For those with a booked Foxtel digital installation

[Danni]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned on Bigfooty already.

There are HUGE stuff-ups happening with digital installation.

It doesn't seem to be affecting those with satellite installations. The cable installations however are a mess. All cable installations are the responsibility of Telstra (Foxtel themselves are doing Satellite), and Telstra have subcontracted the work out to a number of companies around Australia.

From rollout commencement on Monday, to around 10am Wednesday (DLST) an estimated 1300+ booked installations weren't carried out, and it is only getting worse each day.

So don't hold your breath waiting for the installers to arrive! Even if you have rung the day before or on the day of installation to confirm the appointment, there is no guarantee they will show up. There is every chance you won't get a call cancelling it, or a call afterwards apologising, they simply just don't turn up.

There IS a priority installation reschedule list, and you will get placed on that, however......................as an example, a missed installation on March 9th sees you now being installed on 22nd MAY!

I've managed to get around that list, and have an installer that lives in my general area coming round 7am on Saturday to install after having no-shows on Tuesday.

If you find yourself in the same boat, drop me a line, and I'll happily send you the details of who to contact to find out what the hell is going on, and how to get installed sooner rather than later.

 

[Mickey]

Well its the same here in Canberra - except we are all Satellite. I rang 2 weeks ago to get it booked - they said they can fit me in until the 26th of November, so if you think you have things bad, think again!! Foxtel have no installers and are trying very hard to employ more, hopefully the date for me will change.

 

[Danni]

Originally posted by Mickey
I rang 2 weeks ago to get it booked - they said they can fit me in until the 26th of November, so if you think you have things bad, think again!!

OUCH!

Let me tell you I was one very upset person when yesterday arvo I chatted with some folks living 200m from my front door, and the installer was doing their installation at that time. One of the excuses I was given for the no show of my installers on Tuesday was that it had to do with what areas installers were in at any given time..................these ppl had booked over a week after me, and were getting there's, and I missed out. I wasn't happy!

 

[mandy]

I'm waiting........

I can't even get an approx date. "We'll give you a call when we're in your area." I live in metropolitan Melbourne for Gods sake!

I WANT MY FOXTEL!!!!!

 

[campbell]

We changed our Austar over last Sunday.We already had a digital set top box, just need the new flicker.
Great new programs,can't wait for the footy.

All done over the phone, no problems at all.

 

[ComicStoreGuy]

I must be one of the lucky ones, it was done on time and loving all the new stuff.

 

[Lethal]

I rang up to get Austar Digital installed through Telstra yesterday.
Getting it put in Saturday.

 

[Ray Nolan]

Thank gawd I live in a Satellite area then because they are supposed to be coming to install mine on the 22nd.

 

[Joel]

Yep, apparently only a problem with cable subscibers. BTW, if you are in a metro area, you are probably worse off because there are many, many more thousands of people to get through than there would be in, say, where I live.

 

[Desredandwhite]

You think you've got it bad, Danni? I don't even HAVE an upgrade date. I've called up 4 times in the last 3 weeks, and no one has called me back yet to organise a time. Obviously they've been hammered with the increased demand and the poor plebs in the frontline of the customer service helpline can only just take names and add them to a list.

I'm moving house in 3 weeks, and if I can't get an upgrade date, I won't even HAVE the old analogue service to use in the meantime. They can look forward to a cancellation from me if I get billed for one second of that time.

 

[Desredandwhite]

Sanity prevails! I have an install date of 8th April, which was the exact date I wanted.

So sounds like they are doing a very sneaky thing indeed. They are pretty much reserving April for new installations (because I'm moving, it's just like a new installation). Obviously they're not willing to lose "new" customers, whereas existing customers can "put up" with their old analogue service for a while.

Very sneaky and rude

 

[carn_the_nmfc]

Originally posted by Desredandwhite
You think you've got it bad, Danni? I don't even HAVE an upgrade date. I've called up 4 times in the last 3 weeks, and no one has called me back yet to organise a time. Obviously they've been hammered with the increased demand and the poor plebs in the frontline of the customer service helpline can only just take names and add them to a list.

I'm moving house in 3 weeks, and if I can't get an upgrade date, I won't even HAVE the old analogue service to use in the meantime. They can look forward to a cancellation from me if I get billed for one second of that time.

Ever thought of going with Optus?

 

[year of the roo]

Originally posted by goaldrush
Ever thought of going with Optus?

What makes you think it will be any better with Optus? In my experience, if Telstra does something badly you can bet that Optus does it worse!

 

[The Scarecrow]

Can Tasmanians get it yet? I heard somewhere that we were unable to sign up to get Digital for Austar. I haven't got Austar yet, but I was just wondering if we are able to get it.

 

[Joel]

You can signup for Austar, but you won't get the new box yet, and remote to the middle of the year (for Austar) as far as I know.

 

[Danni]

YAY! It is finally installed!

talk about a shamozzle! Even during the installation process the flow of information between foxtel, telstra and the contractors is almost impossible!

Even though we have 2 outlets, I've only had the return path installed on one - the installation time frame didn't permit both, and I don't really need FBO available on both outlets anyway.

Picture quality is fantastic, sound is great - although I'm not impressed with the sound quality on the audio only music stations. The new channels are nothing to overly rave about, that said my son is happily glued to the science channel at the moment, so he seems to be enjoying it! E! looks to be a 24 hour version of the E! updates you get on Fox8, Boomerang has some of the olderstyle cartoon shows, VH1 seems ok as does Club V.

The remote is alot heavier than the old one, and doesn't have a flip button to go between the channels you've been watching

Now all that's left for me to do is wait till a show comes on that has the digital options and see what they are all about!

 

[Joel]

http://www.auspaytv.com.au/forums//index.php?

 

[ComicStoreGuy]

Danni what do you think about Sky news active? I love it, as I now don't have to wait for sports news anymore.

 

[Danni]

I like it! Though my 'skytalk' screen has been blank all day - is it supposed to be like that? Being able to select the news stories you want to see is very handy!

Mind you what I didn't like was having to sit through that 10 min spiel on CH999 to work out how to use it! Gawd that help section is painful!

 

[carn_the_nmfc]

Originally posted by year of the roo
What makes you think it will be any better with Optus? In my experience, if Telstra does something badly you can bet that Optus does it worse!

They have the same channels as Foxtel. You would have no problems with Optus.

Last I heard you would have to wait 7 months to have Foxtel connected.

 

[IceTemple]

Optus is better than Testra in installing your service HOWEVER one minor problem NO DIGITAL, analog only.

Part of the install problems are due to the techs going on strike for the past week or something. Anyone have more concrete news on why they are striking, apart from the bland "payrise" as I know that but rather how much? how long? and is it Foxtels techs or Telstras ones who are striking (or are the the same people)?

 

[evade28]

yeh we rang up and they told us the earliest they can install is like sept 16th or somthing like that! wtf?!?!

 

[robbieando]

We got it done today, great so far

 

[Beffery]

Originally posted by Desredandwhite
Sanity prevails! I have an install date of 8th April, which was the exact date I wanted.

So sounds like they are doing a very sneaky thing indeed. They are pretty much reserving April for new installations (because I'm moving, it's just like a new installation). Obviously they're not willing to lose "new" customers, whereas existing customers can "put up" with their old analogue service for a while.

Very sneaky and rude

I think your're right. I rang up on Tues to get Foxtel in my apartment and my installation date is April 7th. Yet my parents looked into upgrading and they were given a day in October!

Oh well, at least I won't have to wait - hopefully!

 

[Jars458]

I was supposed to get it this week but as I just bought a house I had to delay it and am getting it put in on 17 April. My old service has to be disconnected on April 5 though so I am goign to have two weeks with no Foxtel

Not sure how I am going to be able to cope!!