Is This Fraud or Business or False Advertisement?

newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 18:36
Last edited 20/06/2018 - 18:37

So i recently moved into a new apartment and during the inspection of the unit been told told the apartment has opticomm build in and advised to use censored ISP for my internet as they have good reputation etc etc.
I moved in and they emailed to get the Internet working there is a setup fee of $1000 that developer gonna "pay" some of it and we have to pay off the remaining, this is whats so called "new development" fee, i rang censored ISP and as soon as I mentioned my address they said yea there is an additional fee because "new development" fee and you have been advised about this already right?

I didnt buy the BS so I contacted other ISP provider and was able to get this done for free! $0 !
Now I wonder if this is what so called scam, fraud or just how business works ?

thoughts?

Internet

Comments

  • Ivegottadog on 20/06/2018 - 18:55
    +1

    Who is censored ISP?

    • frugal investigator on 20/06/2018 - 18:57
      +3

      I think they mean <redacted> ISP

    • JimmyF on 20/06/2018 - 19:14
      +2

      The revisions say it was "connected australia ISP"

      • aragornelessar on 20/06/2018 - 20:40

        I wanted your name to be Detective Pikachu.. would've fitted perfectly

        • tomsco on 20/06/2018 - 22:21

          No. No lemon pledge.

    • newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 19:53

      connected Australia

  • frugal investigator on 20/06/2018 - 18:56
    -1

    Need more info - such as I assume your on NBN?
    NBN connection fees can be high depending on type. Rarely as high as what you state, usually $300 for new developments.
    Most NBN ISPs will get you to sign a 2 year contract with no upfront connection fees.

    • newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 19:50

      yes fiber nbn, my current isp has no lock in contract and was $0 fee

  • trustnoone on 20/06/2018 - 19:10

    A few things seem a bit iffy, I don't know many ISPs that actually do anything after it hits your MDF board (which I'm guessing you have due to being an apartment building)?

    My guess is that the development fee comes from your strata or building, not from the ISP themselves, the ISP was just telling you that yes you do need to have that line connected which does need someone to do it.

    My ongoing guess is that your new ISP knows nothing about the connection in your building, so they'll make the connection to the MDF Board, but after that its on you to make sure theres a connection to your actual room. (Which there might be?) But this is probably the strata or similar trying to get the buyer to co pay the initial installation?

    This could be all wrong but thats my guess.

    • newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 19:53

      No no it was coming from strata, the censored ISP wanted that money to be sent to them.

      I also contacted different ISP , the also had no idea about "new development fee" and only fee they were charging was 99$ for the modem

  • JimmyF on 20/06/2018 - 19:15

    I didnt buy the BS so I contacted other ISP provider and was able to get this done for free! $0 !

    $0 from them…. but a $1000 bill might arrive in the mail still, just not from your connecting ISP

    • newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 19:51

      40$ monthly for 90GB and 0$ upfront and no contract already paid 1 month in advance

      • EmCKay on 20/06/2018 - 20:19

        In Australia we drive on the left, keep to the left on stairs and footpaths and put our $ on the left.

      • JimmyF on 20/06/2018 - 21:41

        Whats this 40$ and 0$ you talk about? Are you holding your money upside down?

  • chumlee on 20/06/2018 - 19:28
    +6

    Do you know what Fraud means?

    • newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 19:51
      -8

      pls dont get away from the topic.

      • JimmyF on 20/06/2018 - 21:42
        +5

        considering you claim fraud in the topic, its well on topic!

    • JimmyF on 20/06/2018 - 21:42

      While I don't disagree with you, the new dev charge is only $300, not $1000 as claimed.

      • newbiesh on 20/06/2018 - 22:53

        indeed.

  • Detective Pikachu on 21/06/2018 - 09:06

    Source:

    The cost of connections vary between estates. The price has been determined by negotiations between your Property Developer and OptiComm. The default fee is $330.00 however we have estates with zero fees and some with higher fees. Please refer to the website or our Customer Service on 1300 137 800 for a quotation of the connection fee for your premises.

    So it seems like OptiComm services aren't standardised to the NBN $300 new development charge, meaning they can charge whatever they want probably (maybe). I'd consider contacting OptiComm about your concerns too.

    For future reference, I'd also consider looking at this list for your ISP choices, as Opticomm is not part of the NBN network as far as I'm aware.

  • HighAndDry on 21/06/2018 - 09:42

    They told you the fee before you signed up. Seems aboveboard to me.

    • TheSmegger on 21/06/2018 - 10:24

      Read it again.

      • HighAndDry on 21/06/2018 - 12:27

        I moved in and they emailed to get the Internet working there is a setup fee of $1000 that developer gonna "pay" some of it and we have to pay off the remaining, this is whats so called "new development" fee

        They contacted OP after move-in, not after sign-up. Obviously OP hadn't signed up yet, because they were able to sign up with another ISP.

  • HeWhoKnows on 21/06/2018 - 12:07

    You sorted it out yourself and got the best deal for yourself. Well done!

    Hence nothing to complain about here.

    But each ISP has their own offer so you were not really being ripped off.
    Some ISPs offer free set up from time to time. others dont.
    You just found an offer that suited you better.

    As the old saying goes - It pays to shop around.

    In the end people just rip off themselves by not comparing offers

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