Weeks after announcing declining revenues from fixed phone lines, Telstra is moving to jack up revenue after advising its Foxtel customers that the cost of a premium package is automatically set to increase by $4 a month.In a letter that was sent out to customers earlier this month, the carrier said that the new cost will be billed in advance, with an attached brochure revealing that a platinum HD package will now cost $135 a month.
Nowhere in the letter, which is signed by Ramon Gregory, the Executive Director of Customer Service and Sales, is there a telephone number to cancel the Foxtel service or change the package.
Telstra claims that it is phasing out the older Foxtel packages, with customers set to be moved to a new ‘Generation’ Foxtel package.
Mr Gregory said in the letter, “Over coming months you’ll notice the Foxtel from Telstra package name on your bill will change … your subscription fee will increase by $4.00 per month.”
The only telephone number on the letter is to Telstra’s accounts online billing department where a recorded message makes no reference to Foxtel services. Calls to two operators resulted in our call being transfered to people who had no connection with Foxtel billing.
Telstra has not commented on the letter.
At a recent press conference, Telstra CEO David Thodey reported a big drop in the number of Australian households using landlines. He also said that the carrier’s customer service “had to improve” and that he was currently taking steps to implement a new customer service regime.