Telstra promised Fibre to the house (FTTP) when I had FTTN and this is what happened [Part 2]

This post has been split up to make this page smaller: Read [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

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Router Gear Turned Up

I pre-setup the router ready for install day.

The new router was massive (2.8 Amp power pack too) and was way bigger than the copper router. My wife’s parents Telstra router (below) was tiny compared to the one we were sent. I noticed our router had Fibre printed on it 🙂

Install Day

The Telstra technician (just one person) arrived at 8:40am (while I was dropping off one of my kids too daycare). I came home to see the install had started.

Install took 1 hour to install and sync with Telstra. The install technician said it was FTTN not FTTP. What?? He said he can do Fibre to the Premise for customers in this region.

Telstra FTTN Performance (50/20 Megabytes)

My previous provider used to deliver 47 Megabits down at non-peak times and 19 Megabits up and about 44 Megabits down at peak times and 16 Megabits up.

For the first week, Telstra was about 10% below these speeds 44/18 non-peak and 7~44/18 peak. This is worst than my previous provider.

Update: 19th July 2018 9 pm

Update: 26th July 2018 (evening)

Update: 28th July 2018 (evening)

Speeds over time (speedtest.net)

Telstra NBN speeds are a mixed bag.

Ignore the 3rd last one, I was on a VPN testing IP whitelists.

Pending issues (Complaints with Telstra)

• No Fibre to the House (FTTP) as promised.
• They did not transfer over the existing landline number as promised. We got a new landline number.
• Data speeds are all over the shop.

Updates: 30th July 2018:

1st call from Telstra (02 8093 1112)

Telstra just called me on my non-Telstra phone number and asked me for my old NBN internet provider account number (I have given this to Telstra a number of times now). The complaints manager said he noticed the Telstra Social media team sent the number through but he had not read it. I opened my Twitter and gave the number to him.

The Telstra rep said, “Your date of birth is ##/##/#### right?”. This is not good security practices being followed.

P.S. I did ask for permissions to summarise this conversation on my blog.

2nd call from Telstra (02 8093 1112)

A Telstra rep called and asked for my old landline number (I have given this to Telstra 5 times already).

I gave the first two digits of my old landline to the Telstra rep (“67”) and he was confused, the third time he said it should start with “02” (I think he wants the area code in front of the old number).

I asked for my call to be escalated to a senior rep, I was on hold for 5 mins, he returned and said the supervisor was out at lunch and he will call back in 1 hour (he never called back)

4 calls in total from this number.

Still waiting for the FTTP complaint team to call back.

Looks like Telstra are having a shake up?

Telstra social media kindly escalated issues to the Executive Complaints Team requesting that this is addressed urgently.

Escalated to “Escalated Complaints Group”

Update 2nd August 2018:

No eta of my landline being transferred back, Telstra Representative (4th phone call) did not call back as promised. No phone reconnect status from Executive Complaints Team (4th level).

I did get two “generous” offers of a potential waived fee to leave Telstra 🙁

Q1) How many people get attracted to Telstra via claims of superior products and get switched to inferior products?

I will report this to the ACCC/Telecommunications Ombudsman.

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Update 3rd August 2017

Telstra confirmed they received my TIO Complaint (and will investigate my speed, landline and fibre issues) and will call back next Tuesday. They did not read this post.

Update Monday 6th August 2018

Speed test results, no other users online at 9:30pm.

Our landline has not been migrated yet.

Update Tuesday the 7th of Aug 2017

Telstra indicated my data line has been “Reconfigured” and my landline was requested to be migrated from my old ISP.

The rep said they have not read my blog post (history).

Lunch time speed tests (for Telstra).

Try 1 (34.4 Mbps down and 17.3 up). My previous ISP would manage 47/18 at lunch.

Try 2 (28.2 Megabits down and 17.3 up).

Update 8th August 2018

A representative from the Executive Customer Care Team called and is looking into the three issues (fibre to the premise, old landline and slower data speeds). They promised about three days turn around in getting back to me.

30 minutes later another person from the Executive Customer Care Team called with a different approach (they were convinced my problems were not problems). They were not aware of the previous caller from Telstra.

I think the complaints team at Telstra needs a new CRM.

@andy_penn I had two seperate calls from the @telstra Executive Customer Contact Team in 30 mins with opposing assumptions and proposed outcomes for a TIO complaint. Little knowledge of past notes. Q1) Do you use a CRM in Telstra? cc @SenatorFifield https://t.co/3D8VylboBB

— Simon Fearby (Aussie DevSecOps) (@FearbySoftware) August 8, 2018

Update 9th August 2018 (12:02am)

Huge Instability and network dropouts.

Update 10th August 2018

Telstra promised to call bank by midday but did not 🙁

Lunchtime speed test if a 50/20 plan

Speed test 1

Speed test 2

This is well below the usual 48Mbit speeds from my previous provider (and it’s not even peak time).

Update 3pm: Telstra got in touch. They needed my old ISP number again to pull the landline (I have provided this at signup and many times after).

Update 4pm (Telstra boost to 100Mbit FTTN)

Speed test 1

Speed test 2

Speed test at 8pm on 100/40 speeds

Just above 50/20 speeds.

Continue onto Part 3 (or go back to Part 1)

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