My New Boost Mobile Plan Excludes Calls to Overseas Landlines?

Lmariiiiie on 02/11/2022 - 11:38
Last edited 02/11/2022 - 11:54 by 1 other user

Hi everyone, I have signed up to OzBargain just to make this post, I hope I´m abiding by all the rules.

I recently purchased the $200 Boost Mobile Prepaid SIM, which includes international calls, as per link

My international call to a landline number (which I know is the correct dialling format, etc. been living in Oz for 5 years now and have called regularly and successfully from my old Optus plan hundreds of times) as well as any other international number (landline AND mobile) does not work, I keep getting an automated message telling me that calls to this destination (Germany) are not allowed on my plan.

I contacted Boost a few times now, even went into a Telstra store as per their request and now, yesterday I get told that my plan does NOT include calls to landline numbers overseas. Only to mobile numbers.

Now my issue is, the people I am trying to call are elderly relatives who do not have mobile phones. I cannot for the life of me understand where it says that I cannot call landlines internationally. I tried speaking to the friendly but not helpful rep in their overseas call centre and asking them to point it out to me. I cannot find it and I do not want this mobile plan, if I am not able to call my grandparents. I fear that I have wasted a bunch of money, only to have to go back to my Optus plan

I am asking you if:

  1. You have the same Boost plan, have you ever called an international landline successfully?
  2. You can point me to the small print where a NORMAL person would be able to reasonably tell that international calls to landlines are not possible on this plan
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Comments

  • jv on 02/11/2022 - 11:41
    +1

    I get told that my plan does NOT include calls to landline numbers overseas

    yes it does, it's on their website.

    Unlimited standard calls to 20 selected destinations: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam.
    1200 mins to standard numbers to 30 selected destinations: Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UAE

    • brad1-8tsi on 02/11/2022 - 11:47
      +3

      what's the definition of a "standard call"?

      • mariiiiie on 02/11/2022 - 11:49

        i have tried to find this out myself too. the rep was telling me that the "premium and satellite numbers" clause somewhere means that landlines are EXCLUDED

        • brad1-8tsi on 02/11/2022 - 11:50
          +2

          Then you immediately request to see the clause

        • Meho2026 on 02/11/2022 - 12:05
          +5

          If you look at the critical information summary for your plan, it lists what type of calls are excluded under "Whats Not" heading.
          Everything else is considered a standard call and you should be able to call landlines and mobiles in Germany.
          Further down the summary sheet under "Other Information" there is details about complaints and disputes and the email for the compliance manager.
          Lodge a complaint, if they cant rectify the issue then ask for a refund in full. Inform them that if they refuse a refund you will lodge a complaint with TIO.
          They will refund you because they get charged for the TIO investigation and it will be more than the cost of your plan.

          Ive got the Boost 12month 260GB plan and I just tested a call to Berlin airport and it works perfectly

        • jv on 02/11/2022 - 12:05
          +1

          so your elderly relatives have a "premium or satellite number" ?

        • reactor-au on 03/11/2022 - 09:02

          Premium numbers are usually things like 1800 numbers etc.

  • brad1-8tsi on 02/11/2022 - 11:47
    +1

    No, I can't see anything in their terms of use that says landlines are a no-go.

    Ask them where to find this information. They probably can't show you.

    It could well be their system isn't capable of reaching landlines. If this is the case they aren't able to provide the service a reasonable person would expect to receive and therefore you are entitled to a refund either full or pro-rata

  • JiGaXD on 02/11/2022 - 11:50

    Have you tested calling the international mobile phone line to see if you can make international calls in the first place? Also yes, international calls work with Boost from personal experience.

    • mariiiiie on 02/11/2022 - 11:51

      I have tried a mobile number as well, it did not work. They begrudgingly agreed to provide me with a replacement SIM card but also warned me that landline calls will still remain off-limits to me

      • jv on 02/11/2022 - 12:07
        +2

        Did you ask them to read the inclusions of the plan that they advertise on their website?

      • JiGaXD on 02/11/2022 - 12:32
        +1

        There's something wrong with your international calls then. You should be focusing on trying to solve that. I suspect if you fix that then you'll be able to make mobile/landline calls.

  • apple2016 on 02/11/2022 - 11:59
    +3

    I think its b**t by boots customer care that you cannot call landline numbers.
    I did have boot ($30 prepaid) and was able to call landline and mobile numbers.
    If you cant get it to work , you could try to get a refund or contact the ombudsman.

  • ausdday on 02/11/2022 - 12:11
    +3

    I am on Boost, and renewed my 365 plan about 3 months ago. I am not sure that makes any difference compare to your new sign up.

    But I just tested, I am able to call overseas mobile phone, and landline ( I called local bank customer support number which is a landline number ) without any problem.

    ps: I tried GERMANY Phone: +49 6991000 (Deutsche Bank) and it went through ok as well.

    • jv on 02/11/2022 - 15:47
      -1

      +49 6991000

      Hey, that's the VOIP number I got allocated last Jan…

    • skillet on 03/11/2022 - 10:40

      Did they offer a discount renew when your plan was coming to end?

  • hasher22 on 02/11/2022 - 12:38
    +3

    Do some isolation tests

    I know this may be a long shot, can you put your sim card in another phone and test? There may be a setting in your phone that automatically blocked international calls when you switched.

    If you can't make international calls on the other phone, it's your account. Boost prob has international calls blocked.

    The other option is call a country that is in the included list and try call that country. If you can get through to, for example, Canada and Japan but not Germany then maybe it's your grandparents phone blocking your number.

  • uncompressed on 02/11/2022 - 13:01
    +1

    Yeah, something is wrong here as I was able to make international landline calls on Boost mobile.

  • mariiiiie on 02/11/2022 - 14:19

    thank you all for your advice and tests, I really appreciate it and will investigate further

  • AndyC1 on 02/11/2022 - 14:31

    If you get stuck then make a formal complaint via email or via their web site (not via the phone).

  • leiiv on 02/11/2022 - 17:36
    +1

    First, try other Germany landline numbers, eg: neighbours, shops, hotels, etc. If it does not work, try landline numbers from other countries.
    It is possible that Boost mistakenly recognise certain numbers as "premium and satellite numbers".

  • 7ekn00 on 02/11/2022 - 17:38

    Reset your handset to defauts, will be a setting that didn't carry over to Boost :/

  • Gratt on 02/11/2022 - 18:45
    +1

    Maybe a problem with international dialling formats? Not certain but numbers dialled from Optus will go through without the + prefix while numbers on the Telstra need it. You could also try putting 0011 in front of call. Boost customer service is dreadful and if they don't know stuff they make it up. For this reason I left them a while back and are pretty happy with the Coles offering where they resell Optus with international calls included.

    Just remember you have the TIO who may assist.

  • deme on 02/11/2022 - 19:12

    I keep getting an automated message telling me that calls to this destination (Germany) are not allowed on my plan.

    Could you please put the entire message you get in this thread? It'll help the next person who runs into this find it easier.

    • mariiiiie on 04/11/2022 - 09:07

      "Hi, unfortunately, we can´t connect you, as we don´t support calls to this destination. For more information on international calling and eligible destinations, download the MyBoost App"

  • Sydneygirl22 on 03/11/2022 - 08:54

    Thought this is helpful. I call overseas on Viber out credit. Much cheaper than through Telco. Some of my older connections can't use regular Viber

  • Darayus on 03/11/2022 - 09:50

    Try boss revolution, https://www.bossrevolution.com/en-au#germany

    does not cost a bomb but also helps you to call countries that are not on Boost-free dialing.

    I always use boss when I am overseas and need to call Australia landline over wifi or the internet.

    check it out.

  • deme on 05/11/2022 - 20:18

    What's the first 5 digits you are dialing?

    It should start with +49

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