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Telstra Says CDMA Incentives Will End |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Wednesday, 23 January 2008 |
Telstra has confirmed that its current incentives for customers
migrating from its CDMA network to the new 3G network will end on the
28th of January despite the Federal Government moves forcing it to keep
the network running a further three months.
Telstra Country Wide Director, Gary Goldsworthy confirmed the
A$100 credit for post-paid customers migrating from CDMA to an eligible
plan and the A$50 cash back for CDMA customers buying a pre-paid
Samsung A411 will both end on 28 January 2008 as originally planned.
"So far we've had a great response on both these incentives and
we're now calling on all remaining CDMA customers to take advantage of
these migration offers before they're withdrawn from the market at the
end of this week," he said.
The cash back offer prices the Samsung A411 Blue
Tick at A$149 RRP, after cash back. There are more than 20 post-paid
handsets available to customers taking the A$100 credit option.
Goldsworthy warned the majority of CDMA customers have already migrated
"so we're unlikely to introduce any new customer migration
offers prior to the scheduled CDMA network closure on 28 April".
"From now until the CDMA network closure we will be firmly focused
on resolving any handset and equipment problems experienced by
customers who have moved from CDMA to the Next G mobile network," Goldsworthy said.
Although Telstra had plans to shutdown the CDMA network on January
28th, the Rudd government moved to force it to maintain the CDMA
service for a further three months citing issues with the company's new
3G mobile phone network.
Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband,
Communications and the Digital Economy notified Telstra that he
believed it had not met the equivalence requirements which stipulates
performance of the new 3G network must equal that of the CDMA network
before the latter can be decommissioned.
He gave Telstra two weeks to show how it will address issues identified
in part by an independent audit of the new network's performance which
was carried out under a contract let by the previous Government.
Telstra have advised that rectification of the issues can be completed
by 28th April, 2008 and subject to Senator Conroy then being satisfied
with a Telstra report "that
comprehensively addresses" the issues he will permit the old network to
be switched off.
"I want to congratulate Telstra for investing extensively in its
Next G network which is cutting edge new technology. I appreciate the
resources and commitment Telstra has brought to implementing its new
national network, and I feel confident that Telstra will be able to
resolve the issues that have been identified speedily," Senator Conroy
said at the time.
The Senator based his decision on a report prepared by the
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on the coverage of
the two networks.
A copy of this report is available on the Department's website. Some confidential parts of the report are blacked out at Telstra's request.
"ACMA found, and I agree, that the Next G footprint is equivalent
to the CDMA network. ACMA also found that the Next G coverage using an
external aerial was equivalent; however issues were identified with
handheld coverage, which I have asked Telstra to address," Senator
Conroy said adding concerns that some customers had purchased phones which provide inadequate coverage.
I have made it clear to Telstra that it should continue to do
everything possible to ensure that customers are using the correct Next
G equipment. This should include replacing handsets at no financial
penalty in genuine cases," said Senator Conroy.
At Senator Conroy's request Telstra has established a 1800 number to
field calls from customers still experiencing problems with the Next G
service. The Hotline will connect customers with a "genuine" problem to
a specialist call centre
where they will be taken through a series of diagnostic steps to locate
the cause of the problem and "where
necessary arrange a physical test of coverage at their location".
If the
diagnostics show there is a genuine handset problem, Telstra will swap
out a customer's handset.
Telstra also introduced the Blue Tick program in July 2007 to help
rural customers make the right handset decisions. The seven handsets
that currently display the Blue Tick are specially designed to get the
best coverage in rural and fringe coverage areas.
For further information www.telstra.com.au/cdmaupgrade and for help resolving problems 1800 888 888 Hotline
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