Telstra Smart

BoatBoy

BoatBoy

Yeah I know, two word's that just don't belong together, but has anyone had any experience with this yet ?

http://telstrasmartcommunity.com/

http://www.smartwiredhouse.com.au/

I have it going into a house I am building and it seem's to be about the dumbest thing i've heard of.

To make matter's worse, they have told me this morning at 7-30 am about the cost, and want to know today where all the point's go as they are running it tommorrow:eek:

Usually we would have a phone point and a TV point @ about $65 each.
A TV antenna at about $120 installed.

So for 3 TV point's , 3 Phone point's and 1 TV antenna, about $510.

Telstra Smart [dumb] will cost $2500.

We always new this subdivision was to be TS, and new that the developer will tip in $1500 toward's this,and were told that this would cover the cost's, so we would be in front compared to the traditional method's used.

Does anyone think that a buyer will pay a premium for this when a house is onsold ?

BB
 
aim_higher said:
Not sure...

This property http://www.remax.com.au/?page=property_details&webref=1118422&data=eNozqdE11LEwNjIA0SZg0rDGqMagxgAAVdYGrw&result_page=1 has been sitting for a while.

It's nicely finished, city views - not sure whether or not the smart wiring has anything to do with the price, but at $800k+ it's certainly on the high side for this area...
Click to expand...

I don't think this is the same thing, Telstra Smart is a fiber optic cable that is in some new subdivisions, so not sure if there is new subdivisions in Tarragindi.

BB
 
While many naieve people may consider this a great option, I would never personally buy a property where you are locked into a monopoly provider of services ... especially one with such a bad track record (poor customer service, extremely high costs) as Telstra.

This "smart community" push of Telstra's is just a very clever way of them cementing their monopoly. Have a look at the prices they are charging for consumer broadband - more than double the cost of similar ADSL services in some cases ... and you don't get a choice of provider - you are stuck with Telstra !!!

Open competition is the only way to ensure you will continue to receive good value for your services.

So, a very bad idea in my opinion, but as I said before, many people won't care, and some may even consider it to be a good thing.
 
Sim said:
While many naieve people may consider this a great option, I would never personally buy a property where you are locked into a monopoly provider of services ... especially one with such a bad track record (poor customer service, extremely high costs) as Telstra.

This "smart community" push of Telstra's is just a very clever way of them cementing their monopoly. Have a look at the prices they are charging for consumer broadband - more than double the cost of similar ADSL services in some cases ... and you don't get a choice of provider - you are stuck with Telstra !!!

Open competition is the only way to ensure you will continue to receive good value for your services.

So, a very bad idea in my opinion, but as I said before, many people won't care, and some may even consider it to be a good thing.
Click to expand...

Maybe its Telstra being nieve particularly if this Meshlink technolgy is as good as they recon.

http://www.meshlinx.com/

Cheers
 
Sim said:
While many naieve people may consider this a great option, I would never personally buy a property where you are locked into a monopoly provider of services ... especially one with such a bad track record (poor customer service, extremely high costs) as Telstra.

This "smart community" push of Telstra's is just a very clever way of them cementing their monopoly. Have a look at the prices they are charging for consumer broadband - more than double the cost of similar ADSL services in some cases ... and you don't get a choice of provider - you are stuck with Telstra !!!

Open competition is the only way to ensure you will continue to receive good value for your services.

So, a very bad idea in my opinion, but as I said before, many people won't care, and some may even consider it to be a good thing.
Click to expand...

My thought's exactly,

The only reason we jagged this block was that it was the only available easily built block around at the time.

It has payed handsomely with a 35% increase since purchase a couple of months back, and we'll do similar from the build so can't complain.

I would'nt like to live there being bent over by Telstra though.

Here is a link to some Happy Telstra "Dumb" community people.........Not.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-search.cfm?s=1696948&r=7626668

If I read into some of the post's correctly, while the "community" may be smart, the exchange is still "old school" and let's the concept down, leaving no alternative but to keep paying top dollar for a second rate service [or lack of ] as you can't use a competitor's service.

And if you really don't like Telstra and want to vent your spleen, this ones for you.

http://www.telstraexposed.com/home/default.asp

BB
 
Well an update on Telstra Dumb.

I ended up after a thousand phone call's to various departments and constantly being told different thing's, finding out a bit more about the system.

I ended up not putting a smart box on the wall and saved myseld $1800 and opted for 2 phone and 2 TV points, using a cordless phone for extra handsets and if deciding on internet in other areas using a wireless setup.

Great, move into the house and Telstra have dropped the ball and it will take over a week to get phone and internet on.

I kick up a huge stink and get a 3g wireless internet connection (cool) and a new mobile supplied and also a nice credit applied to my pre-paid, this all took many phone calls and much building of Blood pressure.

After a few days with many changes of telstra kit in the house, guys putting stuff in, taking it out and putting it back in again, it is decided that there was a blockage when doing the cabling in the street, that was never rectified a few months back when it was easy, and now it would be hard, so a few more days, a specialist being sent up from another city and phone works.

But internet does not., so many phone calls later it is decided that the point for internet is a phone not data point.

I did'nt know there was a difference, all other internet services go down a phone line, but not Telstra smart, it needs special cabling, and of course it was never mentioned til now, I was just supposed to know, so out with the old and in with the new.

While doing this sparky puts his knee through the ceiling, luckily in garage, but so much for a new house.

Still no internet, it is then decided that they lost my request to put it on, so I have to go through it all again and wait another couple of days before it works.

God knows what the 3g wireless cost to use as I gave it a work out as I could not watch TV, so watched online movies.

I could not watch TV, and still cant because due to modern technology and Telstra Smart, all free to air TV comes down a fibre optic cable and I need a set top box to tune it in.

Telstra supplies one as part of the new estate, but get this, cant send it out untill I have a phone and internet connection up and running, so still waiting for it to arrive, and then it is a voucher at Harvey Norman, so have to go shopping as well GGGgrrrrrrr

To top it off my internet connection drops out at least 6 times a day and there help system is non existent (makes TPG service Via Mumbai look great).

And I pay huge cost for a so called "Premiun Service"

Cost about $40/mth for 200kb
...............$60/mth for 600kb and over $100 for a Gb+ what a bunch of theives.

I think i'll just super glue my palms to my ankles, I don't expect to remove them for a while yet, and don't expect a smile either.

And I still have this to address as well
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35000

Dave
 
Last edited:
Gee dwarfs are funny.

Are you looking for a discount on Supeglue??

I probably would have strangled a couple of people by now if I was in your situation.
Just make sure the first thing you do is get someone's name so you can forward a complaint to the complaints section..hope they bother to reply
 
Hi BB,

At those prices Virgins $60 mth for 4gig internet looks attractive :)

Uses mobile phone so may be available where you are, if not they are rolling it out further all the time, could be worth checking.
 
Yep, but as this is a "Telstar Smart" (Dumb) community, and everything is fibre optic, you can only use Telstra, hence the bend over and super glue reference.

They did offer as part of the incentive a $1500 rebate, but after 6 months I find out that:

It is not cash
It is only to be used on Telstra product
I cant use minimum phone and maximum internet, it is $750 for each
If you sell they charge $300 diconnection, and won't transfer balance.

They even went to the extreme of recording my conversation (as in, "Just wait while I set up the recorder") while telling me "terms and conditions" when I got internet connected.

I asked if I needed a Lawyer present.

The real funny part was the dude doing the "Interrogation" had to keep repeating himself as he could not understand the T&C himself.

Whenever he asked for an agreement, all I could do was ask "an agreement to what? Do YOU understand the terms and condition's ?", which of course he could not answer on record.

What a Joke.

No throttleing on internet either, when it goes over, there is no warning and speed stays the same, just a hefty bill at the end of the month.

Did I mention how much I despise Telstra?

Now where was that ball of string and tin cans again.

Dave
 
Macca said:
Hi BB,

At those prices Virgins $60 mth for 4gig internet looks attractive :)

Uses mobile phone so may be available where you are, if not they are rolling it out further all the time, could be worth checking.
Click to expand...

The Virgin offering is a no-brainer for a new house. For $60/mth you get a phone line and broadband with a built in wireless router so you don't need to cable the house. You don't need to cough up $299 for a landline installation and $34 Telstra line rental per month. It also includes unlimited local and national calls. If you can get it in your area why bother with a landline.
 
Great in theory mate, but free to air TV and Foxtel also comes down the fibre optic cable, so no external antenna.

Great you say, the catch being is you dont get it without an active phone and internet connection with Telstra, and the covenant prohibits an external TV antenna or pay TV dish.

I have my super glue at the ready and I can almost grip my ankles.

Dave
 
BoatBoy said:
Great in theory mate, but free to air TV and Foxtel also comes down the fibre optic cable, so no external antenna.

Great you say, the catch being is you dont get it without an active phone and internet connection with Telstra, and the covenant prohibits an external TV antenna or pay TV dish.

I have my super glue at the ready and I can almost grip my ankles.

Dave
Click to expand...

The must be getting a kickback from Telstra to put those covenants in.
 
a pay TV dish doesn't need to be mounted externally on a building and/or in public view :cool:

depending where the house is... you might have coverage of other wireless ISPs. That also means VOIP for phone duties.
 
Macca said:
Hi BB,

At those prices Virgins $60 mth for 4gig internet looks attractive :)

Uses mobile phone so may be available where you are, if not they are rolling it out further all the time, could be worth checking.
Click to expand...

Just to put things in perspective , some of my Japanese friends up and download 25 gig a day, sometimes even more for $45/MONTH AS residential subscribers.............no other charges
Rules.......none..........limits ...........none
Maybe we get ripped off on phone calls......... at about 8cents for 3 minutes, but that isnt Internet related
 
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