TPG anyone had any experience with them?

[Ansett]

Hello everybody.

We had been with Optus on a Bundle for our internet and phone useage however after they increased the price we opted to look for a new provider and came across TPG

TPG offered an atractive package that include Internet and phone calls to local, national and Specific Countries all unlimited for a total of $79.99 per month.

Mrs Ansett being an accountant sugest we change so we completed the online form and provided all the relevant detail and low and behold received today the following.

Dear

Thank you for choosing TPG Internet as your preferred Internet and Home Phone Service Provider.

We are unable to proceed with your application due to incomplete details. Please provide the following:

Username: (must be 8-15 characters)
Password: (must be 8-15 characters)
Plan:
Contract:
Telephone number: (If you have an existing telephone number. Please advise if you wish to keep the telephone number as well)
Phone provider:
Account number:
Date of Birth:

Im not sure about yourselves but I for one would never supply my password etc in an email.

rang to discuss on 3 occasions today and utilised the automated system ( Had No Choice ) and on each ocasion ended up in the wrong department and was transferred twice and the person couldnt help. On the third time I was advised that the department was too busy and the call was being transferred to the Mobile Phone Division to take calls and make notes and some one will call me back in 24 hours or so!

By this time alarm bells are ringing and I am now thinking if they cant look after me and ensure a smooth transition when becoming a customer what will it be like when I am a customer and have an issue?

The other concern is that you can not proceed with the application unless you agree to waive your right to raising any issued witht the Telco Ombudsman. I can now see why they insist on this.

We completed the form in its entirety as it would not allow you to move forwarded untill each sector has been fully completed. Now they say they didnt get the information and the application form was not completed properly

I find this all very very strange or am I just being precious??

By the way the call centre appears to be located in India which always worries me when it comes to retaining security of identity.

Look forward to hearing other peoples experience

Cheers

 

[mella2007]

I didn't sign up to TPG a few years back due to the same reasons. I found their communication to be atrocious and the way in which to set up a new account a real hassle. So glad I didn't go with them, as their exchange in my area is always full of complaints and not delivering on speed as promised (sometimes as slow as dial up in peak time)

 

[reductionist]

My experience with them, around a decade ago, was horrible.

Quite honestly, my colleagues and I have a saying: Friends don't let friends use TPG.

 

[ortho85]

We've had TPG in several locations for years and been happy with them. They respond when we call for help.

No real difference to our experience with Iinet or Telstra. There are multiple complaints about all providers.

JMHO

 

[Pushka]

We've been with TPG for years and have never experienced any issues at all. We're on Adsl2 with unlimited downloads for around $70 a month. It is a statutory right to use the ombudsmen and you can't sign it away.

There is a TPG rep on whirlpool forums.

 

[moa999]

Have had ADSL2 with them for 8 yrs (2 different places)
and now have two mobile accounts with them.

Price wise they are very good, I have pretty much only dealt with them online and everything has worked smoothly.

Like your experience, I have heard they can be difficult when things don't work.

 

[Heleigh]

Hello everybody.

We had been with Optus on a Bundle for our internet and phone useage however after they increased the price we opted to look for a new provider and came across TPG

TPG offered an atractive package that include Internet and phone calls to local, national and Specific Countries all unlimited for a total of $79.99 per month.

Mrs Ansett being an accountant sugest we change so we completed the online form and provided all the relevant detail and low and behold received today the following.

Dear

Thank you for choosing TPG Internet as your preferred Internet and Home Phone Service Provider.

We are unable to proceed with your application due to incomplete details. Please provide the following:

Username: (must be 8-15 characters)
Password: (must be 8-15 characters)
Plan:
Contract:
Telephone number: (If you have an existing telephone number. Please advise if you wish to keep the telephone number as well)
Phone provider:
Account number:
Date of Birth:

Im not sure about yourselves but I for one would never supply my password etc in an email.

rang to discuss on 3 occasions today and utilised the automated system ( Had No Choice ) and on each ocasion ended up in the wrong department and was transferred twice and the person couldnt help. On the third time I was advised that the department was too busy and the call was being transferred to the Mobile Phone Division to take calls and make notes and some one will call me back in 24 hours or so!

By this time alarm bells are ringing and I am now thinking if they cant look after me and ensure a smooth transition when becoming a customer what will it be like when I am a customer and have an issue?

The other concern is that you can not proceed with the application unless you agree to waive your right to raising any issued witht the Telco Ombudsman. I can now see why they insist on this.

We completed the form in its entirety as it would not allow you to move forwarded untill each sector has been fully completed. Now they say they didnt get the information and the application form was not completed properly

I find this all very very strange or am I just being precious??

By the way the call centre appears to be located in India which always worries me when it comes to retaining security of identity.

Look forward to hearing other peoples experience

Cheers

I have been with them for nearly two years and haven't had any issues.

The phone service was good - all info was via the phone and I agree with you - wouldn't send info by email - so if you do want to go ahead - ask them to phone you or OH.

 

[Grooba]

I've also been with TPG for ADSL2 (and ADSL1 before that) for as long as I can remember, probably over 10 years.
Not once have I had an issue with the connection and believe it or not I've even had very helpful phone support on the occasional time I have had a question.

They are very active on Whirlpool if you ever need to contact them.

Great internet provider IMHO.

 

[Ansett]

Thank you to all that have replied so far.

It seems more positive than negative at this stage so will check with Mrs Ansett to confirm final decision. Also spoke again to Optus and they are saying they can give me a bigger discount in order to try and retain our business. Will see what happens.

Again thank you

 

[Boris spatsky]

Been with TPG for 10 years in 3 cities and they are great. Support on phone varies with who you get, but generally good. Super speed, seldom any problems. Read whirlpool forums if you need more (non AFF) input

 

[nlagalle]

I've had TPG for years and aside from one issue that took a lot of troubleshooting to fix, it's been great.

We use them at work at some of our external sites as well.

 

[kamchatsky]

I have also used TPG for my ADSL2 for like 8 years. Occasionally there is issue with the line but then you just need to vent your anger at Whirlpool forums and they will fix it straight away. If you complained via standard procedure (ie call their 1300 number) then it would take forever to fix.

 

[LadyC]

Another vote for TPG. I have been using them for 5 years now. Any issue out of the ordinary can be a little painful to resolve but no more so than any other telco. Had a good experience recently when moving house - we were having issues with connecting - long story short, the rep was very helpful in getting them resolved immediately

 

[Baysider]

I've had TPG for ADSL2 for 4-5 years and they have been impeccable, and with good response to technical issues. Have to agree with the concerns about putting a password in an email however.

 

[serfty]

Question re TPG, I have been looking at the advertised plan mentioned in the OP, am wary of what may be required.

I see FAX machines will no longer work.

I have a base cordless system with four extensions which simply plugs into an RJ socket. There are three outlets wired. One is is used for the ADSL 2+, one for the fax/VM and the other has the cordless base 'station'.

Any basic advise on this - or should I try to filter the myriad of threads on Whirlpool?

 

[NM]

I moved from TPG (ADSL) + Telstra (home phone line) to Optus bundle early last year. But this was after a very specific and very frustrating problem that TPG and Telstra were unable/unwilling to resolve.

I knew I had a bad copper phone line. It was noisy/crackly and to me it was obvious there was moisture in a joint somewhere between my home and the local exchange. It was causing my TGP ADSl to be very flakey and poor performance, as well as almost impossible to use the phone for voice class. TPG diagnosed the problem to be the phone line and told me to call Telstra. Telstra diagnosed the problem to be TPG's ADSL equipment at the exchange and told me to call Telstra. After several months of back and forth (each time Telstra had to send a tech and needed 2-3 weeks lead-time for the visit) of each blaming the other.

Both TPG and Telstra told me that if I had both the ADSL and voice line services with them (i.e. a single provider) they would "own" the problem and fix it. But as they kept blaming the other they were unable to fix it.

So I took advantage of the QFF offer from Optus (see, this is on topic for AFF) and moved both phone line and ADSL to an Optus bundle.

And the day the line was moved to Optus, I could not even get dial-tone on the home phone. So call Optus (from my mobile) and they diagnosed the problem to be the copper between me and the exchange! The same issue I knew existed for the last 2 months! And they said it would be fixed within 48 hours. And 36 hours later a Telstra tech knocked on the door (yes, they still own the copper in the ground), put some test gear in the line and said "ahh, there is a problem 520m up the road, I'll be back shortly", and sure enough he found moisture in a joint in a pit 520m up the road and fixed it. I then had Optus dial tone, clean voice calls for stable ADSL for the first time in months.

So I will never again split the phone line and internet between two different providers. Its just too easy for them to point the finger and blame the other. Optus took ownership of the problem even though I was a brand new customer and the line fault was pre-existing. I believe that had I put both phone and internet with either Telstra or TPG that they would also have eventually fixed the problem. But after the months of blaming each other, neither was going to get the bundled business.

 

[NM]

Question re TPG, I have been looking at the advertised plan mentioned in the OP, am wary of what may be required.

I see FAX machines will no longer work.

I have a base cordless system with four extensions which simply plugs into an RJ socket. There are three outlets wired. One is is used for the ADSL 2+, one for the fax/VM and the other has the cordless base 'station'.

Any basic advise on this - or should I try to filter the myriad of threads on Whirlpool?

I expect the "TPG Home Phone does not support Fax, EFTPOS, Back to Base alarms, Foxtel program purchase via your landline, analogue modems, calls to 19/1900, 0500 numbers and Universal International Freephone Numbers (UIFN)." means that the home phone "line" is actually a VoIP service. So I assume the line termination device that is the ADSL modem is also a VoIP end-point and you can connect your analogue phone base station to the VoIP end-point.

So I expect they supply a product such as D-Link Wireless G ADSL2/2+ VoIP Modem Router with 4-Port 10/100Mbps Switch

 

[serfty]

I expect the "TPG Home Phone does not support Fax, EFTPOS, Back to Base alarms, Foxtel program purchase via your landline, analogue modems, calls to 19/1900, 0500 numbers and Universal International Freephone Numbers (UIFN)." means that the home phone "line" is actually a VoIP service. So I assume the line termination device that is the ADSL modem is also a VoIP end-point and you can connect your analogue phone base station to the VoIP end-point.

So I expect they supply a product such as D-Link Wireless G ADSL2/2+ VoIP Modem Router with 4-Port 10/100Mbps Switch

Which basically means that without rewiring, two extensions would become useless (except if I wanted to relocate the modem).

Of course, something like that's gunna happen anyway should the NBN infect my street.

 

[Austman]

Question re TPG, I have been looking at the advertised plan mentioned in the OP, am wary of what may be required.

I see FAX machines will no longer work.

I have a base cordless system with four extensions which simply plugs into an RJ socket. There are three outlets wired. One is is used for the ADSL 2+, one for the fax/VM and the other has the cordless base 'station'.

Any basic advise on this - or should I try to filter the myriad of threads on Whirlpool?

Not too hard to find serfty. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1409360 It seems that for the Home Phone service, TPG use the existing copper wires to your home but then VoIP between the local exchange and their network. It's the conversion of the fax signals to VoIP and back again that might cause problems with fax. So TPG say they don't support it. But in TPG's Home Phone Q&A they say:

– Fax to national numbers is supported on a best effort basis; fax to international numbers is not supported.

http://www.tpg.com.au/support/faqs.php#1.3

 

[NM]

Not too hard to find serfty. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1409360 It seems that for the Home Phone service, TPG use the existing copper wires to your home but then VoIP between the local exchange and their network. It's the conversion of the fax signals to VoIP and back again that might cause problems with fax. So TPG say they don't support it. But in TPG's Home Phone Q&A they say: Support – ADSL2+ with Home Phone FAQs

In that case serfty is going to be ok using an analogue phone and ADSL modem on different, paralleled home extensions.