NBN - Landline not working

[KingKieran]

I swapped my default Technicolor router out for a much better one, as the Technicolour is garbage. Now the phone line doesn't work properly. I have tried bridging the default router and now I have zero issues ringing out, but ringing in only works less than half the time. As I assuming there is nothing stopping the Technicolour going into 'eco' mode, as I've turned off any wireless capabiltities of the router. And why on earth does the Technicolour not come with any sort of online or physical manual?

I've tried contacting the support line in order to get the phone line on the NBN activiated, but that apparently is another per/month charge and the man on the phone told me to just keep using the default router. This is insane. Any help guys?

Cheers,

Kieran

[DrQ]

The NGC (Telstra's name for VoIP) calling system Telstra are using is designed to work with the Technicolour modems, and any setup that isn't the use of that standard modem is considered a non-standard setup, so they would only support it via Telstra Platinum (which is more like a IT service rather than a internet tech support.)

If you were trying to get the Uni-V point activated so you could plug the phone in via it, my understanding is that it is usually only setup when it is required for things like medical reasons... but I have seen people here who have both been successful and unsuccessful in getting Uni-V activated so they can use alternative modems...

[KingKieran]

Cheers for the reponse.

It's really insane how riduclous this set up is. A person in my household is a carer for my Grandmother, I might be able to leverage that to activate the phone ports on the NBN box.

[Kalak]

Essentially it's a nice way for Telstra to charge legacy 'line rental' type fees for a VoIP system that they don't pay any extra to NBN for.

Doc has it right. You can try and 'fight' for the UNI-V (voice) port to be activated instead though.

EDIT: Oh and it stands for Next Generation Calling - more like Next Generation Charging

EDIT 2: What you need to be asking for is called  IPPOTS.

[KingKieran]

I dont suppose you guys know who would be the best people to call to try and activate it?

[Kalak]

1800 T FIBRE (1800 834 273) is the number you want to be calling to speak to the specialists in NBN.

[DrQ]

If your grandmother is living there as well, I would see if you can get their doctor to sign off on them having Priority Assistance, the details are here: https://www.telstra.com.au/consumer-advice/customer-service/priority-assistance

Request they put Priority Assistance on the plan, you will then get 28 days to have their doctor fill in the form to say that their medical state requires access to a phone in an emergency and they will have to migrate it to the IPPOTS (fibre phone over UNI-V) service.

[KingKieran]

Cheers. She doesn't actually live with us. She has the NBN box as well, but just the battery backup and just the phone line connection activated. So I am wondering if that is relevant information to 'fight' with.

[DrQ · Accepted solution]

If she isn't living there, it would be hard to use that as a reason... she would have to live in the household to get Priority Assistance (PA) added...

I would suggest just speaking to the nbn sales team, and request that they change you to IPPOTS (Internet Protocol Plain Old Telephone Service) instead of NGC (Next Generation Calling). Let them know you are having issue with the NGC. If they won't help, ask to speak to their supervisor, if they won't help, you could threaten to disconnect or lodge a complaint, I would say both of those teams would logically fix it up.

[KingKieran]

No worries. I appreciate your response. Would that be the same number that was listed above?

[DrQ]

Yeah. That's the best place to start with NBN.