Telstra incident

What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where Telstra
stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a landline phone
working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died? Apart from Ziggy writing
them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation to the
family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to apportion blame
elsewhere?


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IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.

Spokes wrote:
> IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
> connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
> upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
> circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
> policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.
>

Wasn't it just a fault in a regional area that took a while/too long to fix?

I believe now they have an account flag or register for customers with
medical "situations".

"Nick Adams" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Spokes wrote:
> > IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
> > connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
> > upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
> > circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
> > policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.
> >
>
> Wasn't it just a fault in a regional area that took a while/too long to
fix?
>
> I believe now they have an account flag or register for customers with
> medical "situations".

If it was from when I remember, shortly afterward I got a new line installed
at a rural property - literally a day after putting in the order, Telstra
sent out a weird GSM unit with a socket for a phone (didn't send a phone
though...). I don't know if this was in response to that event, or if it was
so they could start charging line rental immediately. I got the associated
rental charges removed though as I hadn't asked for (nor needed) an interim
service.

"thegoons" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where Telstra
> stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a landline phone
> working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died? Apart from Ziggy
writing
> them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation to the
> family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to apportion blame
> elsewhere?

There was significant change to policies and procedures to pander to
"Priority Assistance" customers

"Spokes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
> connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
> upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
> circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
> policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.

Her phone line was faulty. She chose not to have any other method of
communication

>

"Nick Adams" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Spokes wrote:
> > IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
> > connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
> > upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
> > circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
> > policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.
> >
>
> Wasn't it just a fault in a regional area that took a while/too long to
fix?

A while, not too long

> I believe now they have an account flag or register for customers with
> medical "situations".

Yes, its called Priority Assistance

"Poxy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Nick Adams" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Spokes wrote:
> > > IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
> > > connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
> > > upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
> > > circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
> > > policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.
> > >
> >
> > Wasn't it just a fault in a regional area that took a while/too long to
> fix?
> >
> > I believe now they have an account flag or register for customers with
> > medical "situations".
>
> If it was from when I remember, shortly afterward I got a new line
installed
> at a rural property - literally a day after putting in the order, Telstra
> sent out a weird GSM unit with a socket for a phone (didn't send a phone
> though...). I don't know if this was in response to that event, or if it
was

Thats a RAFT service, Telstras been using them for years and years.

> so they could start charging line rental immediately. I got the associated
> rental charges removed though as I hadn't asked for (nor needed) an
interim
> service.

You dont get an interim service unless you ask or say yes

On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 10:13:42 GMT, "Michael" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Spokes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> IIRC from the news stories, the mother concerned was denied a new
>> connection due to bad history, and possibly she couldn't afford the
>> upfront fee for a new line into the house. There were extenuating
>> circumstances. However, after the tragedy, I think telstra changed its
>> policy and /or procedures. it was a shake up nonetheless.
>
>Her phone line was faulty. She chose not to have any other method of
>communication

while waiting ever so patiently for the ever so efficient Tel$tra field staff to
get around to thinking about wondering if they could actually manage to bother
to try and fix the reported fault.

In the (paraphrased) words of a veeerry olde song :

"If she knew Tel$tra like we know Tel$tra ..."

"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
|
| "thegoons" <[email protected]> wrote in message
| news:[email protected]...
| > What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where Telstra
| > stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a landline phone
| > working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died? Apart from Ziggy
| writing
| > them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation to the
| > family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to apportion blame
| > elsewhere?
|
| There was significant change to policies and procedures to pander to
| "Priority Assistance" customers
|
|
all for a unit cost.
Jock

"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "thegoons" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where Telstra
>> stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a landline phone
>> working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died? Apart from Ziggy
> writing
>> them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation to the
>> family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to apportion blame
>> elsewhere?
>
> There was significant change to policies and procedures to pander to
> "Priority Assistance" customers
>
>

"Pander"? A kid died.


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thegoons <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "thegoons" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where
>>> Telstra stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a
>>> landline phone working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died?
>>> Apart from Ziggy
>> writing
>>> them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation
>>> to the family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to
>>> apportion blame elsewhere?
>>
>> There was significant change to policies and procedures to pander to
>> "Priority Assistance" customers
>>
>>
>
> "Pander"? A kid died.

Due to the stupidity of its parent who was stupid enough to not
have a backup mobile phone system to call an ambulance with
when the kid was known to be at significant risk and she was
blind so she couldnt just drive it to the hospital or a neigbours etc.

"Rod Speed" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> thegoons <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>> "thegoons" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>> What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where
>>>> Telstra stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a
>>>> landline phone working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died?
>>>> Apart from Ziggy
>>> writing
>>>> them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation
>>>> to the family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to
>>>> apportion blame elsewhere?
>>>
>>> There was significant change to policies and procedures to pander to
>>> "Priority Assistance" customers
>>>
>>>
>>
>> "Pander"? A kid died.
>
> Due to the stupidity of its parent who was stupid enough to not
> have a backup mobile phone system to call an ambulance with
> when the kid was known to be at significant risk and she was
> blind so she couldnt just drive it to the hospital or a neigbours etc.
>
If it was all her fault, funny how Telstra and the pollies responded to such
a "non-event"


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thegoons <[email protected]> wrote
> Rod Speed <[email protected]> wrote
>> thegoons <[email protected]> wrote
>>> Michael <[email protected]> wrote
>>>> thegoons <[email protected]> wrote

>>>>> What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where
>>>>> Telstra stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a
>>>>> landline phone working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died?
>>>>> Apart from Ziggy writing
>>>>> them a comforting letter, did they ever cough up any compensation
>>>>> to the family? Or did the big T's legal department seek to
>>>>> apportion blame elsewhere?

>>>> There was significant change to policies and procedures to pander to
>>>> "Priority Assistance" customers

>>> "Pander"? A kid died.
>
>> Due to the stupidity of its parent who was stupid enough to not
>> have a backup mobile phone system to call an ambulance with
>> when the kid was known to be at significant risk and she was
>> blind so she couldnt just drive it to the hospital or a neigbours etc.

> If it was all her fault,

No if about it.

> funny how Telstra and the pollies responded to such a "non-event"

Even you cant actually be THAT stupid.

"thegoons" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> What ever was the outcome of that incident a few years ago where
> Telstra stuffed around for ages trying to (unsuccessfully) get a
> landline phone working at some country farmhouse, and a kid died?
> Apart from Ziggy writing them a comforting letter, did they ever cough
> up any compensation to the family? Or did the big T's legal
> department seek to apportion blame elsewhere?

http://www.acma.gov.au/ACMAINTER.656...452:pc=PC_2399

On 14 March 2002, the ACA released its final report on its investigation into the
circumstances surrounding the provision and maintenance of telephone
services to the Boulding family in Kergunyah.

The key finding from the ACA's investigation is that Telstra was not in breach of
any obligations under its universal service standard marketing plan or other
legislative instruments. However, the ACA recommends that significant changes
be made to Telstra's customer and fault management systems and processes
in order to improve its management of service faults, particularly in relation to
the repair of telephone services for 'priority status' customers.


--
Magilla