Thursday, February 25, 2010

Communication on the move, whether it be for business or pleasure, it’s so deeply engrained that it’s hard to remember how we operated without it. So, in this day and age, no New Zealander should expect or have to put up with frequent outages from their mobile service provider. Over the last few weeks, Telecom XT has failed to meet this requirement at the expense of its customers. Enough is enough.

Mark Callander, General Manager of Slingshot says “I’m extremely concerned that the Telecom XT network has left so many New Zealanders vulnerable. The fact that there has not been a timely or appropriate resolution from Telecom to alleviate the worries of XT customers is not acceptable. To add further insult, the proposed compensation from Telecom is a joke and just does not cut it”.

Callander continues “While many XT customers will be locked into contracts, I encourage them to look into their rights. They should not be bullied into staying because of the threat of exorbitant early termination charges. Customers have rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act and one would naturally argue that a mobile phone that can’t make or receive calls or text messages is surely not fit for the purpose it was intended?”

“Frustrated customers making no progress with Telecom can also raise a complaint with the TDRS (Telecommunications Disputes Resolution Scheme). Telecom is a member of this scheme and it is a free service for customers who do not feel their complaints are handled well. Since launching, this scheme has helped thousands of unhappy customers reach a satisfactory outcome and in some cases compensation” says Callander.

Callander continues “We have pulled together relevant information to help Telecom XT customers which can be found on our websites. I encourage all customers to visit www.slingshot.co.nz/yourrights or www.callplus.co.nz/yourrights and take some action today”.

“For Telecom XT customers that have just had enough, we have also put together a rescue package that won’t be beaten. Any Telecom XT customer that moves to Slingshot or CallPlus and brings their mobile number with them will receive a brand new mobile phone ($299 value), 12 months free mobile access PLUS 20 free minutes and 100 free text messages every month. Telecom XT customers have been through enough and we want to make the choice to switch an easy one” concludes Callander.

Slingshot and CallPlus successfully launched its mobile service in August last year through an MVNO agreement with Vodafone.

ENDS

Mark Callander, General Manger
e. markc@callplus.co.nz m. 021 742 022

Established in 1996, CallPlus is New Zealand’s third largest fixed line, voice and internet company offering a full range of communication services in both business and residential markets through its CallPlus and Slingshot brands. The company has a strong focus on innovation, service delivery and building customer value which has contributed to the significant customer and revenue growth over the last five years.