Got an email from Telstra -
Credit Me 2 U
You'll no longer be able to transfer credit from one account to another. However, until 13 October, we've increased your maximum transfer limit to $200 per transfer, up to a maximum $1,000 per day, to enable you to transfer your balance before then, if you want to.
blue light of my Nokia
8250
Accidentally opening up a web page and seeing your credit drop by heaps.
Good times.
And… Telstra Air is gone from my Prepaid. :+(
Most telstra plans and offers have no excess charges anymore, so credit u 2 me isn't as important as it used to be, provided you're on one of the unlimited plans or prepaid offers.
Are there any current mobile plans that can receive credit me 2 u for the purpose of recharging? I have a data plan with credit that has no tangible benefit to me.
For the purpose of recharging, I don't believe so.
CreditMe2U being removed is a bummer - have lots of credit. But the biggest impact is that international roaming stops working on Telstra prepaid plans on 13 Oct. Imagine those stuck overseas now. Or those who signed up because global roaming was an important consideration.
Personally, I am looking to change over to some other provider since roaming is important for things like internet banking, etc. I know Wi-Fi Calling is supposed to allow calling and SMS to get through (provided you have the right phones), but not having used/tested it before, I won't feel comfortable relying on it to work and will only find out while overseas.
Telstra are giving pro-rata refunds for anyone claiming the plans no longer suitable with this change so I'd say that's fair.
From what is published, the partial refund applies rather narrowly with respect to International Roaming, i.e.
It does not specifically cover circumstances beyond these. Also, the partial refund is in relation to the recharge amount, not the credits. For instance, if you have accumulated lots of credits in the past, with the intent to use for extending plan life, or international roaming. Since this is no longer possible, it is still a rather disappointing turn of event.
Fairness is the least of the issue here, it is impact and inconvenience to those affected. Imagine if you are the one stuck overseas now, on a plan that is supposed to have roaming, and now cut off. What a hassle. (Although, arguably, this is the best time to do something like this, since the number of affected people would be at its lowest).
And to a lesser extent, it is still a hassle for those of us now having to port to another mobile company that offers international roaming.
Why are they allowing $1000 to be transferred per day if you cant do anything with it?
@tunzafun001: They can still be used, just not what we save them for. They certainly can still be used for local data, calls, etc.
But so many other providers also offer cheap plans and deals for domestic use, more economical than what Telstra charges. Up till now, I would save these credits for use overseas, and use some cheaper local plan here instead (like Belong). These tend not to support global roaming as well.
I am thinking of porting to Aldi Mobile - they support global roaming. I have only ever ported once or twice a while back. But some OzB'ers do this frequently, so hope the process is smooth and easy :-)
@bluesky: But you can't cash out your credit? Or use it to buy an alternative plan?
As for porting. I always keep the Telstra simplicity, but port around another. The only ports I have had trouble with are into Telstra (up to 4 days) Optus (28 days!). All in all, reasonably smooth.
@tunzafun001: Pretty sure the credits cannot be used to buy an alternative plan. Even if possible, I am already on Long Life - which works best. I can buy Plus Packs though, although again not much use. I already have another plan for local use.
I came across someone on whirlpool saying one can try and get some sort of refund for the credits. But you know how these things go – if it is not explicitly in their policy, you are basically relying on their goodwill, and it takes time and effort. So, honestly, I cannot be bothered. All I care about is an easy port to a provider that supports roaming. I hope for those who can be bothered, that they do get something back from Telstra.
BTW, I am pretty sure I came across something here in the past, that if you are porting between Telstra and MVNOs that use the Telstra network, it can take a long time (days). And it is better to port out, say to Optus first, then port in to Aldi, since Aldi uses the Telstra network.
Is that your understanding? Have you had experience with this, and is it true? Thanks.
@bluesky: Sorry, never ported to a Telstra reseller before. But will likely chose Aldi pay as you go or Boost 365 day plan.
The $30 Optus prepaid kits are currently $5 at the moment, so I'll take your advice and use that first.
@tunzafun001: Great deal this $5 Optus.
Part of me just wants to do one port and be done. I have even ordered the Aldi Sim.
If the account is true, that porting between Telstra and Telstra resellers involves more delays, and you may not be able to send/receive calls for longer, then taking advantage of this Optus deal is a great idea. But it still involves another port later to Aldi (something this porting novice is not keen :-))
I might do a bit more searching to see if more people have talked about this issue.
@tunzafun001: Found quite a few references to this issue - so taking the same route as you. To Optus first.
This thread in Telstra Crowdsupport may be helpful:
https://crowdsupport.telstra.com.au/t5/network-roaming/inter…
Thanks for the thread. I feel for the people stuck overseas facing this issue at the moment.
Someone mentioned this: that ALDI prepaid, which is on the Telstra network, may also get rid of global roaming - something I never seriously consider.
Quite possible, come to think of it. Although no news of this so far.
Edit: Gave them a call, but cust rep does not know/cannot say anyway.
You may want to keep following that thread if international roaming and text messaging is important - someone reported that they are using it in Japan and when I get an Iphone SE second generation, I will be testing it while I am overseas as well :-)
Thanks. Yeap good idea - will be following other people's experiences on this :-)
I have tested the Telstra Wi-Fi Calling/SMS on a iPhone SE 2020 edition while I am roaming internationally and it works to get text messages and phone calls from and to Australian numbers.
Very good to hear - thanks for the update.
How do you call someone in Telstra. Tried all week, can't work out how to get an actual person?
Have you tried online chat? Perhaps easier to get someone that way.
yeah, they answered 1 question every 8 minutes! Telstra is the new Kogan!
That is frustrating. Sorry to hear. Not sure how else you can go about it.
Call 132200 and navigate the system. I got through to a very rude foreign-accented operator one minute, and a very helpful operator from Adelaide the next.
I could never get to actual person. Always ended with a 'text sent', followes by it hanging up. Don't suppose you know the 'path' you took?
Obviously different sections will have different paths. My path for talking to an operator re CreditMe2U enquiry:
@alvian: Still just hangs up for me following this process. But I'm calling from my Optus Sim. Maybe the actual telstra sim will connect to an operator.
@alvian: Gahhhhh, using my Telstra Sim this time and I still can't get through to a person. The list above directed me to using a recharge voucher ? Tried by entering my number manually and it directs me differently .. then hangs up! Tried all other options and always ends in with them just hanging up.
No way I'm sticking with Telstra with this rubbish.
@tunzafun001: I have no idea mate. I just tried my steps again and I joined the operator queue no problem.
@alvian: Cheers. I spoke to someone in the Telstra store and they said the menu direction changes dependent on current customer demand load. The British sounding menu is the worst. Basically says 'go online'..goodbye. She also said call later and when you get to the voice prompt say "complaint", and you should get a person…time will tell.
Telstra store can't deal with old plans ending, they said via phone is the only way.
How did Telstra get so bad
@alvian: Saying complaints gets you a text telling you what a complaint is… then it hangs up….face palm!
I understand that normally you retain your number for 6(?) months after the plan or credit expires, and can still receive SMS messages.
During these 6 months, can you still port your number out? Or must the porting be done prior to the plan/credit expiry?
Would appreciate info on this if anyone knows. Thanks.
Today is supposedly the last day for refunds, and supposedly creditme2u finalised on 13th. However, Telstra chat told me my simplicity plan will continue as normal and I just tried a credit me 2 U and it works??
tunzafun001. I am still on my simplicity plan too. But I can't use creditme2u because when I dial #100# and go through all the steps as far as putting in the phone number I want to transfer money to, a long list of dollar amounts comes up from $1 to $200. Underneath this, it says 00 Home. Here, it does NOT provide me with a space which I can click so the keyboard comes up so I can write in a dollar amount. Please tell me how you accessed creditme2u. How did you do it? Thanks.
I have seen this problem you describe before - and in my case, it has to do with the phone being an old Android 5.1. I changed it to a phone with a newer Android and it was fine.
Even if I use the separator '*' and put in the complete sequence hoping to bypass the problem - e.g., #100*1*4*phone number*1#
the interface will still require an input '1' as verification for the request. And there is still no way to bring up the keyboard to type in this verification.
So the easiest way was just to change to a newer phone.
I don't know if this is your problem, but worth a try.
Thank you so much tunzafun001, jackofspade & bluesky. Success! This is how I did it in the end: #10014phone number1*1# (then press the phone icon to dial). It then comes up with 'Enter 1 to confirm transferring $1 of your credit to (phone number)' with a space to click so the keyboard comes up, then you can click on 1 and send. (Note the extra *1 at the end of the sequence - the first of these two 1s is the number of dollars you want to transfer). Thanks again, would never have got this without you. Btw, I have an Android 6.0.1 phone.
Please note, there is an asterisk (*) after the 100, the 1, the 4, the phone number, the 1, (but not after the 1 just before the #). For some reason they don't all come up on the message.
Oh great it works for you. For me, I did try your method, but it did not work - and still asked for another verification, with no way to enter.
BTW My other Android 6.1, just a bit higher than yours, was OK :-)
Well, now the creditme2u option has officially gone from my menu options.
From mine, too.
Its gone on Freedom Plus plan too.
Apply for a refund?
Is it still 6 months to recharge before Telstra disconnect your service?
Aw, I miss this. Back when I was a little one, and used to get friends to send me or I'd send friends a dollar in high-school for that 1c text, so was like 100 messages which felt like quite a lot so we could keep on chatting, while I texted under the covers so parents didn't see the blue light of my Nokia emanating from my room past 12.