I turned off after getting the first Telstra modem over 5 years ago when we changed to the NBN (it was turned on by default, of course). It didn't turn itself back on after I connected the new "Smart Modem", unlike MessageBank for the landline phone.

I'm on NBN HFC 50/20

With Internode. I have been with them for donkey's years - they were really good back in the day before they were sold out to iiNet / TPG

Lately, I've been getting 53/18 so I'm pretty pleased with that.

I hear Aussie Broadband are good. People rave about them on Whirlpool anyway.

Captain Nemo wrote on Jan 25^th, 2021 at 12:21pm:


Sorry—I made an error, not FTTH (would be over the moon) but FTTN, only 25:5.

Useless pricks ran new copper down the street—should have been fibre! Thankfully, will be on FTTH once settled in Tassie.

Useless useless useless NBN Co. If there is new copper in place I should get more than 25:5! It is the CVC charge—a charge for the speed you get—choking the NBN. They should have long gotten rid of that charge and only charge ISPs AVC, the cost of the amount of data actually moved around the internet here.

Only imbeciles roll out new damn copper! The NBN Co and Lieberal Party are imbeciles!

When I was with Telstra for phone and internet and was having trouble with both—the connection top the line running down the street was corroded. Useless copper!

Carl D wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2021 at 10:53am:


Well, now I've had to log into my Telstra online account and (hopefully) removed MessageBank completely because since getting that MessageBank call I now keep getting a missed call notification on my home phone about every 12 hours which says "VM Cleared" and it was starting to p*ss me off.

Some of them were at times like 1:30am. Its just as well the phone doesn't ring when the notifications arrive or I would be really annoyed.

Just clearing any calls you have in MessageBank and then turning it off with #99# like I did the other day doesn't stop it.

Apparently, from what I've been reading, this is a common problem with the "new" Telstra Smart Modems - and, its been going on for nearly 2 years now. I'm sure Telstra will get around to fixing it eventually. 

Carl D wrote on Jan 26^th, 2021 at 5:38pm:



Is it a public holiday in India?

Carl D wrote on Jan 26^th, 2021 at 6:22pm:


Pity ... i enjoy stringing them along for as long as I can. I'm usually at work when they call so I miss them. But I've taught my 8 yr old on what to say

I have had the same computer for the last several years. My computer has only had a hardware update of doubled RAM chips. Other than that, it feels like I could keep using this computer for the next 10 years. Only recently, my damaged DVD player inside the computer had started reworking to play DVDs again.

When dealing with wifi and modem problems, you should be able to reconnect to the internet with a shutdown and restart of the modem. Whenever there seems to be a long delay of connecting to the internet, I simply call the support services of Telstra and get them to call me back when they can. Normally, the problem is something fairly minor on my end.

Netflix passwords, I had the idea that you could change the passwords upon getting the account. But then again, I do not go for the Netflix services, as I do like to stream for free whatever I want from free streaming services.

I have heard only good things about Aussie Broadband.  I am still with Telstra, mainly because I am not currently steamed up abou them. But next time I have a problem with them I am switching to Aussie Broadband., pronto.
https://www.aussiebroadband.com.au/

greggerypeccary wrote on May 1^st, 2021 at 7:53pm:




Thank you, lying, dirty f***wit, you may slither off.

You’ll notice straight off the bat that Aussie Broadband’s NBN 25 offering is a lot cheaper than Telstra’s. This is because Telstra’s plan has an added-on phone, justifying an additional $6 in spending. Also note that Telstra’s NBN 25 plans only offer 500GB data packages per month, whereas Aussie Broadband’s offering is unlimited. If you’re demanding on your internet you’ll blow through your 500GB limit, so it might be worth thinking about an unlimited data plan instead.

https://www.canstarblue.com.au/internet/telstra-vs-aussie-broadband-nbn-plans-co...

greggerypeccary wrote on May 1^st, 2021 at 8:15pm:
Lol, you idiot.

Frank wrote on May 1^st, 2021 at 8:01pm:



Lol   

Aussie Broadband ABN 29132090192 acts as a reseller and uses part of the 4G and 3G mobile network and capabilities of Telstra Corporation Limited (ABN 33 051 775 556) to provide our mobile services.