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Telstra Silent Line Fee Free (Was $2.93 Per Month)

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Telstra Silent Line Fee Free (Was $2.93 Per Month)
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edisonAU on 19/02/2018 - 21:13 exchange.telstra.com.au (2383 clicks)

I got an email from Telstra today:

Hi EdisonAU,

We wanted to get in touch to let you know about a few changes coming to your Silent Line service.

From 18th February 2018, we're removing the $2.93 monthly Silent Line fee from your fixed home service so you can enjoy it free of charge. This means it will no longer appear on your bill.

Your name, address and phone number will continue to be private. These details won’t be published online, printed in the White Pages, or available from Directory Assistance.
We're also giving you more flexibility and control over your privacy settings. We’ll refer to your Directory Listing setting as ‘Unlisted’ and your Caller ID will be switched to 'Off' so your number is not visible to other callers.

What's next for you?

You don’t need to do anything. Login to My Account or use the 24/7 App to check or update your Directory Listing and Caller ID settings anytime. If you’d like to know more, call us on 13 22 00 (7am to 9pm, AEDT, Monday to Friday).

NOTE: Please also see the link below:

https://exchange.telstra.com.au/silent-line-privacy-fees/

So, now you can make prank calls from home without identifying yourselves …..

Other Home Line Silent Line

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closed Comments

  • dangerdanger on 19/02/2018 - 21:17
    +119

    No idea why this was charged by those rip off merchants in the first place

    • Diji1 on 19/02/2018 - 22:50
      +27

      It's pretty easy when the former Communications Minister and current Prime Minister continuously acts like an employee of the company by doing things like urging the ACCC to not lower wholesale internet prices.

      http://www.smh.com.au/business/accc-overrules-prime-minister…
      https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/07/24/lower_prices_are_ba…

      That's Turnbull taking money from every single person that pays for an internet connection - that's probably you, dear reader. I hope you feel cheated. Remember this the next time he's dribbling crap about competition being better for you in that suave, smooth voice. He intervened in an ACCC enquiry to keep prices high. He did it on two seperate occasions just in case you think he made a mistake. He acts like he works for Telstra.

      Do you want to guess whether Telstra is a major contributor to the party?

      Yep.

      Money to Turnbull so you lose you money to enrich Australia's largest, most expensive ISP that somehow manages to scrape by selling every other ISP their internet. They clearly need your hard earned money.

      • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 23:55

        I am confused here.
        Is this silent landline fee all the payable fee for the landline or this is an additional fee?

        • The Araldited Wallet on 20/02/2018 - 00:22
          +16

          It was an additional monthly charge… For them NOT to put your name and address in the phone book.

        • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2018 - 01:41
          +3

          @The Araldited Wallet:
          WTF? How is that even justified?
          Thank you

        • nardz on 20/02/2018 - 10:10
          +1

          I could charge you a monthly fee and in return ill put a piece of bark in your letterbox.

          I don't really need to justify it.

          If enough people buy in then I make some moneys.

          I do agree however that it is immoral to charge people for some essential privacy. Someone has finally agreed.

      • JudoChop on 20/02/2018 - 07:45
        +13

        What on earth has this rant got to do with the removal of previous cost of a silent number?
        Telstra were charging for this when Labor was office. It's not a partisan thing.
        Making out as though telstra only donate to the LNP, is dishonest to say the least.
        It's just a Turnbull bashing rant that has nothing whatsoever to do with this particular deal.

        • gimme on 20/02/2018 - 07:51
          +5

          Some ppl have chips on their shoulders.

        • johnno07 on 20/02/2018 - 07:54
          +1

          Diji1 is just an angry guy.
          http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/019/304/old…

        • jorf on 20/02/2018 - 08:42
          +9

          Turnbull deserves to be bashed for running this garbage fire of a government, so i'm ok with it.

        • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2018 - 13:51
          -6

          @hcca:
          You know some people have to whine all the time.
          I am not a fan of Turnbull, but tell me you are running next election? Or you think Bill Shorten and the communist leftist parties haven't done enough harm to this great nation?
          I rather pay more stupid taxes than more freedom and give up my values. My taxes make this country stronger but lack of freedom and values turns it into a shithole.

        • macrocephalic on 20/02/2018 - 17:17
          +6

          @pal: Call Labor communist lefties. Accuses them of taking away liberties. Then says that he'd be happy to pay more taxes.

          You have a very confused view of politics in Australia. Liberals are the party of tax breaks (for companies and higher earners). From my perspective they're also the party of fewer freedoms. SSM, offshore detention, censoring the ABC.

          I too would rather pay more taxes and have the whole country benefit, which is why I'll be voting for the "communist lefties" in the form of the Greens and Labor.

        • offal spokesman on 20/02/2018 - 20:10
          +3

          Even better…. If you pay me $5 a month I WONT put bark in your letterbox. :)

        • [Deactivated] on 20/03/2018 - 03:01
          -1

          @macrocephalic:

          You seem to be either lost or have your head too far up your ##se to remember the past.

          Remember two terms of Gillard/Rudd/Gillard no SSM. Gillard even went on the record during her time as PM to state that she supported only heterosexual marriage. Yet she can change her mind with no ramifications yet Abbott keeps getting conservative bashed at each Mardi Gras even after attending his sisters SSM wedding.

          You do not reward queue jumpers. You would think that any lefty would support a process where the size of your wallet does not determine your eligibility. What Australia needs are law abiding individuals willing to wait for due process not those willing to pay bribes to be smuggled into this country. We have enough home grown criminals.

          As for the ABC/SBS the whole loony biased bigoted organization should have been closed years ago. Why should the left get a free mouthpiece at the expense of all tax payers?

          Who you vote for is your business. Just remember that Richard Di Natale will use any public tragedy for political gain and Bill Shorten will do anything for a vote (tell Christians he is against SSM then run to the GLBTIQ community with open arms in support for SSM).

        • macrocephalic on 20/03/2018 - 12:54

          @HARSHREALITY: The ABC are not left, they are balanced. The reason we need someone like the ABC is because money will always be thrown at any media company who is willing to report what the donor wants. The role of the ABC is to report it in an unbiased manner/report both sides of the issue.

          Yes, Rudd and Gillard should have had the balls to do something about SSM. They (Labor) didn't until it was obvious that there was a lot of momentum. Abbott on the other hand actively campaigned against it, even when it was obvious that the majority of the voting populace disagreed with him. Then, when it came time to actually vote, he abstained because he couldn't even bring himself to represent his electorate (75% Yes in the survey).

    • ronnknee on 20/02/2018 - 08:47

      Because they could.

  • Scab on 19/02/2018 - 21:21
    +58

    Telstra Silent Line Fee

    Telstra Privacy Extortion fee.

    This is one of my pet peeves, they are basically trashing a person's privacy unless you pay them every month.

    No other company but an ex-government monopoly could legally get away with this.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 21:46

      Wasn’t it always free to be unlisted though? I don’t recall the difference between unlisted and private.

      • Gandalf the Thrifty on 19/02/2018 - 21:56
        +4

        Depends who you got to enable unlisted. Some customer service people would make you unlisted in white pages for free others would say it needed to be silent line with a charge.

        USA has had opting out of whitepages for years but Telstra kept blocking it here.

        • nismo on 19/02/2018 - 22:22

          I remember having an optus home line and they never charged me for being unlisted.

          &*@#% Telstra!

        • The Araldited Wallet on 20/02/2018 - 00:24
          -5

          Silent line and unlisted number are the same thing.

      • OldBugger on 20/02/2018 - 00:33
        +5

        Silent was to set your CID to off and not list your number in whitepages or online directories. It used to have a fee.

        Unlisted was to not list you in whitepages or online directories only. You needed ring Telstra and request to have your number become unlisted. Usually they would try and lead you to a silent number or not be aware of the unlisted possibility. But with perseverance, I would always be able to get my numbers unlisted for free. Always good planning to have your number unlisted as soon as you get it (move house, etc).

        • The Araldited Wallet on 20/02/2018 - 10:28
          -2

          LOL!!!
          When was the last time that worked for you? Have been called private numbers for at least a decade.

        • Sigiriya on 20/02/2018 - 19:55

          You have to ask for IPND unlist to get the feature you discribe

      • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2018 - 07:42
        +1

        Trying to get an "Unlisted" line was really hard, very hit and miss between operators, mostly miss. You really had to persist.

    • Galvatron on 20/02/2018 - 10:08

      Whilst I partly agree, there are similar practices with domain name hosting for example that go on.

    • macrocephalic on 20/02/2018 - 17:20
      +1

      There's an easy way around it, just don't have a Telstra home line. My landline (which doesn't have a phone plugged into it) is rented through my ISP - and I haven't appeared in the white pages for many years. CallerId is not an issue for me, because I haven't made a call from my landline in years.

      • Scab on 20/02/2018 - 18:04

        There's an easy way around it, just don't have a Telstra home line.

        In a lot of areas Telstra is the only provider, so if you want internet and there are no naked plans available you have no other option.

  • ash2000 on 19/02/2018 - 21:23
    +18

    In all honesty I didn't know "silent numbers" were still a thing. Home lines are barely a thing, I'm pretty sure phone books aren't, and online white pages days must be numbered (for residential).

    So, now you can make prank calls from home without identifying yourselves …..

    You can already do that from any phone (home or mobile) by dialing 1831 and then the number.

    Of course incoming silent numbers won't stop the telemarketers. They just automatically generate numbers.

    • Scab on 19/02/2018 - 21:37
      +10

      Home lines are barely a thing

      Not in regional and rural areas, Telstra is usually the only company that has infrastructure and there's usually no naked plans available.

      And Telstra also charge the fee to resellers who pass the cost on.

      So sometimes you have to pay for a landline even if you don't want one.

    • vovka on 19/02/2018 - 21:44
      +3

      It's #31# before the number to be accurate (at least from Vodafone mobile)

      • retiredfeline on 19/02/2018 - 21:52
        +3

        There are various codes, #31# is the I think universal mobile one. Telcos may have others in addition, and landline have theirs too.

        • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2018 - 07:46
          +4

          CND Block (where default is send)
          1831<number> - From Landline
          #31#<number> - From Mobile

          CND Send (where default is block)
          1832<number> - From Landline
          *31#<number> - From Mobile

          Note: Does not work for trying to hide your number from 000 or a service with Malicious Call Trace activated.

        • gr8m8sam on 20/02/2018 - 09:22

          @The Land of Smeg:
          Worth mentioning to those who uses their landline as house alarm dialer – after making your line silent, you have to add 1832 to your dialer else in case of your alarm goes off, you or your back to base provider will receive a call form Unknown Number; which is not helpful at all. You can add it yourself if you have the installer/admin code. Tried and tested on Telstra PSNT line.

      • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 22:15
        +1

        That's a GSM (mobile) code which is different to PSTN (landline)

        1831 will not work on a mobile

        • Nonverbose on 19/02/2018 - 23:20
          +4

          1831 will not work on a mobile

          Straight up incorrect, it does work.

        • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 23:49
          +3

          @Nonverbose:

          Telstra must be wrong too.

          Your phone software / mobile provider may be doing it as a courtesy but from a mobile #31# is the guaranteed way to hide your number.

          We often get asked, 'how do I block my phone number so that the person I'm calling can't see it, and how do I unblock it again?'. Easy! To block on a call-by-call basis:
          From a home phone: dial 1831 then the number you are calling
          From a mobile phone: dial #31# then the number you are calling

          https://www.facebook.com/Telstra/posts/10150354443309315

          http://accesscomms.com.au/ref_codes/

        • DogGunn on 20/02/2018 - 00:57
          +1

          @Nonverbose: It depends on the network. Do that from a Vodafone mobile now, and you'll get a message before the call is connected saying: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, dialing 1831 before the phone number can no longer guarantee keeping your number private. Dial #31# before the number instead."

        • Maverick-au on 20/02/2018 - 11:06

          @spaceflight:

          Telstra must be wrong too.

          Why? 1831 has worked on telstra as long as I can remember with zero problems.

    • SwedishChef on 19/02/2018 - 22:59
      +1

      A lot of places stuck with ADSL internet still need a homeline, you can go for Naked ADSL, but the premium is ridiculous, better to just get a package that included a homeline even if you never use it.

    • The Araldited Wallet on 20/02/2018 - 00:36

      It's a privacy thing… They put your name, address (including house number in many cases), and phone number on the internet.

    • pennypincher98 on 20/02/2018 - 07:42
      +1

      Home lines are barely a thing, I'm pretty sure phone books aren't.

      Is it sad I've still got both of these? Most places around here do though, I guess you would call it a 'regional' area but I never think of it like that.

    • Seraphin7 on 20/02/2018 - 09:31

      Had a phone book turn up on my doorstep on Sunday afternoon. It didn't find its way past the front door.

      • macrocephalic on 20/02/2018 - 17:22

        I thought they were opt-in now? I don't recall getting one for a few years. I already have a monitor stand, so I don't need a phone book.

  • bdl on 19/02/2018 - 21:23
    +2

    Is there anyway to enable "Silent line" if your PSTN is with iiNet?

    • gimli on 19/02/2018 - 21:30

      Probably if you email iiNet they will do it for you.

      • thatonethere on 19/02/2018 - 21:37

        They kept forgetting for us

    • fertiliser on 19/02/2018 - 21:38

      You can do it in toolbox

      • bdl on 19/02/2018 - 21:41

        They still have it listed as a $2.93 option in Toolbox

        • fertiliser on 19/02/2018 - 21:54

          yes because this bargain refers to Telstra

        • bdl on 19/02/2018 - 23:25

          @jobler: Fully realise that. Was hoping since iiNet resells Telstra's PSTN that they would also follow suit.

        • cloudy on 20/02/2018 - 09:35

          @bdl:

          It’s probably a cost that’s past on straight from Telstra billing. So when Telstra stops charging it to resellers like iiNet the reseller can stop passing it in to their customer.

        • bdl on 20/02/2018 - 10:13

          @cloudy: Fingers crossed!

        • bdl on 23/02/2018 - 15:00
          +1

          @bdl: iiNet have dropped the price to $0, also!

        • Nousernamehere on 23/02/2018 - 16:42
          +1

          @bdl: As have Internode from the 18th of this month.

  • tin tin on 19/02/2018 - 21:40

    I just logged in to my account and made my number private, I assume you didn't used to be able to do that?

    • bdl on 19/02/2018 - 21:42

      Where did you click? I can't actually find my PSTN account on the page yet when I try to add it, Telstra tells me it's already been added to my account :D

      • tin tin on 19/02/2018 - 22:18
        +5

        My account > Plans & usage > Home phone > Privacy Settings > Manage Privacy Settings

        • bdl on 19/02/2018 - 23:24

          Thankyou. haha. Thanks Telstra - doesn't list my Home Phone. :D It must really be silent.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 21:48
    +8

    You guys really have landlines? AMA?

    • Twinkletoes Terry on 19/02/2018 - 21:57
      +8

      I have cable and it comes with a phone number, you can't do anything about that, you are forced to have one even if you don't want or need it.

      • nismo on 19/02/2018 - 22:33

        Same. However, any plans without the phone line have always been more expensive like $20 per month more, so I've never bothered changing plans… Phone is physically unplugged, was still getting telemarketing and nuisance calls on the private number… Another Telstra fail.

        • macrocephalic on 20/02/2018 - 17:23

          Telstra can't really stop autodialers.

        • nismo on 21/02/2018 - 15:00

          @macrocephalic:
          They actually re-issued me a number which was previously not Private and belonged to the people who were previously at my exact same address!

          Tell me that is not a fail?

      • EmployeeBanannaMan @ Telstra on 20/02/2018 - 12:39
        +1

        Same, It was even more expensive going standalone =/

        • nismo on 21/02/2018 - 15:01

          That's what I was saying, probably worded it badly :(

  • auMouth on 19/02/2018 - 21:49
    -1

    Ring 13 2200 from your Telstra home phone to ask for your number to be changed to an Unlisted number.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2018 - 07:47
      +1

      no need to now

  • jv on 19/02/2018 - 21:50
    +4

    What's next for you?

    Continuing to receive calls from Indian calls centres…

    • muncan on 19/02/2018 - 22:09
      +11

      Tell them to shush, because your line is silent.

  • 4agte on 19/02/2018 - 21:55
    +2

    fixed home service

    What's a fixed home service? Asking for my kids

    • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 22:39

      A phone line connected to your house

      • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2018 - 23:25
        +3

        Like when I plug in my phone to charge?

    • LFO on 20/02/2018 - 10:09

      It is like a car service. When it is a fixed price car service.

      So it the same but they service your house for a fixed price.
      Glad you asked, few people know.

    • macrocephalic on 20/02/2018 - 17:23

      I have trouble believing Telstra can provide anything in a 'fixed' state.

  • hluu0111 on 19/02/2018 - 21:58

    Do Not Call List would helps us better.

    If we hide our number, people would not know who called if they missed the calls. And I wonder how we feel if we got calls from a "private number".

    • pennypincher98 on 20/02/2018 - 07:43

      I get calls from "private numbers" all the time. Actually prompts me to ring them back as compared to just saving/writing down the number.

  • aussiedogga on 19/02/2018 - 22:05
    +10

    Telstra should repay any funds to anyone that has paid this stupid fee in the last X years. What a joke! Praying on pensioners I'd say.

    • retiredfeline on 19/02/2018 - 22:11
      +9

      I thought businesses weren't supposed to bring religion into this? :)

    • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 22:36

      What's the link between pensioners and a silent line?

      • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2018 - 06:52
        +3

        Well there is a link between old people and landlines.

  • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 22:06
    +14

    If it's a silent line how do people hear each other when they make a call?

    • dangerdanger on 19/02/2018 - 22:23
      +5

      The exit ——> is that way
      :)

      • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 22:46

        I tired and walked into a wall, maybe your exit is in a different place to mine ;)

    • nismo on 19/02/2018 - 22:34

      Tin cans

      • spaceflight on 19/02/2018 - 22:43

        But then we will be covered in string, imagine the traffic chaos

        • nismo on 19/02/2018 - 22:45

          We're already covered in radio & microwaves, what's the difference?

    • FatBlanket on 19/02/2018 - 23:24

      They speak really loudly

  • 20percentcorrect on 19/02/2018 - 22:11
    +2

    This should always be free as your consumer privacy right. At least now you don't have to call and haggle them to give it to you for free anymore.

    • Maverick-au on 19/02/2018 - 22:32
      +2

      It's not really a deal when it isn't effective for the majority of privacy reasons.

      A silent number has NOTHING to do with telemarketing spam calls.

  • zipzap090 on 19/02/2018 - 22:21
    -1

    no matter how you will still get calls

  • shortgum on 19/02/2018 - 22:47
    +1

    Exetel for years allow us to adjust silent number anytime online at our discretion with no charge

    typical rort from telstra

    • Russ on 20/02/2018 - 00:02
      +2

      Exetel isn't free, definitely has a charge: "Unlisted Number (Silent Number) : $3.50/mth"
      From https://www.exetel.com.au/phone/home-features

      • noz on 20/02/2018 - 07:11

        Are you sure it isn't that they haven't yet updated their site / policies? I'd be surprised if they forced their customers to pay for this.

        • Russ on 20/02/2018 - 11:41

          Yep. I've been a customer of theirs for several years, and I considered it when I joined them. Hasn't changed in several years. I already had a VOIP number, and didn't want another phone number listed in the phone directory. The VOIP number is my main number, it doesn't change when I move house, so that's the one I prefer to give out to people.

          Hopefully they will update their site soon, and maybe I'll be able to get my number unlisted for free.

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