no reception in my house: can I get out of my phone contract early?

blutura · 03-02-2006, 11:43 PM

9 months ago I signed up for a new mobile phone contract with M8 Telecom, a company that uses the Optus network, but is otherwise separate from Optus. I signed a 24 month contract and got a new handset for $30 a month, on a $49 cap plan, where I get $200 of credit. So basically, I pay $79 a month for $200 credit. I was content for the first 7 months, but 2 months ago I moved to a new unit in a different suburb and there is little to no reception in unit. The only way I can make a call without it dropping out is if I go an stand in the corner of my yard, or go and stand in the street. I have tried it with a Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson phone, and all have problems maintaining reception.

On the Optus website there is a coverage finder where you enter your street address and it shows a very detailed, street level, map showing what coverage is in your area and, sure enough, it shows my entire suburb as being completely covered, so I don't know why I can't get reception. Its not just me either, others living in the complex have to go and stand in the street to make calls too.

Friends of mine are with Vodafone and had no problems making and receiving calls when they visited, so I'm thinking of switching to them.

I know some of you are probably thinking, just use your home phone, but the thing is, I'm paying $79 a month for a phone that I can't use when I'm at home, and because I'm on a cap, I'd rather use the mobile, then rack up a big bill on the home phone. The other problem is, that if someone sends me a text message, then I often don't get it until I leave the house, which is often too late.

Now, sorry for the lengthly background info, but I'll get to the point.

Do you think I can use the lack of reception in my unit as a reason to get out of my contract early, without having to pay out the remainder of the plan?

StorminaTcup · 04-02-2006, 12:34 AM

We had problems with another carrier (Orange). They were able to monitor similar problems we were having. And in the end agreed that there was not enough coverage in our area through them. Previously we were with Optus and had no problems at all, so they agreed to cancel our plans at no fees to us, and we went back to Optus. The companies tend to generalise when they say an area is covered, as how can they test every single spot in an area & know you will have full reception. They probably just think there are enough towers around the area.

Feathers · 04-02-2006, 10:57 AM

We had the same problem with Telstra in our house. My Dad's phone and mine wouldn't be able to recieve or make calls.
We both called Telstra to complain and were told that we should get our phones serviced, as it must have been them.
(I had a brand new 7250i, and Dad had and OLD Ericsson GH788)
My friends phones on their network wouldn't work at my place either, so then we were told to get an external arial to connect to them, completely defeating the purpose of a "mobile" phone.
When I bought a cheap pre-paid sim from another network, it worked perfectly on both our phones.
We called Telstra back and after telling us it was nothing to do with their network, and they had no future plans to upgrade the coverage in the area, the woman told me I'd solved my own problem. "If you don't like it go to another network."

Strangely, the coverage here is fine now. I assume they DID upgrade or install a new tower.

But I would say they will try EVERYTHING to avoid letting you out of your contract.
They will deny that it's the network, and try to put the blame on the building you are in (since you say most other residents have the same problem).

Ringo · 06-02-2006, 01:45 PM

Its part of the contract that they supply the service, you supply the money.

If they agree that theire is no coverage where they say their should be then they are not keeping up there end of the contract and you can mutually decide to end it.

This is theroy only - heard of it happening once years ago on analogue network

Lightning Strike GT · 06-02-2006, 01:56 PM

Knowing the thieves it is probably in the contact for the onus to be on the oner of the phone to see weather there is reception at their premises before they sign the contact.
There are three main theives in this country.
1 Oil companies
2 Banks
3 Telecommunication carriers

stiddy · 06-02-2006, 03:29 PM

you wont be able to get out of it without paying out the remainder of the plan.. you signed the contract and your bound to it..

blutura · 06-02-2006, 03:35 PM

ok, here is the update

i called M8 Telecom on Friday and the girl on the other end told me she would pass my concerns on to her senior supervisor and he would call me back within 48 hours.

well he finally called me back today, a little late, but at least he did call, which is more than i can say for most other telcos.

unfortunately the guy was a tool and basically tried to fob me off, saying:

- 'theres nothing we can do'

- 'coverage is not guaranteed inside buildings, as its basically the same as being underground, and as you know, you can't get coverage underground'

- 'because you signed up for the contract in a different location, we can't guarantee coverage in your new location' (what??? its a mobile phone, it shouldn't matter which suburb i'm in, they should guarantee coverage. its not like i've moved hours away, into the bush, i've moved 20kms south, into a more highly populated area!)

- 'its probably because of the design of your building that you can't get reception' (what??? is a brick unit! not a nuclear fallout shelter! i used to live in a brick unit at my old place and didn't have any problems with reception!)

then he told me that the only way i could get out of it was paying my entire payout, which is over $800. Or i could wait a while, because 'apparently Optus is building another tower about 100m north of where you are, but I don't have any idea when it will be finished, it could be 1 month, or it could be 12, i don't know'

and finally, he said, 'i guess you better get friendly with that little hill in your backyard' (referring to the one spot at my place where i can get consistent coverage), which is don't think was either a funny, or professional, thing to say.

so that's the current scenario, now i'm off to call Optus to find out if there is any truth to this new tower story.

06-02-2006, 04:41 PM

I only get service in 50 % of my house so I have to leave my mobile in the living area or it dont work , forget trying to take a call in the house ,I have to go outside .
All 3 say is that there is service in your area!

blutura · 06-02-2006, 05:44 PM

ok, i called optus and the halfwit from customer service that took my call just couldn't seem to wrap his head around my problem.

Me- "Hi, i'm actually with M8, which uses the Optus network, and I get really bad reception in my house, and I called M8 and they told me that Optus is building a new tower near my house soon and I just wanted to find out if its true, and if so, when the new tower will be online."

Optus halfwit- "Well M8 is a separate company, so you will have to ask them about that"

Me-"i KNOW M8 is a separate company, but they use the Optus network!"

Optus halfwit- "ok, but M8 is a separate company, so if a new M8 tower is being built, you will have to ask them when its going online."

Me- (smacks forehead loudly) "I KNOW M8 IS A SEPARATE COMPANY, BUT THEY USE THE OPTUS NETWORK, OK? They don't have their OWN towers, they lease Optus' Network, ok?!?!?!, so if YOU don't understand what I mean, can you put me through to someone else!

Optus Halfwit- ok, but M8 is a separate company, so I don't think I can help you, but I'll put you through to Mobile Network Services, someone from there might know something about it.

Me- (thank you Lord!)- ok, thanks

so then i spoke with a guy from that department who was really helpful. He told me that my street is actually only listed as having on street coverage, and not building coverage. So obviously the map on the Optus website showing my street as full coverage is incorrect. He also asked me to tell him what tower was showing on my phones screen. And I told him, its coming up as Alex Beach, which is about 20kms away from where i am in Caloundra. He had a look at the network and told me that there were about 4 other towers closer than that one that I should be picking up, so I don't know whats going on there. Funny thing is, when i go out into the street, it changes to Caloundra, but in my house it tries to get reception from either Alex Beach, Mooloolaba, or Bokarina, all of which are about 20kms away. The guy also told me that sometimes in an area where there is an overlap of a lot of towers, then the phone just keeps jumping from one tower to the next, which leads to poor reception.

The only good news he was able to give me was that a new tower is slated for building in May, coming online in June, only 1km from my place, which will solve all my probs. Still means i'm paying $79 a month for the next 5 months of no reception though.

My next step I think is to file a complaint with the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman; anyone had any experience with these guys?

I think I might just have to buy a 7dB antenna, stick it on the roof of my unit, run some coax down to inside, and patch it into my phone. should be able to get good reception that way. kinda defeats the point of having a mobile phone though.