Telus Mobility Sucks!

Ok, so lots of people say lots of different companies suck. So why should you read this post?

Here's why:

Telus Mobility is selling you a product that doesn't work properly. And they know it. And they won't compensate you in any way.

About a year and a half ago, the iPhone was made available in Canada through Rogers Wireless. Rogers was first to the market because they have been using the SIM card network for years. Canada was one of the few industrialized countries where the majority of the big telecoms (ie Telus & Bell Mobility) used CDMA technology - meaning that SIM cards were not used, and therefore most handsets were programmed to only work on one specific network.

However, Telus & Bell were wise enough to realize that the majority of popular smart phones would all use SIM cards, and that the manufacturers would not make special versions of their handsets to work with the CDMA networks that they were running. This forced the two companies to work together on their networks again to create a new SIM card enabled HSPA network. And presto! Both phone companies could now sell the iPhone.

So I finally caved in June of this year, and purchased an iPhone through Telus Mobility. I'm not a hardcore tech geek, but I already had an iPod touch, and my phone was outdated, so I thought why not combine the two?

When I first got the iPhone, I was working in Fort McMurray, Alberta, which is WAY north, and well known for cell reception problems and dropped calls. I would get the occasional dropped call on m iPhone when I was there, but my old phone (which worked on the old CDMA network) would do the same thing, so I figured things were par for the course.

After two months of using the iPhone, I traveled to the US for a week and my phone worked perfectly fine there. After returning from The States, I moved to Calgary, Alberta. Suddenly, my iPhone seemed to suck. Bad. Really bad, in fact.

I have now been in Calgary for 3 weeks, and I am averaging 2 - 3 completed calls out of every 10 calls made. The rest of the calls drop, and I get that lovely message 'Signal Failed' on my iphone. The signal typically drops right away. And in a some cases, the bars on my phone show full, but it drops the call any way. The call usually drops in the first five minutes or less. Yesterday, when I was trying to make a call, it dropped 3 times while the phone was still ringing.

So finally, the other day, i needed to call a utility company to get my utilities connected, since I had just moved into my new home. As usual for utility companies, I was placed on hold on their automated system. After being on hold for 18 minutes... You guessed it. 'Signal Failed'. This was the last straw. I called Telus.

I called Telus (and ironically the phone did not drop the call). I navigated my way through the automated system to talk to a technician. (I'm sorry, I do not remember his name). Here is a brief script of key points of the conversation as I remember it:

Tech: Thank you for calling Telus, how can I help you today?

Me: Yes, I was wondering if you have been having a problem with your network in the Calgary area lately? My phone has been dropping calls for-

Tech: (Interrupts) Yes, we are. We have been having problems across Alberta for some time due to the network upgrades we are doing.

Me: Oh, I see. Well do you have any idea how much longer this will go on for? I can barely make a call.

Tech: I really don't know. I could say 6 months, but it might be a year. The upgrades to the system are slow, because we have to work with Bell on the network and that takes time.

Me: A year? Really? Well, that's not really acceptable to me. This is the only phone I have and I use it for business. I was speaking with a client the other day, and the call dropped 3 times. That doesn't make me look very professional.

Tech: Yes I understand. But the network is in its infancy, and we are constantly trying to improve it. (Tech then goes into a long winded speech about the problems that other companies such as Rogers had when they launched their networks.)

Me: Ok, I understand that, but we need to come up with a solution.

Tech: Well, what do you suggest? You can always press both buttons on the iPhone and hold for 10 seconds to try and reset the phone. (I am not sure how he knew I had an iPhone.)

Me: Well, either provide an ETA on how long the reception troubles will be, or find a way to compensate me for service interruptions.

Tech: That is not likely to happen sir. We do not guarantee service or reception and we have a limited liability. You have signed a contract stating that you agree to those terms. Let me read the liability section of the agreement to you. (Tech then reads 2 paragraphs of fine print to me verbatim.)

Me: Well, I admit that I did not read all of the fine print in the contract. Who does? I will accept responsibility for not reading that, but in all fairness, what you just told me is that you sell a product but don't stand behind it in any fashion.

Tech: We stand behind our products, sir.

Me: How is that? The product doesn't work, I am paying full price on it, but you refuse to help me. In addition to that, it is misleading. Do you think any of your sales people are telling customers that there have been constant problems with the network?

Tech: We no, I am sure they don't. But it's not misleading.

Me: How is that not misleading? They are selling a product that they know does not work correctly, but they are not telling anyone. Do you think I would have bought the product if I knew there were network problems?

Tech: Well no, I am sure you wouldn't.

Me: Well then. It's misleading, isn't it?

Tech: Well what do you suggest?

Me: As I said before, either provide me with an ETA on when the service will be reliable, or connect me to somebody who can compensate me for lack of service.

Tech: Ok, no problem. I can connect you right away to someone from our Loyalty and Reception department. Can you hold for a moment?

Me: Yes that's fine.

That portion of the call lasted about 20 mins, as the tech told me all about their new HSPA network, and that it is a new technology for them, and like all new products, its takes a year or so to work the bugs out of it.

He didn't try to offer any solutions for compensation, and he couldn't offer any solutions to make the reception problems disappear, but he is a technician and his hands were tied. I understand that. So I waited on hold for about another 8m minutes, and I was seriously rocking out to some hard core elevator music. This is where the call gets more interesting.

Tech: Hello Sir. Thank you for holding. I have Nicholas on the line for you. I gave him a brief update of what we talked about, and he will take care of you now. Thank you for calling.

Nicholas: Hello, my name is Nicholas. How can I help you?

Me: Well, I am guessing that the Tech told you about the issues I was having?

Nicholas: Yes. (Pause. Nicholas liked to pause A LOT on this call.)

Me: Well the issues I am having are not really acceptable. I use my phone for business, and at this point in time, it doesn't hardly work.

Nicholas: I see. And what would you like us to do Sir?

Me: Well, either provide me with an ETA on when the network will be working normally, or, if it's not going to work properly, then we need to make it financially viable for me to stay with you.

Nicholas: You mean as in a credit? Why would we do that?

Me: Your product does not work consistently. There must be some benefit to stay with your company. Either reliable service, or reasonable prices. Currently, I am paying a premium to be on your network, but the network does not work well. So, then the price must be cheaper than your competitors, or there is no point in staying with your service.

Nicholas: Pause. I have nothing to credit you for. The network is fine. It sounds like the reception problem is with your phone, and I recommend you send the phone back to apple to be repaired.

Me: Pause. There is nothing wrong with the phone. It works perfectly fine everywhere except in Calgary. If the phone works everywhere else, then there is not a problem with the phone.

Nicholas: That's not true, if the phone works in other places, but not in a big city, then there could still be something wrong with your phone. We have not had any problems with the network in Calgary since last November.

Me: But that's not true. In fact that's the exact opposite of what your tech told me. He told me himself that you have had constant problems with the network here.

Nicholas: No, I don't believe so. To my knowledge there has been no problems with the network in Calgary since last November.

Me: Well, no offence to you, but I think I'll take the word of your technician over you on network problems.

Nicholas: That's fine. So what would you like me to do then?

Me: Well, credit my account for the service I am paying for but can't use please.

Nicholas: I have no credits for you and nothing to credit you for.

Me: Pause. Well then maybe we need to put in for a disconnection of service.

Nicholas: Snicker. Well what network are you going to go to then?

Me: There are others out there. There's Rogers.

Nicholas: Snicker. Yes, but their network is older and slower.

Me: Yes, but if I can actually make a call on their network, then it doesn't really matter, does it?

Nicholas: Well that's fine. When would you like a disconnect?

Me: Let's go for September 30th.

Nicholas: Your billing cycle ends on October 9th. I can disconnect then. Does that work for you?

Me: Yes, that's fine. And just so I can write it down, what is your name and position again please?

Nicholas: My name is Nicholas and I am in the Loyalty and Customer Retention department.

Me: Really? Well good job. Anyway, thanks.

So, the long and short of the call was the Tech admitted they have been having problems with the network all over Alberta for some time. He also told me that they have no idea when it will be working properly, as it is a 'new technology' for Telus. Both people I spoke with refused to compensate me in any fashion, and Nicholas, who supposedly works for Customer Retention did not even make a suggestion that would have attempted to retain me as a customer.

If you are going to purchase an iPhone, or a smart phone that uses a SIM card, I warn you, do not purchase it from Telus, or you will be really sorry.

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