3 Like Home - Australia

[treble99]

I have been using my handset on what I thought was the 3 network in Australia these last two weeks but having checked my usage it appears that all my calls are being charged at roaming rates and not from my allowance. The network that I am on 99% of the time says '3 Telstra' however when I rang Customer Service they told me I had to manually select '3 Australia'. Now at present I am in the centre of Melbourne and there is no '3 Australia' network just 'Vodafone', 'Telstra', 'Yes Optus' and '3 Telstra'. I can access all of 3 services whilst on 3 Telstra so is this a case of no nothing customer services getting it wrong and also me being charged wrong or is there really a '3 Australia' network that doesn't show up in the centre of one of Australias biggest cities ?

[ossie]

See here:-

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/24/3_roaming_limited/

[treble99]

Thanks Ossie but I am on a contract not pre pay. I can also use all my X Series Silver features on 3 Telstra which makes me believe this is the Three network and that I am being wrongly charged.

[bolder]

If it doesn't say "3 Australia" then you aren't on Three's own network. Three Like Home only uses your inclusive allowance if you are on Three's own network -- everything else and normal (aka 'daylight robbery') roaming charges apply.

[treble99]

I have checked my bills from my previous visit in February and I was always on 3 Telstra and I didn't get charged then.

On the 3 website it even shows the display as either 3 Australia or 3 Telstra.

http://three.co.uk/personal/help_support_/network_coverage_/going_abroad_/pay_monthly/country_details.omp?cid=31224&partnerid=1076061777958

[aldo]

I have checked my bills from my previous visit in February and I was always on 3 Telstra and I didn't get charged then.


surely you just solved your own problem?

[treble99]

surely you just solved your own problem?

Not at all really.

As although it would appear now that the SMS counter is going down as I send text messages when I check my usage the voice minutes counter isn't.

Interestingly though since I emailed Customer Service about this the current spend hasn't gone up either despite me using the phone for voice calls still.

[seaniboy]

3 Telstra is 3 AU, Telstra bought 50 percent of 3 NETWORK infastructure to meet thier 3g licence coverage agreement. It is run as a seperate company to 3 AU but it is 3 AU carrier company

[treble99]

Thanks Seaniboy you'd think someone might have bothered to inform the Customer Services Team about this fact wouldn't you ?

Anyway having spent another 20 minutes or so talking to Customer Services my minutes are now being deducted from my allowance. I have to wait until 5th October though to find out what the £87.95 charges are to my account.

[wenklaw]

If it states on your bill '3 telstra' there is no argument, you shouldnt be charged for the calls and they should be deducted from your inclusive minutes. Sounds like a billing cock up, I am sure that will amend and adjust any charges.
Its a bit confusing mind as Telstra is also available which would diplay 'Telstra MobileNet' according to the '3' website, which wouldnt be included in the '3 like home' agreement.

[seaniboy]

correct, best manually forcing 3G if you can, Telstra Mobilenet ( now just Telstra ) is 2G and not part of 3 Telstra - ie our roaming like O2/Orange here in UK

My 3 UK had better 3G coverage in metro SYD than my 3AU which is bloody weird !

[mb1]

So.... does anyone know if 3 will ever introduce "Like Home" on prepay in Australia?

I'm about to spend a month in Australia in February 2008, so this would be very handy as I have a 3 prepay SIM.

(I did ask customer service, but they said they could not say if it would ever happen)

[seaniboy]

it was launched on both it was I who informed 3UK it didnt work on payg, after 10 mins roaming 3AU bars your payg sim, best bet is buy a 3AU prepaid sim top up $50 and you get $100, calls to the UK are 16 cents a minute including 07 calling card numbers, you can call AU cheaper via them than your domestic 3AU rate LOL ;)

[milhouse22]

You never posted what the outcome of the problem of them charging for calls that should have been inclusive was. I am currently in Australia and have the same problem. Everything has been fine over the last 9 months but after a recent trip to NZ it has started happening to me. On my bill it indicates that I was on a partner network but on some calls it has appended 0061 to the normal 44 dialling code and then number.

I have called customer services and spent a frustrating 30 minutes patiently explaining the issue and they are apparently investigating. Supposedly there were going to call back within 48 hours but that has now passed. After reading some posts on this forum I think my best option is to write to the Glasgow centre.

I have calculated that my bill is overcharging me by 61gbp, any advice on whether I should cancel my DD?

[wenklaw]

You never posted what the outcome of the problem of them charging for calls that should have been inclusive was. I am currently in Australia and have the same problem. Everything has been fine over the last 9 months but after a recent trip to NZ it has started happening to me. On my bill it indicates that I was on a partner network but on some calls it has appended 0061 to the normal 44 dialling code and then number.

I have called customer services and spent a frustrating 30 minutes patiently explaining the issue and they are apparently investigating. Supposedly there were going to call back within 48 hours but that has now passed. After reading some posts on this forum I think my best option is to write to the Glasgow centre.

I have calculated that my bill is overcharging me by 61gbp, any advice on whether I should cancel my DD?

If on your bill it states you had been on 3 AUS or 3 Telstra, three cannot dispute it, if they dont get back to you write to OFCOM and write to Three exec office telling them you have, recorded delivery.
DO NOT cancel your DD, you will end up affecting your credit rating and for 66GBP it just isnt worth it. Three wont deal with the problem any quicker!!!!!

[milhouse22]

Thanks for your advice, I have been drafting a letter this afternoon! I will now look up complaining to OFCOM too...

You are correct to say what you did about credit ratings. In the current climate it could be more important than arguing about £61!

[paul_sp]

Thanks for your advice, I have been drafting a letter this afternoon! I will now look up complaining to OFCOM too...

You are correct to say what you did about credit ratings. In the current climate it could be more important than arguing about £61!

Did you get an answer to this issue? I'm currently having the exact same problem, and three have spent the last month 'investigating' it, but still no answer.

[treble99]

You never posted what the outcome of the problem of them charging for calls that should have been inclusive was. I am currently in Australia and have the same problem. Everything has been fine over the last 9 months but after a recent trip to NZ it has started happening to me....

It turned out in the end that the additional costs were from calls made and received in Mexico over 2 months earlier and posted late on to my account.
I suspect that your costs may possibly relate to the trip to New Zealand that you mention.

[paul_sp]

Ok, that would make sense. Thanks for letting me know.

[milhouse22]

Did you get an answer to this issue? I'm currently having the exact same problem, and three have spent the last month 'investigating' it, but still no answer.

I sent a letter by recorded delivery on the 29th September and got a phone call on the 3rd October. The call was from someone with an Indian accent and I had to explain my problem yet again as that person obviously hadn't read the letter! The matter is currently 'under investigation' and in the meantime the direct debit has gone, thieves.

The calls made were while I was on the correct network as confirmed by the little 'P' on each line of my bill. They were obviously to UK numbers as they are the wrong format for Australia and they are stored in my phone with the +44 prefix. The problem I am having is the 3 system has prefixed that with 0061. Is this the problem you are having?

[nuttyphilt]

I've got the same problem with some of the numbers having a 0061 prefix - I've been overcharged about £30. I'm going to call them tonight to see what they say, I'll post the response here.

[paul_sp]

The calls made were while I was on the correct network as confirmed by the little 'P' on each line of my bill. They were obviously to UK numbers as they are the wrong format for Australia and they are stored in my phone with the +44 prefix. The problem I am having is the 3 system has prefixed that with 0061. Is this the problem you are having?

Yes, this is exactly the same problem as I am having.

The number is prefixed by 006144, and it lists the number as being an Australian one, even though it is obviously British. Also the little P is there on the right hand side to indicate that it was on the correct network.

Any news from 3? as they always just say they are "investigating" when I call.

[nuttyphilt]

Just spoke to 3. They've put a request in to have my bill recalculated and will get back to me within 48 hours.

[milhouse22]

I got a call on the 3rd October and have heard nothing since. Investigating... hmmm... more like we have your money now and if we do nothing for long enough you might go away. I should start looking up how to complain to otelo I guess!

Anyone else heard anything yet?

By the way, I have been in Australia since last November and this has only started happening since late August. Is this the same time problems started for others?

[nuttyphilt]

I haven't heard anything from them yet and it's been more than 48 hours. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and let them have another working day because I only spoke to them on Saturday.

I've been in Australia at various times over the last 18 months and this is the first time I've had a problem.

[ksim2008]

It is a billing cock up.... Just got mine for the same and its really messed up. Ive logged a call via the 3stores channel support team and they said that they were gonna sort it. Just gotta wait for the next bill to see if its adjusted.

[milhouse22]

Just a quick update... The problem of random incorrect charging continued to my new bill date on the 20th October. This bill incorrectly charged £32.

Since responding to my letter on 3rd October I have heard nothing from 3. I cannot remember if it was just before the billing date or on the day but I noticed that my current spend on the check my usage page changed to a negative figure that almost matched the amount overcharged on my September bill. This negative figure has since increased by the amount overcharged on the October bill. It looks like they have finally realised there is a problem and credited my account. It has only been six weeks since I first contacted them about this!

One final thing, 3 have sneakily generated my overcharged October bill and not applied the credits on it. I assume they will be on my next bill, but that means they are going to direct debit my account now when actually they owe me money. Is there anyone I can complain to about this? I know with the credits to come it will basically mean I won't have to pay 3 for about the next six months but the principle seems all wrong to me.

[nuttyphilt]

My3 is now showing a spend of -£34.90 since my last bill so it looks like they've sorted my bill out too. My calls from Australia only totalled about £26 so I'm not sure what the extra is but I'm not complaining!

In answer to your question about who to complain to, they have an executive office who are pretty good and knowledgable. IIRC their email address is executive.office@three.co.uk

[nuttyphilt]

I've just got my latest bill and I've been credited in full for my calls in Australia along with some calls I made in Thailand on the way home. Additionally they've credited me the VAT back too, even though the calls didn't attract VAT when they were originally charged. Overall it's a bit of a result!