Technicians fee

[CCharlton]

Can anyone explain why telstra charge new customers a technicians fee of $125. I am moving ack to telstra after 15 years with optus and am astounded i might be charged to fix a phone plug that is not working. In the past the phone plugs where put in free.

[ProfessorPhone]

Hello,

My understanding is that Telstra provide service up to the premises, and internal wiring is chargeable.

I recall the good old days when internal wiring was done by Telstra as partof the service, when Telstra was government owned.

If you are a pensioner, there is a reduced rate.

Thank you

[CCharlton]

Not a pensioner just sometimes think like one, longing for the good old day of customer service.
I just dont understand set up fees, they sure dont breed customer loyality or perceived value. Why choose telstra when it will cost upfront to do so?

[ProfessorPhone]

I'm not here to defend Telstra's policies......but Optus also do the same.

I imagine that because Telstra pay external contractors on most occasions to do such work, they want to recover their costs and / or make a commercial profit.

I too wish it could be 1975 again!

[CCharlton]

Thats has not been my experience. O have been eith optus over 15 years moved houses at least 7 times and never been charged a technicians fee.

[ProfessorPhone]

Optus often have special bundle offers,  where they include installation. If it is for their own proprietary cable, they are more flexible than when they rent a line from Telstra.

The reality is that you do have the option to choose which providor you connect with, and accept their policies.

I do not  write Telstra policies !   I am a mere paying customer!

Thank you

[DrQ · Accepted solution]

New connection fees are pretty much industry standard, generally if you are Porting between carriers on the Telstra infrastructure than it usually is waived, however

If it is a new connection, and you are on Optus, the $125 would pretty much apply for any other carrier except optus as the chances are you are on Optus infrastructure and would need to be moved back to Telstra infrastructure for most other ISP to take over the service... and Optus' standard connection fee is $125 telstra's is $59... you might not have been charged but they do charge a $125 fee as standard.

If it is already connected and their is a fault.... they will often say you 'might' be charge a $125 fee, this fee only applies when it is an 'avoidable' tech visit... meaning that the tech comes out and the problem wasn't with the line but was with, for example, your hardware/phone or human error... if it is a genuine fault they do not charge the fee.