Telecommunication Customer Service Worldwide

imin8r writes " Whirlpool writes that an Telstra, Australia's largest Telco (who also happens to own all wholesale access to ADSL in Australia), had rejected an ADSL user's application from a small ADSL provider, but subsequently accepted their own ADSL application from the same user. The funny thing is, the smaller ISP sells exactly the same service as Telstra as they are a Telstra reseller. Both providers use the same line, same exchange and same equipment. However, the story doesn't end there. When Telstra was approached by the aggrieved user explaining what had happened, Telstra offered him a settlement to keep quiet. When he didn't, they disconnected his already connected ADSL service. One of the arguments for Telstra's bad track record with customer service is the fact that they were previously government owned but are now partly privatised (and listed on the stock exchange). As a result they own a lot of the infrastructure which has been paid with by taxpayers money, but any new Telco players still need to use a lot of Telstra's infrastructure. I'd like to know whether full de-regulation of the telecommunication industry in the United States has benefited customer service and also what effect it has had on providing innovative services. "

Comments

Re:Enlarging the Have/Have Not line

[presearch]

Under Bush, we will get the Depression all right, but a telecom TVA ain't happening.

Re:Verizon

[Audacious]

I didn't have any problem reading your message. I guess Lord Greystroke hasn't left the jungle yet.

From where I sit (ie: Unemployed but looking) there are several problems with the way in which things are going now-a-days.

First, America is converting from a Democracy to a Capitalistic state. The difference between the two is in a Democracy the government is of, by, and for the people. In a Capitalistic state the government is out to make as much money as it can, however it can. Even if it has to trample over all of your rights.

Second, in an international economy (the One World economy bs) you do not matter at all so long as everything is evenly divided up among all of the countries around the world. Thus, it is no longer what is good for America is good enough for the world - it becomes what country X says is what everyone has to do. Look at Iraq to see what happens when you don't do what you are told.

We in America are also moving towards a police state. If you don't believe me just look at the Patriot Act. Congress has become nothing more than a yes man to the wants of the president. Here in my own state (the president's home state) all of the democratic reps left the state because of what the republicans were doing. How long before others join in in doing this? Further, Congress is now granting immunity to prosecution under the law. How outrageous is this? It is not only immoral, illegal, and unethical, but it just plain sucks. We are guaranteed that no one is above the law yet Congress is now saying otherwise. Isn't this what used to be called treason? Didn't we fight several wars to ensure this would not happen? But it is.

Justice is blind but Americans are bound hand and foot by arbitrary laws put in place by companies, corporations, and international interests so they can profit and we, the people, can lose. Before the multi-billion dollar corporations were around things were sane, balanced, and easy to understand. Now they are not. We, the people, haven't changed in our needs but those who want to make money anyway they can have. They have figured out how to camouflage their true intents. To divert people's attention from their true actions. And how to befuddle, buy, or remove those impediments to their goals.

Monopolies are bad. Our country was not built on monopolies. It was built by small companies who came up with great ideas. If you go back and look you will find that so long as the original founder was alive the company worked to help people and that it was not until after that person or set of people were gone that the companies began acting in ways which worked against the people. There is no heart or soul in monopolies - only greed. Phone service got better when the phone company was split up. Now that they are getting back together again I foresee worse service.

Until the people stand up and say enough this will continue and it will get worse over time. Sleep if you will, but the time for sleep is past. Hide if you will, but you will be found. Aren't you done with being afraid? Quiet? Complacent? No one can cart you off for simply speaking out. So leave your fear behind, get involved, and help straighten out this mess we've allowed to flourish.