Cash carrot for Telstra slowcoaches

From
http://business.smh.com.au/cash-carr...0103-1k2c.html

ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone network a
cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is struggling to
force thousands of users to make the move just three weeks before the old
regional network is scheduled to be shut down.

The company yesterday introduced a $50 cash-back offer for CDMA customers
who buy a pre-paid Samsung mobile phone recommended for use in rural areas.
Telstra has given customers until January 28 - when the network is due to
close - to accept the offer.

It will not say how many customers are still using the regional network, but
says it is on track to close it this month despite the possibility that the
Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy, will prevent it from happening
should it fail to pass an audit.

A report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expected
to go before Senator Conroy next week.

An Ovum telecommunications analyst, David Kennedy, said Telstra's cash-back
offer was "fairly substantial", which suggested that significant numbers of
customers were still using the CDMA network.

Telstra's biggest mobile phone dealer, Fone Zone, estimated in late October
that more than 880,000 customers remained on the network.

However, a month later Telstra said the figure was "several hundred thousand
customers".

Mr Kennedy said Telstra would only be offering incentives to customers
because it still had many who were resisting the switch to the
much-trumpeted NextG network. "It could only be because they are not
upgrading customers fast enough," he said.

However, Mr Kennedy said it was unclear how many customers had switched to
NextG over Christmas, which was traditionally when people upgraded their
mobile phones.

"The faster the migration the better because during the migration period
[Telstra is] bearing the cost of running two separate networks. Their cost
base is elevated . which is why Telstra is so keen to do the switch-off in
the period they had proposed."

But a Telstra spokesman, Peter Taylor, said the closure of the network was
on track after "exceptionally busy" trading last month. Telstra was opening
temporary kiosks in regional areas to help customers make the shift.

---

› See More: Cash carrot for Telstra slowcoaches

Alan Parkington <[email protected]> wrote

> From
> http://business.smh.com.au/cash-carr...0103-1k2c.html

> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone network a cash incentive to switch services, in the
> latest sign it is struggling to force thousands of users to make the move just three
> weeks before the old regional network is scheduled to be shut down.

> The company yesterday introduced a $50 cash-back offer for CDMA
> customers who buy a pre-paid Samsung mobile phone recommended for use in rural areas. Telstra has given customers
> until January 28 - when the network is due to close - to accept the offer.

So much for the lie that what they would offer in Dec was the best it would ever be.

> It will not say how many customers are still using the regional
> network, but says it is on track to close it this month despite the
> possibility that the Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy,
> will prevent it from happening should it fail to pass an audit.

> A report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expected to go before Senator Conroy next week.

> An Ovum telecommunications analyst, David Kennedy, said Telstra's
> cash-back offer was "fairly substantial", which suggested that
> significant numbers of customers were still using the CDMA network.

> Telstra's biggest mobile phone dealer, Fone Zone, estimated in late
> October that more than 880,000 customers remained on the network.

> However, a month later Telstra said the figure was "several hundred thousand customers".

> Mr Kennedy said Telstra would only be offering incentives to customers because it still had many who were resisting
> the switch to the much-trumpeted NextG network. "It could only be because they are not upgrading customers fast
> enough," he said.

> However, Mr Kennedy said it was unclear how many customers had switched to NextG over Christmas, which was
> traditionally when people upgraded their mobile phones.

> "The faster the migration the better because during the migration
> period [Telstra is] bearing the cost of running two separate
> networks. Their cost base is elevated . which is why Telstra is so keen to do the switch-off in the period they had
> proposed."

Another bare faced lie.

> But a Telstra spokesman, Peter Taylor, said the closure of the
> network was on track after "exceptionally busy" trading last month.
> Telstra was opening temporary kiosks in regional areas to help
> customers make the shift.

Alan Parkington wrote...

> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone network a
> cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is struggling to
> force thousands of users to make the move just three weeks before the old
> regional network is scheduled to be shut down.

I'm starting to wish that I wasn't an early adopter. Instead of a "cash
incentive" I would have liked to have hit Telstra up for a Motorola Razr2 V9 on
a cheaper plan than the $60 plan that it's currently available on.


> But a Telstra spokesman, Peter Taylor, said the closure of the network was
> on track after "exceptionally busy" trading last month. Telstra was opening
> temporary kiosks in regional areas to help customers make the shift.

Haven't seen any around here and talking to a mate on Monday who runs a local
Telstra shop (I think that he's an independant dealer, rather than a "Telstra
shop" dealer), he said that he hasn't had any great numbers rushing in to get
new phones.

Certainly I know quite a few people who are still on CDMA, but also have a few
who are now on NextG, some migrating from CDMA and some from GSM.

talking to a coupla mates who own ZTEs, they tell me that when they go fishing
offshore (down towards Cliffy Island off Wilson's Prom), that NextG reception
can actually improve over what CDMA was doing on previous trips. They also
reckon that they're picking up cells from Tassie.

Last weekend though, they were out with their young blokes. One of them had no
problems getting a NG signal while the other had nothing. In the end he turned
off his phone and back on and it came good.

Alternatively, at another mate's chalet up near Mt Hotham (Dinner Plain), the
guy who had a reliable signal on the water had problems, while the other one had
no problems.

This might be a function of the ZTEs' performances, or batch quality, perhaps.

"Rod Speed" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Alan Parkington <[email protected]> wrote
>
>> From
>> http://business.smh.com.au/cash-carr...0103-1k2c.html
>
>> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone
>> network a cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is
>> struggling to force thousands of users to make the move just three
>> weeks before the old regional network is scheduled to be shut down.
>
>> The company yesterday introduced a $50 cash-back offer for CDMA
>> customers who buy a pre-paid Samsung mobile phone recommended for use in
>> rural areas. Telstra has given customers until January 28 - when the
>> network is due to close - to accept the offer.
>
> So much for the lie that what they would offer in Dec was the best it
> would ever be.

Yes - exactly. I think those who transferred over to more expensive
non-cashback handsets last year should demand a $50 credit from Telstra, or
else complain to the ACCC and TIO that their previous claims (ie: spin
doctor John Rolland's letter to customers) were misleading and deceptive, in
breach of the Trade Practices Act.

>
>> It will not say how many customers are still using the regional
>> network, but says it is on track to close it this month despite the
>> possibility that the Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy,
>> will prevent it from happening should it fail to pass an audit.
>
>> A report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority is
>> expected to go before Senator Conroy next week.
>
>> An Ovum telecommunications analyst, David Kennedy, said Telstra's
>> cash-back offer was "fairly substantial", which suggested that
>> significant numbers of customers were still using the CDMA network.
>
>> Telstra's biggest mobile phone dealer, Fone Zone, estimated in late
>> October that more than 880,000 customers remained on the network.
>
>> However, a month later Telstra said the figure was "several hundred
>> thousand customers".
>
>> Mr Kennedy said Telstra would only be offering incentives to customers
>> because it still had many who were resisting the switch to the
>> much-trumpeted NextG network. "It could only be because they are not
>> upgrading customers fast enough," he said.
>
>> However, Mr Kennedy said it was unclear how many customers had switched
>> to NextG over Christmas, which was traditionally when people upgraded
>> their mobile phones.
>
>> "The faster the migration the better because during the migration
>> period [Telstra is] bearing the cost of running two separate
>> networks. Their cost base is elevated . which is why Telstra is so keen
>> to do the switch-off in the period they had proposed."
>
> Another bare faced lie.
>
>> But a Telstra spokesman, Peter Taylor, said the closure of the
>> network was on track after "exceptionally busy" trading last month.
>> Telstra was opening temporary kiosks in regional areas to help
>> customers make the shift.
>
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Bethany Ryan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> centre droids cannot sell CDMA SIM's.
>


Umm dingbat, CDMA phones don't have SIM cards..

Bethany Ryan <[email protected]> wrote
> Marts <[email protected]> wrote

>> You've received an answer to your question about subverting the USA

>> Alan Parkington wrote...

>>> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone
>>> network a cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is
>>> struggling to force thousands of users to make the move just three
>>> weeks before the old regional network is scheduled to be shut down.

>> I'm starting to wish that I wasn't an early adopter. Instead of a
>> "cash incentive" I would have liked to have hit Telstra up for a
>> Motorola Razr2 V9 on a cheaper plan than the $60 plan that it's
>> currently available on.

> Personally I would like to have a CDMA handset and refuse to transfer since
> Telstra cannot force you to move to another type of handset if you don't want to.

Yes, but they can certainly make your cdma handset useless if the govt allows that.

> How many people are locked into contracts for the CDMA phones?

None now.

> Did Telstra come up with a 'creative' way to allow people to
> break their current contracts in order to suck them over to 3G?

Nothing 'creative' about it, they cant hold you to the contract if they
reneg on their side of the contract and turn the cdma system off.

Arguably you can hold them to the contract and force them to keep
the cdma system turned on, but your chances arent that great.

>>> But a Telstra spokesman, Peter Taylor, said the closure of the
>>> network was on track after "exceptionally busy" trading last month.
>>> Telstra was opening temporary kiosks in regional areas to help
>>> customers make the shift.

>> Haven't seen any around here and talking to a mate on Monday who
>> runs a local Telstra shop (I think that he's an independant dealer,
>> rather than a "Telstra shop" dealer), he said that he hasn't had any
>> great numbers rushing in to get new phones.

>> Certainly I know quite a few people who are still on CDMA, but also
>> have a few who are now on NextG, some migrating from CDMA and some
>> from GSM.

> Who's been able to migrate back the other way though?

No one, zero, nada, ziltch.

> Surely it has to be possible,

Yes, but a fat lot of good that will do you when the cdma system is turned off.

> but there are probably a lot of 'procedures' in place
> so call centre droids cannot sell CDMA SIM's.

cdma phones dont have sims.

>> talking to a coupla mates who own ZTEs, they tell me that when they
>> go fishing offshore (down towards Cliffy Island off Wilson's Prom),
>> that NextG reception can actually improve over what CDMA was doing
>> on previous trips. They also reckon that they're picking up cells from Tassie.

>> Last weekend though, they were out with their young blokes. One of
>> them had no problems getting a NG signal while the other had nothing.
>> In the end he turned off his phone and back on and it came good.

>> Alternatively, at another mate's chalet up near Mt Hotham (Dinner
>> Plain), the guy who had a reliable signal on the water had problems,
>> while the other one had no problems.

>> This might be a function of the ZTEs' performances, or batch quality, perhaps.

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:40:32 +1100, Rod Speed wrote:

> Bethany Ryan <[email protected]> wrote
>> Marts <[email protected]> wrote
>
>>> You've received an answer to your question about subverting the USA
>
>>> Alan Parkington wrote...
>
>>>> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone
>>>> network a cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is
>>>> struggling to force thousands of users to make the move just three
>>>> weeks before the old regional network is scheduled to be shut down.
>
>>> I'm starting to wish that I wasn't an early adopter. Instead of a
>>> "cash incentive" I would have liked to have hit Telstra up for a
>>> Motorola Razr2 V9 on a cheaper plan than the $60 plan that it's
>>> currently available on.
>
>> Personally I would like to have a CDMA handset and refuse to transfer since
>> Telstra cannot force you to move to another type of handset if you don't want to.
>
> Yes, but they can certainly make your cdma handset useless if the govt allows that.

Not completely useless. I still use my old AMPS handset as a Tetris/Snake
gaming console.

Horry <[email protected]> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote
>> Bethany Ryan <[email protected]> wrote
>>> Marts <[email protected]> wrote

>>>> You've received an answer to your question about subverting the USA

>>>> Alan Parkington wrote...

>>>>> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone
>>>>> network a cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is struggling
>>>>> to force thousands of users to make the move just three weeks before the
>>>>> old regional network is scheduled to be shut down.

>>>> I'm starting to wish that I wasn't an early adopter. Instead of a
>>>> "cash incentive" I would have liked to have hit Telstra up for a
>>>> Motorola Razr2 V9 on a cheaper plan than the $60 plan that it's
>>>> currently available on.

>>> Personally I would like to have a CDMA handset and refuse to
>>> transfer since Telstra cannot force you to move to another type of
>>> handset if you don't want to.

>> Yes, but they can certainly make your cdma handset useless if the govt allows that.

> Not completely useless. I still use my old AMPS handset as a Tetris/Snake gaming console.

You're sposed to give some sort of warning before you leap out of that closet quite so enthusiastically.

Bethany Ryan wrote...

> >This might be a function of the ZTEs' performances, or batch quality, perhaps.
>
>
> http://www.southwestslutbags.com/gal...g2_itemId=2049

What's all this crap s'posed to be?

"Marts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:va93o3duvb8bnh296hi6j2pv8qp3pjgq82@martz_57.com...
> Alan Parkington wrote...
>
>> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone
>> network a
>> cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is struggling to
>> force thousands of users to make the move just three weeks before the old
>> regional network is scheduled to be shut down.
>
> I'm starting to wish that I wasn't an early adopter. Instead of a "cash
> incentive" I would have liked to have hit Telstra up for a Motorola Razr2
> V9 on
> a cheaper plan than the $60 plan that it's currently available on.

Phones (whether 3G or 2G) never get more expensive, they only get cheaper

> Haven't seen any around here and talking to a mate on Monday who runs a
> local
> Telstra shop (I think that he's an independant dealer, rather than a
> "Telstra
> shop" dealer), he said that he hasn't had any great numbers rushing in to
> get
> new phones.

Most people are organised and did the change ages ago

> talking to a coupla mates who own ZTEs, they tell me that when they go
> fishing
> offshore (down towards Cliffy Island off Wilson's Prom), that NextG
> reception
> can actually improve over what CDMA was doing on previous trips. They also
> reckon that they're picking up cells from Tassie.

Quite possible.

> Last weekend though, they were out with their young blokes. One of them
> had no
> problems getting a NG signal while the other had nothing. In the end he
> turned
> off his phone and back on and it came good.

First thing you do when you have an reception problems

> Personally I would like to have a CDMA handset and refuse to transfer
> since
> Telstra cannot force you to move to another type of handset if you don't
> want to. How many people are locked into contracts for the CDMA phones?
> Did

a) Telstra would like you to migrate but you can choose to port or
disconnect instead

Not sure if anyone is left locked into contracts, but when network ends they
will not be charged for the contract termination

> Telstra come up with a 'creative' way to allow people to break their
> current
> contracts in order to suck them over to 3G?

Theyve been waived ETCs within limits for months and months now

>>Certainly I know quite a few people who are still on CDMA, but also have a
>>few
>>who are now on NextG, some migrating from CDMA and some from GSM.
>
> Who's been able to migrate back the other way though? Surely it has to be
> possible, but there are probably a lot of 'procedures' in place so call
> centre droids cannot sell CDMA SIM's.

a) CDMA SIMs dont exist
b) Telstra has not sold CDMA services for some time. No point.

Michael <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Marts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:va93o3duvb8bnh296hi6j2pv8qp3pjgq82@martz_57.com...
>> Alan Parkington wrote...
>>
>>> ELSTRA has resorted to offering customers on its CDMA mobile phone
>>> network a
>>> cash incentive to switch services, in the latest sign it is
>>> struggling to force thousands of users to make the move just three
>>> weeks before the old regional network is scheduled to be shut down.
>>
>> I'm starting to wish that I wasn't an early adopter. Instead of a
>> "cash incentive" I would have liked to have hit Telstra up for a
>> Motorola Razr2 V9 on
>> a cheaper plan than the $60 plan that it's currently available on.

> Phones (whether 3G or 2G) never get more expensive, they only get cheaper

Wrong, as always.

>> Haven't seen any around here and talking to a mate on Monday who
>> runs a local
>> Telstra shop (I think that he's an independant dealer, rather than a
>> "Telstra
>> shop" dealer), he said that he hasn't had any great numbers rushing
>> in to get
>> new phones.

> Most people are organised and did the change ages ago

Bare faced pig ignorant lie.

>> talking to a coupla mates who own ZTEs, they tell me that when they
>> go fishing
>> offshore (down towards Cliffy Island off Wilson's Prom), that NextG
>> reception
>> can actually improve over what CDMA was doing on previous trips.
>> They also reckon that they're picking up cells from Tassie.
>
> Quite possible.
>
>> Last weekend though, they were out with their young blokes. One of
>> them had no
>> problems getting a NG signal while the other had nothing. In the end
>> he turned
>> off his phone and back on and it came good.

> First thing you do when you have an reception problems

Stupid to need to.

>> Phones (whether 3G or 2G) never get more expensive, they only get cheaper
>
> Wrong, as always.

I'd like to see examples where you think they have gone UP in price

>>> Haven't seen any around here and talking to a mate on Monday who
>>> runs a local
>>> Telstra shop (I think that he's an independant dealer, rather than a
>>> "Telstra
>>> shop" dealer), he said that he hasn't had any great numbers rushing
>>> in to get
>>> new phones.
>
>> Most people are organised and did the change ages ago
>
> Bare faced pig ignorant lie.

The number of people left is just a mere shadow of the height of the
customer based. I've seen the figures.

>>> Last weekend though, they were out with their young blokes. One of
>>> them had no
>>> problems getting a NG signal while the other had nothing. In the end
>>> he turned
>>> off his phone and back on and it came good.
>
>> First thing you do when you have an reception problems
>
> Stupid to need to.

Might be, but thats exactly what you do with computers, mobiles and other
electronic devices when you have a problem with them. fixes things 50% of
the time.

Michael <[email protected]> wrote:

>>> Phones (whether 3G or 2G) never get more expensive, they only get cheaper

>> Wrong, as always.

> I'd like to see examples where you think they have gone UP in price

I know the Nokia N series phones have, you stupid pig ignorant dunny cleaning ****wit child.

>>>> Haven't seen any around here and talking to a mate on Monday who runs a local
>>>> Telstra shop (I think that he's an independant dealer, rather than a "Telstra shop" dealer), he said that he hasn't
>>>> had any great numbers rushing in to get new phones.

>>> Most people are organised and did the change ages ago

>> Bare faced pig ignorant lie.

> The number of people left is just a mere shadow of the height of the customer based.

Irrelevant to that bare faced pig ignorant lie.

> I've seen the figures.

But are so stupid that you dont even realise that what figures you have seen
say absolutely NOTHING about that bare faced pig ignorant lie of yours.

>>>> Last weekend though, they were out with their young blokes. One of them had no problems getting a NG signal while
>>>> the other had nothing. In the end he turned off his phone and back on and it came good.

>>> First thing you do when you have an reception problems

>> Stupid to need to.

> Might be,

No might be about it.

> but thats exactly what you do with computers, mobiles and
> other electronic devices when you have a problem with them.

Thanks for that completely superfluous proof that you have
never ever had a ****ing clue about anything at all, ever.

> fixes things 50% of the time.

Another bare faced pig ignorant lie.

"Rod Speed" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Michael <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>>> Phones (whether 3G or 2G) never get more expensive, they only get
>>>> cheaper
>
>>> Wrong, as always.
>
>> I'd like to see examples where you think they have gone UP in price
>
> I know the Nokia N series phones have, you stupid pig ignorant dunny
> cleaning ****wit child.

Very vague claim not supported by any evidence

>>>> Most people are organised and did the change ages ago
>
>>> Bare faced pig ignorant lie.

Quite correct. very few left