Telstra hikes fee for customers paying over the counter at Australia Post

Telstra will more than double what it charges customers who choose not to pay their bills electronically.

From May 20 the telco will bump, from $1 to $2.50, the fee imposed on customers who pay over the counter at Australia Post, in Telstra’s own stores or by cheque.

The fee will apply to every payment and is on top of the $2.20 charge for those who receive their bill in the mail.

Watch the latest News on Channel 7 or stream for free on 7plus >>

Telstra, which was forced to scramble to correct major outages across the country earlier this week, defended the move, arguing it is not alone in charging customers this fee and said it had been in place for years.

“The rate we charge our customers is still lower than what we get charged to accept these payments,” a spokesperson for Australia’s largest telecommunications company said, adding customers could avoid these fees by making the switch to electronic billing.

Fee exemptions

Another way to avoid the fee is via an exemption, which applies to people with health care, pension concessions or Department of Veteran’s Affairs cards.

Exemptions also apply to people who don’t have an email address, access to internet and those living in remote communities, as well as customers who need special bill formats, such as braille or large A3 bills.

“A significant number of our customers are exempt from paying the fee. Around 65 per cent of customers who receive paper bills won’t be charged for a paper bill or to pay non-electronically, such as at a post office or by cheque,” the Telstra spokesperson said.

For those who don’t qualify, Telstra says customers can avoid these fees by switching to electronic billing and payments by using its app or website.

Under Australian Consumer Law, companies can charge customers a fee each time they send out a paper bill, which goes toward the cost of printing and posting the invoice.

Other telco and utility giants including Vodafone, Optus, EnergyAustralia and Origin Energy slug customers for paper bills, except for those in NSW, where energy consumers are exempt under state law.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Google launches Pixel 8, smartwatch with new AI feature

Alphabet's Google on Wednesday launched Pixel 8 smartphones and a new smart watch that integrate its artificial intelligence (AI) Technology more deeply into the company's consumer gadgets. Google's flagship Pixel smartphone has a fraction of Apple's iPhone sales, but it is designed to show how Android products push the limits of available Technology . Pixels are popular with photography enthusiasts and consumers who prefer the Android gadgets without modifications by other phone makers. Google beefed up the Pixel line up with its latest mobile processor, Tensor G3. The new Google custom chip has more AI and machine learning capabilities, enabling users to crunch more data on the device itself and in the cloud. The AI features can help with photography, summarizing web pages and blocking out spam calls, executives said at Made by Google event in New York on Wednesday. The higher-end Pixel 8 Pro features a Thermometer app to measure body temperature, subj...
Read more

Huge changes are about to hit Wordle - here’s what you need to know

Changes are coming to Wordle … again. The New York Times (NYT) has just named Tracy Bennett the new editor of Wordle, the wildly popular online puzzle game that gives players six chances to guess a five-letter word daily. With an editor in place, the Times said that the game is shifting away from the preselected words of Josh Wardle, the puzzle’s creator. Catch all of your favourite shows on Channel 7 or stream free on 7plus >> It will, instead, include words that the New York Times has chosen, for the first time in its history. Also changing: The answer will never be a plural that ends in “s” or “es.” However, you can guess plural words to help you eliminate possible words. In the updated version, the answer will never be a plural that ends in “s” or “es.”  Credit: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett “Wordle’s gameplay will stay the same, and answers will be drawn from the same basic dictionary of answer words, with some editorial adjustments to ensure that the game stays focused...
Read more

Aussie tourist hits back after innocent Bali photo turns into troll nightmare

An Australian tourist has found herself the target of cruel online trolls after sharing an innocent photo of a trip to a children’s orphanage in Bali. Newcastle woman Kelsey Foster took time out of her tropical getaway this week to donate food and spend time with the children at an Indonesian orphanage. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Traveller explains why you should never book middle seat on plane. For more Travel related news and videos check out 7Travel >> “The amount I took will feed the children for a long time and they were nothing but grateful. It was amazing to learn about them and talk with them and see them smile,” Foster shared on social media. “The shop I purchased all this from is a small family store, the money used to purchase this food from them will now also feed her family for more than two weeks!” Newcastle woman Kelsey Foster shared photo s of her with the children after her good deed. Credit: Facebook However, what should have been a feel-good post was soon swoo...
Read more