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A differant topic that you might find interesting.

DO YOU LIVE IN AN BAD TV RECEPTION AREA?

THINKING OF "SWITCHING" FROM OPTUS VISION TO FOXTEL DIGITAL ?

BEFORE YOU SIGN, TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ THE FOLLOWING...

We had been with Optus Vision for a couple of years and were persuaded by a nice young door to door salesman to switch from Optus cable TV to Foxtel Digital Pay TV.

A skilled installation man put a satellite dish on the roof , hooked up a box to our TV,and gave me basic operating instructions.

I signed and now we are Foxtel customers.(for 24 months)

Like a child with a new toy ,I clicked through the channels and what a feast there is ,clear superb pictures,the technology is fantastic.
Until I flicked to channel 7, it was just a black screen, same with 10.

I rang Foxtel and was told that "free to air channels " are not part of the package and are "complimentary" and it's explained in the "terms and conditions."

When I told the lady I assumed Foxtel would have all the "free to air" channels like Optus vision and even their OWN Foxtel cable TV , she said I shouldn't have "assumed."

All we ever wanted was the basic Foxtel package,and the "assumed " free to air channels and now we have a mediocre TV service, and a low opinion of Foxtel's sale's technique.

She couldn't tell me when ,or if the two missing channels would be coming available.

So we've been talked into switching from optus cable ,with all the "free to air " channels and now have to watch 7 and 10 through our roof aerial and have to put up with very poor picture quality.

A bonus or “complimentary” extra is added in advertisements or a sales pitch, for example “Your first two months free” which is in Foxtel's advertisment (DT 9/6/05) as an inducement to sell their product.

Why didn’t the door to door salesman say as an inducement "Not only do you get this fantastic package of channels with Foxtel digital,you also get THREE out of the FIVE "free to air channels" as a bonus at no extra charge.

I don't think he would make much commission from existing Optus Vision subscribers.

I can cancel my contract but that will cost $290

As they are in the "public domain" (on foxtel's website)I can, to save time show you the piece of legal speak that explains why we don't get all the "free to air" channels.
see relevant paragraph

That really makes it very clear. I must've been a bit thick not to realize that this was about "free to air" channels.

Don't you love that word "retransmitted"?

After reading that, all you have to do, if you live in a bad TV reception area and like to also view 7 and 10 clearly, is to cancel before the end of the 10 day "cooling off " period, and stay with Optus cable.

I can't imagine how I missed it in the 18 pages of terms and conditions.
Yes the Foxtel "Terms and conditions" e-mail (I did find later) came off my printer in 18 pages.

I've compared this legal missive with some other quite important documents.
Compare other documents.
It seems you can run a pretty big country reasonably well on the basis of 13 pages.

Foxtel needs 18 pages to let us pay to watch TV.

I faxed my concerns to Foxtel and a request to cancel our contract(at no charge) so we can go back to Optus on 29/5/05
see fax

I received a polite phone call at around 6.30pm Friday 3/6/05 from Foxtel supervisor Rachel, (not the business -like letter or e-mail I expected) and was told that it would cost me to cancel and there was nothing else that could be done.

I would think that Foxtel has covered themselves legally, but the obscure wording of that important "Retransmitted" clause buried in the "terms and conditions" is, I think morally wrong.

How many Optus vision subscribers would "switch" to Foxtel Digital if they were told about the lack of 7 and 10 by any of Foxtel's sales people?

Obviously I should have studied the 18 pages of the "terms and conditions" in time, and if I'd deciphered the Foxtel legal code for "free to air", this sorry state of affairs would have been avoided.

So if you live in an area that has poor TV reception, ask questions before you sign, don't "assume", and tell your friends to ask questions, if they're considering the same move.