Attachment A – OIA 16.155 Fibre Install/Connection Fees
Key
C
Complainant
T
Trader
TCOM Complaint related to telecommunications
Enquiry Date
Description
Number
251511 27/02/2010
T = Vodafone NZ Ltd
Email:
“Vodafone has a $99 "connection fee" for broadband customers that don't sign to a fixed term 12 month contract. On contacting Vodafone to find
out what this fee is for they can't explain what it's for except, that if you sign a fixed term 12 month contract they will waive it. Since no technician
needs to come to our house as we already have a broadband connection with another supplier the "Connection Fee" name is misleading as it
sounds it's more like a penalty fee for not signing a 12 month contract with them. Most other broadband providers do not charge any such
connection fee to customers who already have a broadband connection. I feel they are misleading the public and forcing the public to sign a
contract with the, to avoid this bogus fee.”
268813 10/10/2011
T = Compass Communications Ltd
TCOM
C's mother-in-law was with Telecom, she received a call from T's rep asking if she wanted to switch to them. C says they talked her into signing with
them… His mother-in-law signed up and then decided a few days later she didn't want to go with Compass after all so rung them to cancel. His
mother-in-law was told by T's rep that she wouldn't be charged as she hadn't used the service yet and agreed to cancel the account. But now T has
sent her a bill for 1 month service ($138.74) even thought she was told she wouldn't be charged + she didn't use their services. C's mother-in-law
has switched back to Telecom and was charged a re-connection fee.
25/10 KS - C called back. C advised T has agreed to reduce the original bill down from $138.74 to $6.93. His mother-in-law is happy to pay $6.93.
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268875 11/10/2011
T = Spark NZ Ltd
TCOM
C wishes to make a complaint regarding T and what C feels is a breach of the FTA by charging and/or waivering fees.
C used to be a customer with T but left due to problems. C has now decided to go back to T for his internet. When C rung T to setup the internet he
was told there would be a $99 connection fee but if he signed up on a 12mth contract the connection fee would be waived.
C believes it's unfair that T is making customers signup on a contract to get the fee waived.
270083 30/11/2011
T = Orcon Ltd
Call back, Tcom.
C has a broadband plan with T. C is on a plan that is now replaced (but grandfathered), and wants to change to another plan that was available at
the time that he signed up, but is also now replaced.
C has been told by T that he will have to pay a $100 connection fee if he changes to a new plan, and C does not want to do this.
C wants to know what his rights are, and if he has to pay the $100
278839 13/11/2012
T = Spark NZ Ltd
TCOM C has a rental property and required a second line into this house. C organised to have this installed by Vodafone, and they never installed
the line. C then contacted Telecom and explained she needed a second line, as Vodafone would not turn up to install it and Telecom said they would
do this in 3 days. Telecom did not install the line C got a call from a Telecom technician a week later saying that he was sent to the site to do a
inspection and that the connection was already installed, and was not sure why he was sent out and he was leaving. C knew she had to pay the fee
for whoever had come onsite to install the line. C rang Telecom to say the line was already done and to cancel the original job number for the line
installation, as Vodafone must have installed the line if the Telecom technician did not know about it. C then rang her tenant who said someone had
installed the line and was sure it was Vodafone. C went on holiday and came back to a Telecom bill for $580, for a new connection. But Telecom
never did the connection, Vodafone did it. C told Telecom she is willing to pay for the installation man who came and did no work but not the
connection fee as their was no connection to do. C is now in a dispute with Telecom who said that they installed it. C believes 1 of 3 things has
happened 1)Vodafone has lied and used the already installed Telecom line.; 2)Telecom has lied and used the Vodafone installed line or 3)Chorus is
getting paid by both parties.
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282161 31/03/2013
T = Spark NZ Ltd
email Tcom.
“We tried to reduce the amount of data that we are paying to use with Telecom from 120GB / month to 50GB /month as we only use about 20GB.
The website said it was free to change packages so we went through the process and were then given the choice of no contract and a $99
connection fee or a 12 month contract and a $120 early termination fee”
288479 24/12/2013
T = Spark NZ Ltd
Email Tcom.
C was sent promotional material from T offering a free upgrade to Ultra Fibre 30 and continue to pay $109 per month for a 12 month term.
When C rang T, C was told there would be an installation fee of $99 (usually $199). C says the brochure does not mention this fee, but does say
standard installation should suit most NZ homes.
T thanked C for bringing this to Ts attention
299272 24/12/2014
T = Spark NZ Ltd
Method: Email
Location: Hamilton
Product/Service: connection fee
Keyword: TCOM
C states
"6 months ago I signed up on a 12 month contract for land line and internet services over the phone. I am a prompt bill payer and happy with the
services provided. Now that I am moving to a new property, Spark is advising me of additional charges $97.11 connection fee and $69.00. These
charges were not advised when i first signed up and when speaking to customer services, I was told that these additional charges are never advised
of (phone call make 23/12/214 at 11:30am) where as emails from Spark state that there is. I have requested to listen to the phone call that was
made when i originally signed up however spark is not attending to this. I wish to keep my services however i am not happy to pay for charges i have
never been advised of. I have been provided with misleading information. Furthermore it seems to be that other customers may also be mislead
due to incompetency."
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301896 24/03/2015
T = Spark NZ Ltd
The C thought they had set up a direct debit with the T, but it had not been set up and the C's services were disconnected.
The C got charged a reconnection fee. The C alleges the T did not actually disconnect everything.
C asked the T to justify it, the T allegedly told the C that they don't have to.
The C believes it is misleading that the T charge a reconnection fee if they are not disconnecting anything.
C believes if they had reconnected it they would have seen evidence of the T having been on their property reconnecting C.
Method: Email
Keyword: Tcom
Product/Service: Connection fees
301897 24/03/2015
T = Compass Communications Ltd
Location: Taumarunui
Product/Service: broadband connection and installation fees
Keyword: TCOM
In November 2014 the C signed up to Compass broadband on the understanding that they would waive both the connection and installation fees.
However, it was not Compass who was to perform the connection, it was Chorus. The Chorus technician did work and then billed Compass for it.
However Chorus had increased the cost for connection from $60 to $195.
C says that in January 2015 Compass felt this cost was too high to absorb, and sent the C a payment invoice. C finds this misleading as a verbal
agreement was made that the cost would be waived.
T have now said that C can pay the amount off over 3 months or pay a bulk deposit. C disputes this.
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299364 06/01/2015
T = Callplus Services Ltd, trading as Slingshot Communications
Method: Email
Keyword: TCOM
Location: Palmerston North
Product/Service: Broadband
C reconnected services with the T after being told that if C rejoined T, C would not have to pay a connection fee or be subject to a 12 month
contract.
C also believed they would get a $5 "easyphone" package but states this was not activated and C cannot have their number blocked on outgoing
calls.
C would like their previous services reinstated without the ?Re-Connection Fee?, nor the ?12mnth Contract? issue, as both were promised that
neither would be an issue, incl $5.00 Easyphone features
308500 13/10/2015
T = Chorus NZ Ltd
Location: Pukekohi
Product/Service: Broadband and phone
Keyword: TCOM
C has an issue with ADSL and phone provider. C transferred from Orcon, they charged C $135 for installation fees.
Website says that if you're on Chorus network installation fees don't apply. C was already on Chorus network.
C raised the issue with T, multiple conversations with T, said C is liable as technician had to go out to check the network. The technician was from
Chorus who are the ones who charged the fee. C doesn't think they should pass charges on to C.
C didn't sign any contract. Signed up online and agreed to T&Cs when he signed up.
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