NBN arrived – can only see bad options

OzzyOzbourne on 08/06/2017 - 16:30

Hello all, I need your collective advice please hope my question is a bit more interesting and relevant than the usual generic “[I can’t be bothered thinking], what should I do” type of question!!

Until recently I had Telstra cable broadband and home phone for $89pm, 500GB per month. 3 months ago, I added Foxtel as it was only an extra $10 per month and also gave me 1000GB per month and the nice decoder which can record lots of TV. (Please don’t criticize me getting Foxtel, it was only $10 extra). My cable broadband speeds are good; DL:36Mbps UL:1Mbps.

Jump forward to now and I get a letter through the door congratulating me on now having NBN available to my house, yippee! However the options are not what I would call - worth celebrating.

Option 1:
Start a new 24m contract and continue paying $99pm for broadband and Foxtel however my DL speeds would be reduced to 12Mbps (the slowest NBN speed) or spend $140+ to get back up to my current 36MBps (on the 50Mbps plan). Not happy to get a third of the speed for the same money.

Option 2:
Get a new NBN provider, several of which provide unlimited data, 50Mbps+ for $70-80pm. HOWEVER – I will have to continue the Foxtel contract with Telstra (as I have 21m left) and they would like to charge me an arbitrary $46pm for the pleasure.

Option 3:
Wait until I get cut off (although NBN say it will be after 18m, Telstra said it could be any time).
HOWEVER – they will not cut off Foxtel! So I would still have to finish the contract at $46pm.

So, it seems Telstra now have me over a barrel. Either pay them more money to keep my existing internet speed on NBN or get another faster/cheaper NBN provider, but still pay lots of money to Telstra for Foxtel.
What annoys me it, that when I recently added Foxtel, Telstra did not tell me that at some point in the near future I will be forced into these options for either a worse service or higher cost.

Either way, after being a Telstra customer for over 6 years, if they screw me on this, I will not use them again once my contracts are finished.

I welcome any useful advice or other options, thanks.

Internet

Comments

  • Baebs on 08/06/2017 - 16:34

    Same problem here; NBN offers nothing with these current plans - the faster speeds are here, only locked behind a ridiculous pay wall.

  • Halo375 on 08/06/2017 - 16:35
    +6

    I suggest you wait them out, ignore the letter and just continue to enjoy your cable for as long as you can. In time prices will slowly drop as competition hopefully increases. Good luck!

    • Nugs on 08/06/2017 - 17:27

      18 months from when NBN is 'available' in your area - that is when the traditional phone line services will be cut, no if's but's extensions or maybe's.

      • OzzyOzbourne on 08/06/2017 - 17:33

        Yep, IF it is 18m as nbn say and not earlier (telstra said it could be any time), then this would be an option as I'm currently happy with the cable bb speed. Then in 18m I'd only have 3m left on the foxtel contract so no problems changing to a new nbn provider.

        • redvaldez on 08/06/2017 - 18:04
          +3

          NBN came to my town about 15 months ago and the old phone system is still in action. I think the "any time" is a scare to get you to move asap.

  • ausdday on 08/06/2017 - 16:38

    I guess you have to check what sort of NBN are you getting. If it's not FTTP, then you will be sort of limited to 25mbps, which is worse that what you have at the moment.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 08/06/2017 - 17:33

      It is hybrid fibre /cable, so up to 100mbps

  • pjetson on 08/06/2017 - 16:40
    +3

    If you're going to wait them out, bear in mind that the current wait on an HFC NBN install is about a month. So, if the wait remains in that ballpark, and you stay with what you have until Telstra pull the plug, you might have a month without any internet or Foxtel.

    If Telstra end up disconnecting you, you may get out of your contract too.

    With the choices you have, I'd do nothing for the time being. You never know, Telstra might call you with a better deal.

  • KitchenSink on 08/06/2017 - 17:00

    Well that's poor on Telstra with option 1 - Re-signing you on a more expensive and slower bundle. Surely you can sweet talk them into having to honour the same deal as a current and long term Telstra customer who just recently signed.

    If not, I'd wait it out, you're still early in your contract. You have 18 months until they move you over and disconnect the old copper network…That's what I read

    By the way do you know which NBN technology you're getting - NBN HFC (most likely with Telstra cable), NBN FTTN NBN FTTP? It's suppose to be invisible to customers so that they don't complain about "inferior" technology they are getting.

    The NBNco website has removed this and Telstra doesn't seem to show it either. iiNet's website does so have a look at that first.

  • pantsparty on 08/06/2017 - 17:15

    Online chat with Telstra and let them know your thoughts, they will likely give you a deal similar or close to what you have now.

  • [Deactivated] on 08/06/2017 - 17:29
    +2

    Option 3:
    Wait until I get cut off (although NBN say it will be after 18m, Telstra said it could be any >time).
    HOWEVER – they will not cut off Foxtel! So I would still have to finish the contract at $46pm.

    I doubt they can (or will) try to hold you do the $46/month if they're cutting you off. I doubt it's even legal for them to do this.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 08/06/2017 - 17:36

      According to nbn, the cutting of only cuts off phone and bb. Foxtel continues.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/06/2017 - 17:43

        According to nbn, the cutting of only cuts off phone and bb. Foxtel continues.

        That's if Telstra follows the nbn schedule, where you have ~2 years to make the switch.

        Telstra/Optus want to get out of the HFC game as soon as possible, so they are pre-preemptively cutting off people, which is fine … but expecting someone to pay an inflated price on non-bundled services is crazy and probably illegal.

      • trongy on 08/06/2017 - 19:21

        If you are happy with the current plan then it's in your interest to stay on it as long as you can.

        If you get another 18 months on the current plan, and then go for plan B, you would only be charged a maximum of 3x$46, so you only lose $108 on the Foxtel deal.

        Also, by waiting, the odds are that Telstra will offer you a better NBN deal than Plan A at some stage.

  • Diji1 on 08/06/2017 - 17:46
    +4

    Telstra takes people for what they can. You are on a terrible Telstra deal already: people pay $109.95 for 100/40 (or 100/1 on cable) however you are not ripped off like the completely ignorant who pay $149 for 200GB @12Mbit and other worse deals.

    1) Ring Telstra.

    2) State that you want Foxtel, 1000G of data at 100Mbits for $109.95 on a 24 month contract. Do not say anything else.

    3) Listen to the person reading scripted answer as to why this would never happen using all sorts of imaginary devices like fees for various reasons.

    4) Repeat Step 2) like a robot saying the same thing and 3) again and again, you will be transferred to various people just keep repeating step 2) and 3).

    5) Eventually you will reach some shiteater who handles the too hard to rip off customers and you will get what you requested.

    BUT 6) CHECK YOUR SERVICE SPEEDS AS TELSTRA MAY PROVISION YOU THE WRONG SPEED STILL "by accident" (obviously nothing to do with all the attempting to rip you off in the step above, no sirree) and then "accidentally" leave a speed increase button on your account which causes you to pay another fee. Do not stand for this: get what you agreed to!

    7) Enjoy Telstra's impressive 100Mbit service.

    If that doesn't work (you may lose patience over the course of weeks as you repeat step 2) and 3) over and over) then ditch Foxtel and Telstra.

    Also I have read Telstra do 2TB now instead of 1TB for their highest allowances - do not pay extra for this

  • moonphase on 08/06/2017 - 18:14

    Have you talked to Telstra OP?

    Tell the situation you have right now and see if they could lift the speed limit.

  • Cleremy on 08/06/2017 - 19:05

    I think the only genuine beneficiaries of NBN are areas that were still dialup-only.

  • garetz on 08/06/2017 - 19:56

    First of all, assume every person you talk to at telstra doesnt give a shit about you or your circumstances.
    If i was you i would stay on your current plan as long as you possibly can, wait them out. The longer you wait the more impetus telstra will have on getting you off their cable network, thereby giving you incentives to transfer to the nbn.

    Since you have 18 more months, just wait and see what happens.

  • rgr on 08/06/2017 - 20:33
    +1

    telstra lobbied to get NBN all stuffed up and bogged down. it keeps their fat cats purring with their big bonuses and salaries.

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