We're getting there. Tas is beautiful, almost everyone is friendly and helpful -- some fantastically so. There are of course flies in the ointment - but not in the expected spots. Customs and the quarantine guys couldn't have been more pleasant. So far we have at least to some degree succeeded in very nearly everything we need to do. The exception is to get our internet sorted. We have to do telstra -which everyone warned us against -but is our only choice for the island. And they - particularly the Eastlands Telstra shop have been the sort thing Australia should try to export - possibly to Somalia along with the staff. I don't think I have ever had "I haven't been able to set up the piece of equipment you've sold me(for $400), can someone help me," greeted with a reply from a rather fat hake-faced shop assistant "No."
The problem is BTW entirely something that only they can fix - the account can't be authorised because i don't have a telstra credit history (logically) and despite the fact that I am willing to pay for it - for the entire contract period if necessary this appalling little nest of incompetence won't help. Anyway -I have written my daily blog entries every day and will post them as soon as this hurdle is crossed. (not on this machine -and I am not translating or copy typing.
cheers
Oh dear... hope you get sorted out soon... most unusual attitude in the eastern Antipodies!
ReplyDeleteBut welcome to this end of the world!
Richard
Yep. Sounds perfectly like Telstra. It is important to remember that there is effectively no technical support available (unless the drone actually has experience from outside Telstra). Telstra Big Pond's function is to extract as much money from it's subscribers as possible, before they wise up and go someplace else (if that is possible). Unfortunately needs must when the Devil drives, as the saying goes.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Telstra is required by Government fiat to provide rural telecommunication services. But as this is something that generally loses them money, they tend to be rather laxidasical about it.
[Incidentally an ABC show was quite taken with a report that a South African Internet company used pigeon to communicate between data centres, so they tested the same thing (pigeon, car, Telstra Country Internet). The pigeon won, of course. Apparently Telstra is still attempting to deliver the file...]
Welcome to Australia :) Glad you are safe and sound in Oz.
ReplyDeleteWith Telstra staff on the phone, many of whom aren't actually IN Australia, I've developed this technique.
1. Ask for help. When they don't give it because they don't know what they are talking about.
2. Ask them for the Telecommunications Ombudsmen's number.
3. When they say they don't have it, advise them that you need to speak to a supervisor as they are in breach of telecommunication laws and what is the person's name as you will need it for the report.
4. Start talking to someone who knows what they are doing.
We are at last up and running on a Telstra device, yes it took 11 days, and literally hours of mobile time talking to them, but I am just so grateful it is actually working!!
ReplyDelete