Kogan Mobile Blocking Rebtel Local Number

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Kogan Mobile

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  pjetson on 03/05/2017 - 16:53

  As I understand it, Rebtel is a service where you dial a local number (and are therefore charged a local call fee by your phone service provider (Kogan)), and you can then dial out to overseas numbers using Rebtel's network and you are charged by Rebtel for the overseas call.

  A local call to Rebtel only costs Kogan the same as any other local call, so they do not need to charge you any more or block your calls to avoid any billing issues. However, if Kogan let you call overseas via Rebtel, you are unlikely to use Kogan for overseas calls, and that's why Kogan don't want you to do it - they want your money and don't want to make it easy for you to spend your money with someone else.

  Are they allowed to do this? Yep. Basically, Kogan can make any rules for their service that they like, and your choice is to put up with those rules, or find another service provider - no-one is forcing you to use Kogan's services. Other providers will likely have similar rules, though.

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    zappy32 on 03/05/2017 - 17:11

    +3

    I'd check with the telecommunications ombudsman. As a carrier, they must abide by legislation such as The Telecommunications Act and I would be surprised if they are allowed to block access to competitors but a simple message to the TIO should let you know.

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    noone on 03/05/2017 - 20:18

    +1

    I'm fine if they have actually mentioned any of this on their website, however classifying Rebtel number as an "International-Premium" is unfair as it's actually a local call.

    I've check their t&cs and they have no mention of prohibiting calling a calling card local number.

    I see their reasoning why they do this for their benefit but I don't think it's fair if they don't mention it on their website and in my case I've paid 12 months prepaid in advance so I'm stuck

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  noone on 04/05/2017 - 11:27

  Just an update, looks like it is in Vodafone's fair use policy

  http://www.vodafone.com.au/about/legal/fair-use

  • using the Service/Promotion with a device that re-routes or switches calls to or from the Vodafone Network to another carrier’s network, or SIM boxing;
  • using the Service/Promotion to make international calls without paying long-distance charges by dialing certain access numbers, or using the Service for the purposes of arbitrage;

  I assume Vodafone blocks these numbers too?

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  [Deactivated] on 05/05/2017 - 12:34

  It is because of the termination fees paid to carriers.

  I usually get lots of Silent Calls from the Pivotel range. They ring for a few seconds, but not long enough for you to pick up. Then they expect you to call back and then your carrier gets billed a huge termination fee for calling the Pivotel range even though you don't know if it is or not just by looking at the number.

  That's how people used to get free international calls via a mobile number. You still can, but most of the ranges are blocked.

  I suspect Rebtel is participating in the scam as well. Another one is free conference call setup.

  These services aren't free to setup, so they have to scam the carriers.

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    noone on 05/05/2017 - 13:25

    Sorry, I'm not familiar with this type of scam.

    Rebtel is like pjetson explained, "Rebtel is a service where you dial a local number (and are therefore charged a local call fee by your phone service provider (Kogan)), and you can then dial out to overseas numbers using Rebtel's network and you are charged by Rebtel for the overseas call."

    So I don't think that's classified as a scam