Lift Company Charges over $2000 to Upgrade Lift Emergency Phone for NBN

[Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 16:02

Basically, since NBN will replace the telephone line, the existing line will no longer work.
The price is for 1 lift, and it is to install emergency 3g/4g phone with backup power that works with telstra/voda/optus.
It comes with ridiculous monthly service fee of $100 pm. Certainly doesn't include data.
Wondering why they are putting iphone 11 pro inside the lift with top of the range unlimited data plan.

If we choose not to upgrade and there is emergency, the strata committee may be sued for damages.

I thought this is (profanity) BS, why doesn't NBN cover these costs? So NBN comes, put so many cables around our apartment, charge us a lot of money, only to leave us with so little benefit than adsl2?

My strata said it is normal, all apartments doing that.
How can you guys put up with this?

Internet

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 16:15
    +6

    Ask the body corp manager to show the quote and query the specs.

    Body corp managers are bloody amazing at spending money.

    • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 16:41

      This is the quote from bc.

      • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 22:30

        Query the required specs.

        For all you know, they're ordering a fancy phone when all is needed is a cheap phone. They keep the fancy phone and shove a PoS in its place.

  • thatonethere on 01/10/2019 - 16:17
    +3

    hi - funnily enough NBN does not recommend NBN for lift lines as the customer CPE gear is all cheap crap - PSTN was nice as it was powered by the local exchange so it would work in a black out. Instead yeah you do 3g/4g. HOWEVER the good news is that mobile plans are cheap and after about a year or so you have hit ROI giving up the PSTN line and the expensive monthly costs [although i saw you are getting ripped for $100/month service charge :( ]. If you are getting what I've seen put in it is a highly available dual SIM package.

    see: https://www.communications.gov.au/documents/migration-monito…

  • EightImmortals on 01/10/2019 - 16:36
    +1

    Someone I know has a small lift installed in their home due to their age, I haven't seen it but apparently it's just a device like a mobile phone that has a SIM card in it.

    • dcep on 01/10/2019 - 16:44
      +3

      commercial type has device routed to external antenna for reliable reception

    • mbck on 01/10/2019 - 17:05

      yap, it's a phone (with a cord), but has a sim card.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2019 - 07:16

      It is from what I'm reading, a $2000 phone that has no data capabilities.

      Is because nbn cannot run during power outage

      • EightImmortals on 02/10/2019 - 08:03

        Yeah that's what I don't understand. Surely there must be a mobile phone-like device that could sit in the box inside the elevator while plugged in to charge and if the elevator does lose power then the phone will still have it's internal battery. Why does it 'have' to run on NBN and how does that $2000 compare to the price of a residential NTD with the UPS that they were putting in to homes initially? Just doesn't smell right.

        • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2019 - 08:27

          I call that taking advantage of stupid nbn.

  • dcep on 01/10/2019 - 16:42

    the upgrade usually costs $3.5k per lift for commercial

    ongoing cost = sim plan from telco

    • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 16:53

      It's not an 'upgrade'.

      It's forced to accommodate the lack of existing telephone line.

      • profar on 07/10/2019 - 15:38

        Probably like Trivago the business owns all the others that quote lol .

  • boomramada on 01/10/2019 - 16:46

    Why don't you get multiple quotations? and compare?

    • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 16:52

      i have 3 quotes, they differ by a few bucks.

      • boomramada on 01/10/2019 - 17:02
        +1

        Well IT isn't cheap. It could be the correct pricing then.
        for monthly fee, I think it comes with both optus and telstra failover.

    • Nickels n Dimes on 02/10/2019 - 21:08

      I would shop around some more, I get quotes for lifts all the time, typically for a residential brand elevator the NBN adapter is included or under $500 on top of the price. For a commercial brand lift (eg. KONE, SCHINDLER, OTIS, THYSSENKRUP) you could expect about ~$2000 for the upgrade of it's an older pstn unit.
      Either way you will have an ongoing monthly fee on top.

  • TheBilly on 01/10/2019 - 17:47

    That is a very industry standard amount. I can confirm the value is competitive but whether the works are required is something else beyond my assessment of the value.

    • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 19:40
      -1

      You are missing the point. Say the government decided that all houses must have solar panel. Are you happy to pay the price?

      • whooah1979 on 01/10/2019 - 19:46
        +1

        The government wants almost everyone that works to pay taxes. We’re all not happy, but pay it anyway.

      • TheBilly on 01/10/2019 - 19:46

        Well I get what you mean hence why I said I cant comment on the validity of why the money has to be expended. I can just comment on the fact that the last 3 lifts I did experienced a similar cost. So you are not getting ripped off, but you are getting ripped off.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 19:48

          Thanks…. fate has it my block only have 4 units. That is $500 i wont see again.
          Unless i can get the rest of the owners to agree not to spend it, and leave it on luck if we got stuck.

          • bcarp on 01/10/2019 - 23:26

            @[Deactivated]: I think you'll find it's a regulation that you can't decide not to have the telephone line. It's a requirement of having a lift. You & the other owners can however decide to decommission the lift altogether.

            • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2019 - 07:11

              @bcarp: I don't think it's regulation. Even if it is, no regulator come and check every lift in the country.

              Given this cost, I don't think I'm the only person thinking of this. Chances are, one day you or I will go to one building and find the emergency phone doesn't work.

                • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2019 - 09:53

                  @bcarp: No idea about this. Never seen one regulator check my lift. I don't think they will ever do.
                  They could just send email to all buildings with lift asking for proof/invoice of emergency phone installation or annual safety compliance, etc. But never got one.

                  I'm willing to bet that one day someone will be trapped in a lift in Australia where the emergency phone button doesn't work.

                  • thatonethere on 02/10/2019 - 16:12

                    @[Deactivated]: Happens all the time even without NBN.

                    People cancel pstn lines not realising it is for the lift or they get unpatched etc.

              • brad1-8tsi on 03/10/2019 - 08:47
                +1

                @[Deactivated]: @Bimo

                Passenger lifts in NSW have to be Plant Registered with WorkCover/Safe (whatever this weeks title is).

                I did the registration as part of my job 4 years ago.

                If the rules haven't changed (again) then it's a yearly registration. Lift 1 is ~$85. Subsequent lifts in the same building are $5.

                You need to have proof that the lift complies with current regulations which include complying with a minimum service schedule (every 3 months IIRC). Unlike the BCA the lift regs are retrospective.

                Once a year the lift company will do a major service and SHOULD provide a certificate of service / compliance as proof of maintenance / fitness for service for the Plant Registration.

                The rule states that the Registration Certificate has to be available for inspection by Work Cover. Generally they are on display in the lift but we used to keep ours in our document management system because the lifts were 1 km from the office and would require a site induction to see.

                In 10 years we only had one visit from WorkCover and the dumb pricks in the office didn't know where the certificates were as the folder WorkCover/Plant Registrations/ Passenger Lifts didn't have enough key words in it. /rolls eyes. The inspector didn't come back to check after they assured him they were registered.

                The lift industry is a massive rort. They will bend you over every time.

                • [Deactivated] on 03/10/2019 - 09:28

                  @brad1-8tsi: Thanks for the comprehensive reply.

                  I think since not all lifts in Australia met the regulations, I am not willing to spend money for something that is caused by government mistake. If I use telstra, I can get signal n can call someone. Bad luck for those with optus. But they can yell, scream, and surely someone can hear in our small building.

                  We are only 3 floors and a basement building, so chances are people be using stairs most of the time. I'll just put a sign if there is severe weather outside best not use lift.

                  I could possibly even got stuck in another apartment building because the owner refuse to pay.

                  • brad1-8tsi on 03/10/2019 - 09:33

                    @[Deactivated]: it's not your choice. The strata manager will force your hand.

                    What do the strata committee chair, secretary and treasurer think of non-compliance and (ultimately) non-registration of the lift? Or do you intend to falsify the Plant Registration renewal document?

                    • [Deactivated] on 03/10/2019 - 11:29

                      @brad1-8tsi: I am all that. I have the ultimate power (evil laugh).

                      On serious note, since telstra work, I'll just put payg aldi mobile card in the lift, secure it in a box, chain it somewhere. Use any random old phone that works. Old Nokia is perfect. Pay someone to test every 3 months. Problem solved. Total cost maybe $1-200 install, and $15 a year.

                      Then I remind myself never walk into a lift in a small building. Use stairs, it's healthier.

  • AdosHouse on 01/10/2019 - 19:24

    I would imagine that the actual 4G device will be outside the elevator shaft, since they are usually shit for reception, and a repeater inside the shaft, with a receiver inside the lift itself. I wouldn't imagine that is at all cheap. But I'm no installer.

  • Tee Rex Arms on 01/10/2019 - 19:42
    +2

    Just pay it ffs - it is what it is.

  • qwerty on 01/10/2019 - 19:58

    Your 3 neighbors and family are all on holiday and you pop out to get something from outside without your phone and the lift is stuck….

    that $500 you are upset about really wont matter after about the first 30 minutes

    Also if you ever do decide to sell your place i think potential buyers will pick an apartment with a working safety phone in the lift compared to one without but thats just me.

    • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2019 - 20:00
      -2

      Don't let them know that the emergency phone doesn't work. I don't think they will try would they.

      To be honest, I don't think I will ever afford another property… I plan to die here.

      But you got a good point to consider.

      I'm thinking if Telstra can get a signal from the lift, maybe I'll just put a cheap Nokia in there, get the strata to pay $150 on Boost plan, and problem solved.

    • crentist on 01/10/2019 - 22:54
      +1

      It's an emergency, not a wedding. There should be some explanation for why the prices are getting jacked up over the usual service.
      Otherwise why stop at $500, why not $1000, or $20k?

      It's probably some nonsense about "service guarantees" but you'll never see a technician ever checking on things. More likely it's a one off install with excessive and unnecessary maintenance fees that are straight into someone's pocket, with a little bit set aside in case the service actually fails and they need to pay out.

      • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2019 - 07:14

        I will ask a breakdown of those cost, why is it cost so much.

  • Zephyrus29 on 01/10/2019 - 20:52

    I can't comment on the cost of the installation, but a service like VitalCall (alert buttons for medical emergencies) is $36.50 per month and that includes the equipment and a 24/7 call center. Security places are like $5 a week. These guys say $35 per month https://www.kone.com.au/Images/pdf_NBN-Frequently-asked-ques…

    It shouldn't cost you that much per month. Your body corporate is being shitty at their one job

    • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2019 - 07:08

      Hmmm… Thanks. I'll check that.

  • Baysew on 02/10/2019 - 10:08

    Ask them to install a Pay Phone.

  • neil on 07/10/2019 - 15:19

    We are currently going through the same thing. We were recommended not to go through the NBN and instead go for a mobile sim due to reliability. You can get the sims for $12 a month. We had 2 quotes of $1500 & $3000 + GST with installation. One company that makes the units stated that any electrician can install the system and it doesn't need to be a lift company. The units are $1150-$1500 so that's going to really be the starting point for replacing the POTS emergency phones.

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