Telstra Bigpond - What an Experience!

Have you ever tried to get your internet connected amidst incompetence and inefficiency? If not, then try Telstra Bigpond. You will have the experience of your life.

The charade started a week ago when we moved and contacted Telstra to have the telephone and internet connected.

At the time, we were told they were unsure if there was an actual phone line to the address, but the following morning a technician arrived, found the line and the telephone was connected.
Now starts the saga.

Bigpond internet is supposed to be connected within three working days, and faster if it’s a priority connection.

It all started on the Thursday after the phone was connected. I contacted Bigpond as was told it would be on within a few hours. By mid afternoon I was on the phone again to check progress. By the end of the day, I had spoken to at least six different people, and received as many ‘explanations’ as to why the internet was not working. End of that day.

Next morning, I am on the phone to Telstra Bigpond again, being told that the line people have not completed their end, therefore holding up the net connection. By mid afternoon, and two more Telstra people along the way, I’m now being told that the house address has yet to be confirmed – well that is strange, as the phone has already been connected and it needs a confirmed address for that to happen… Next…

And we still have a long way to go yet…

By Friday afternoon, we had managed to get the coding put onto the line, albeit manually and ‘It will definitely be connected by 5pm this evening’… 5pm arrives – no net. On the phone again and told it will be done by 7pm. Guess what? On calling the now very familiar phone number, am told it will not be done until Monday morning as all the technicians have gone home – at 5pm!! Huh??

Come Monday morning, here we go again. 11am and still no internet connected. Oh dear, the saga continues.

What, more ‘reasons’? … so it seems. The techs at Telstra have not signed off from one person, the coding is not on the line from another, then ‘its stuck and has to be manually moved, and will take twenty-four hours for the line to catch up’ from another.

By this time, I have steam coming out of my ears.

Tuesday morning arrives… no Bigpond internet. Off I go about my daily routine and notice the ADSL light has finally lit up around noon. Aaaaah, we have contact.

Nooooo. Not yet.

There is still the Belkin wireless router to configure. Now that should be a breeze.

Ummmmm….

Two and half hours later and the modem is still not configured – seems the internet is not accepting the username and password that I have been correctly entering.

Back on the phone to Bigpond, yet again.

And we finally have a person who can seemingly find out what is wrong and why its not connecting.

Wait for it…

The person on the other end informed us that there was something wrong and on checking found that net has locked us out as the incorrect username and password has been entered on the network. Oh boy… more delays.

Then am told it will have to go to the help desk and that could take another two days. Not a happy chappy.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. About an hour or so later I noticed the ADSL light on the modem was on so someone must have fixed the problem. Yipeeee

Next comes setting up the wireless modem. A phone call to Belkin support and that is done within about ten minutes. Wow. At least some people and companies know what they are doing and are efficient.

After going through somewhere around fifteen or so people, being pushed from pillar to post and getting nowhere, it seems that the privatisation of Telstra was not such a good thing – it was much better organised and run when it was government owned!

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