As part of my work as the media manager for the Australian Rally Championship, host of Holden Racing Team TV and tech guest on ABC Sydney, I needed a mobile data solution. After asking about, I decided the Sierra 301 on a prepaid plan would be best as I would bill clients on work weekends and then when the key was not in use, I would not pay. Simple.

So I went to the Chadstone Telstra shop and bought it- with 6 gig as it was coming into F1 and Rally rounds back to back. There were concerns (noted below)- such as the paperwork I had to sign (dealer Kurt S: “That’s the form for all new accounts- pre and post paid”) and the fact that the prepaid software I was using did not show me usage and remaining usage. But it all worked just fine. Coverage wonderful, speeds ludicrous and it was frankly the perfect purchase.

The inability to see my data usage was annoying. The button that was suppose to show me said usage was not working (aka “greyed out”) and that worried me as I did not want to run out when streaming an event or sending out a presser etc. I reached out:

My first tweet for help!

Then I got a bill. That was weird after all, I had paid a lot for the product plus the extra 6 gig. A simple mistake surely?

So I rang Telstra, then  Tweeted some more and it’s never been sorted out. The bills were being zero balanced, but I wanted it fixed.

No action still

After some months waiting for the situation to be put right, I have now lost my rag with Telstra. I just got off the phone with a woman who I told “take ownership of this” after she, like many more before her, wanted to palm me off once again. She asked me my story again and wanted to send me off to pre paid data. Then she said “You need to go to the shop.”

Chadstone T-Store is 45 minutes away and I am not going anywhere to fix their mistake! How is getting me to fix their error an incentive for Telstra and Telstra staff to try? Without consequences for failure there can only be inaction.

I had already sent them an email as follows:

There was a fundamental error with the way this was provisioned from the start.

I bought a pre paid USB data service. I paid for 6 gig in advance. I received a bill out of the blue and was told that an error had been made by some and told that it was no an error by others. Here’s the issue – The software I have to run it (screenshot attached) is for prepaid services.

The interface for my USB 3G stick

• You can ONLY buy this product (Sierra 301) as a prepaid device. See: http://www.telstra.com.au/bigpond-internet/prepaid-wireless/get-started/index.htm There it is- I have attached back and front pics for you.
• I keep getting bills for post paid when I did not sign up for post paid.

When I bought it at the Chadstone Telstra shop the sales guy made me fill out a form. I noted: “This is for post paid” and he said “it’s the same form, we just need your details.” There was NO indication what data post paid plan I was on on my “contract” as I did not sign a contract. I am prepaid.

You had a deal at the time to get 6 gig prepaid at reduced rate  but it was something like $60 for 6 gig introductory. I paid $150 for the prepaid USB + $60. $210 or thereabouts.

The only reservation I had at the time was that he made me use a different SIM (I still have the old one) to the one that came with the stick.

It would appear that an honest error was made, or a deliberate deceit to make me go to post paid when I clearly asked for pre paid. I could not access (through the software) my current usage- to work out how much I had used/had left. This was not sorted to my satisfaction at all. The software does not show what I have used- the button for that is not functional/greyed out.

Scott from your dept is across this, but has been unable to sort it out.  He has zero balanced my account previously in recognition of this issue, but no long term fix has been found. I am not calling prepaid, post paid or anyone to sort this. It’s not my mistake.

What I want

• To be on prepaid as I requested originally and multiple times since.
• 6 gig provisioned onto the account with 90 days expiry as originally requested and as a show of goodwill.
• To get on with it.
• If this requires me to visit a store, get a new SIM or jump through more hoops I will do it. (note: I will not do that anymore- they have messed me around too much AND cut me off)

What I don’t want:

• Another bill
• Another bill reminder
• Another month to go by with no action from Telstra
• Any interruption to my service-(note: it has been cut off and I am off to Rally SA in two days) I am in Darwin this weekend for the V8s and we use the USB key to stream live coverage. If you cannot fix this with a flick of the switch, then we need to work out a time to do it as I work nearly every weekend streaming live coverage from motorsport events.
• Any fee associated with fixing your error.

Regards
Tom

Today the service was cut off. I am so over Telstra at the moment.

Here’s the Twitter Direct Message stream (bottom up!)

Check out how long it has taken.

This isn’t social media failure, its just failure.

I am going to talk about Telstra tonight on the ABC in the context of the NBN. Telstra are set to switch off their copper network and throw their lot in with the NBN roll out. Renai LeMay says this will “seal Telstra’s doom” as the deal will:

…transform the fundamental nature of Telstra’s business, changing it from an engineering company which primarily builds and operates telecommunications networks into a retail service provider focused on delivering the best customer service and value-add products in Australia’s telco sector.

As he points out- this is not what Telstra does.

In the end all Telstra will be able to do is offer bundles: NBN based products, Next G products and IPTV/Cable TV all rolled up into one exorbitant price. They will then need to back that with good customer service.

And based on my experience, their wireless broadband after sales service is not going to save them. Perhaps they are doomed‽

I’m just about over YouTube. I uploaded this complete with a mashup and they immediately warned me that I was in breach of something or other. I am sure the soundtrack will be removed soon.
Wouldn’t it be better to have an ad for the song in question with a link through to iTunes to buy it? That’s a business model. Honestly, the sooner the record companies all go broke, the better. They absolutely deserve it.

Anyway. Robbie Maddison at Albert Park, jumping over the main sign:

DO check it out in HD here.

And this little vid. I felw down to Burnie, Tasmania in a lil Saab turboprop 30 seater. I pulled ou the new Panasonic FT1- a hand held point and shoot that has a movie mode- and shoots in HD. The results are pretty pleasing:

Also worth checking out in HD

I’m really pleased to announce that from this Thursday the 18th February at 8:20pm I will be on ABC 702 (NSW) with Mr Robbie Buck discussing trends in tech, web and related.

This is set to be a weekly segment, but naturally they want to see how it goes before locking in a more permanent spot.

I’m very pleased with this new gig as it represents a small, but important shift in my career- from motoring to technology. Tech is one of my passions, but it’s broadcasting that is my abiding passion.

This segment has come about thanks to @Stilgherrian who lined me up an initial spot a week or so ago to simply have a chat with Robbie about Social Media.

It would appear that first quasi segment went rather well.

It’s the end/start of the year and that can only mean mashup season. I’ve been listening to the following almost exclusivley and I honestly cannot think of a better “mash of mashups” (if that’s the collective noun?)

• The Kleptones: Uptime/Downtime.
  Here I was thinking that “24 Hours” would be known as The Kleptones high water mark! At the time of the release,  24 Hours was unique- a concept mashup album. While I’ve only had one full listen to Uptime Downtime, I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a mashup album this much. While jogging with headphones on, I found myself yelling “Oh shit yeah!”at some of the mixes. “Eric Kleptone” is an absolute master of the mashup.
• Best of Bootie 2009.
  At any other time, this would be the highlight of my summer- but it’s been shaded slghtly by The Kleptones (who appear on this anyway!).  If you don’t like Lady Gaga, I suggest you steer clear. (Though the whole nature of a mashp is to turn two so-so songs into a new diamond)
• Team 9 vs Stereogum- Mysplice 4.
  “Australia’s own”, Team 9 from Perth was responsible in part for the classic “American Edit” remixing Green Day’s “American Idiot” (Google it!). This fourth in the Mysplice era continues a fine tradition of excellent mashup work.
• Culture Bully Presents: 2009 Mashed.
  Though he’s just announced a hiatus, Chris De Line‘s Culture Bully site has still taken time out to release a 2009 retrospective of the best mashups. Go check it!

So there you go- some hours of mashup delights await you.