Whirlpool

Heard this on the News. At least for the next week. Land lines only I am sure.

www.news.com.au/heraldsu...5021-662,00.html

It would be a nice corporate gesture for the other major carriers to do the same.

If anyone has friends or family in Burma they have not heard from, I wish you all the best of luck. Free calls may help in this difficult time.

good to see

wait for the negative telstra haters to put their spin on this

they will be along shortly, I am sure.

well the skeptic in us says that telstra are only providing this free service to look benevolent, because in reality many burmese phone lines are down and a call that cannot get through wont cost them anything!

www.telstra.com.au/about...m?ObjectID=42358

Telstra historically have provided free call to friends and families in countries where there have been natural or civil disasters.

It's certainly not the case of analysing the chance of a call going through, and only offering free calls to countries where there's a low chance of the call going through.

Assailant writes...

well the skeptic in us says that telstra are only providing this free service to look benevolent

didnt take long

because in reality many burmese phone lines are down and a call that cannot get through wont cost them anything!

you guys are amazing.

Lee writes...

It's certainly not the case of analysing the chance of a call going through, and only offering free calls to countries where there's a low chance of the call going through.

That said, the odds of Burma's tin can and string network being up right now is pretty low ...

Typical Telstra snow job, trying to make themselves look like heroes when they're really not that great ...

Tone. writes...

Typical Telstra snow job, trying to make themselves look like heroes when they're really not that great

or seriously trying to help but of course get knocked for every move they make

what have you done to help?

Telstra has always provided a free call service immediatly after a natural disaster.

How ever I would prefer low rates all year round, then to wait for a tragedy before you can afford to make an overseas call

Telstra obviously organised the cyclones so that they could grandstand around with this free calls business, typical case of Sol taking the innocents for a ride I say.

Tone. writes...

Typical Telstra snow job, trying to make themselves look like heroes when they're really not that great ...

Please advise other URL's to other phone companies that are doing this then or stop trolling.

The cynic in me says this was put up by Telstra fanbois to garnish the expected response.

On a serious note if Telstra provide this kind of thing for things like times during the Bali Bombing, recent areas of natural disaster or conflict good on them. Nice to see... Like most major corporations they have a charitable arm.

However free calls to burma has no bearing on the telecommunications landscape and how it should be governed.

edit: isn't there already a website for telstra corporate spin

giproblue writes...

The cynic in me says this was put up by Telstra fanbois to garnish the expected response.

I feel this is offensive, but thanks for your opinion. That is what a forum is for, I accept it.

I feel that a Government scheme should exist, possibly as an aspect of carrier licensing where a Minister can declare all traffic to a natural disaster zone free no matter what carrier it leaves Australia on. Obviously for a limited period of time, as pointed out above it would not cost very much once such a scheme is introduced.

Might be nice if the family's of those volunteering for aid agency's overseas could access the scheme for an extended period of time.

For the record I was told about Telstra's offer by a close Burmese friend who has family in Burma including the delta. He has made contact with family members in Rangoon who have indicated that they have had word that all of the family is accounted for thankfully.

To add a further wrinkle to this: The ordinarily high tariff to Myanmar is a result of the high termination rate (around 33c/min) charged by the MPT (the sole Telecomms provider, entirely owned and run by the Military government)
That is to say, every phone call you make is funneling money in to supporting the military regime -- Money which they're using to keep their grip on power.
So, whilst I don't doubt that Telstra were motivated by compassion (and some good PR for a change), this is a bit of a double edged sword.
I know many people have been avoiding Myanmar as a tourist destination out of concerns of their spending aiding the military regime, using the Telecomms Infrastructure to call friends in the country carries the same sort of considerations

LG

digizone writes...

I feel that a Government scheme should exist, possibly as an aspect of carrier licensing where a Minister can declare all traffic to a natural disaster zone free no matter what carrier it leaves Australia on. Obviously for a limited period of time, as pointed out above it would not cost very much once such a scheme is introduced.

Why, this is ridculous to suggest and unworkable especially for the smaller carriers.

If someone you know is in an area that has had a disaster and you want to contact them does it make any difference if it costs you $5 or $0 or $50 for that matter.

You could also argue that by allowing unlimited free calls you are risking the lives of people in that area by using up valuable lines where there may only be reduced capacity.

What next do you want the government to force the airlines to carry family to the area for free?

Or the courier companies to be forced to carry deliveries for free?

Why not force the food companies to send food for free as well.

For the record I was told about Telstra's offer by a close Burmese friend who has family in Burma including the delta.

And he wouldn't have called without Telstra's offer???????

Tone. writes...

That said, the odds of Burma's tin can and string network being up right now is pretty low ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma
Population: 55,390,000 (2005-2006)

www.abc.net.au/news/stor...5/08/2239022.htm
80,000 confirmed Dead at this stage.

That leads me to beleive that its not the entire country wiped out... So i can assume that they still have telecommunications available in the country.

Typical Telstra snow job, trying to make themselves look like heroes when they're really not that great ...

Why aren't they 'Great' ? they are providing a free service for australians to try and contact relatives in Burma ? is your ISP/Phone provider doing that? .. what defines Great in your opinon in this act? what should Telstra do in this situation to be 'Great' in your books ?

giproblue writes...

edit: isn't there already a website for telstra corporate spin

www.nowwearetalking.com.au

Tone. writes...

Typical Telstra snow job, trying to make themselves look like heroes when they're really not that great ...

Yeah, you're quite right. They shouldn't offer this service. Or at least they should offer the service but not tell anyone about it.

giproblue writes...

edit: isn't there already a website for telstra corporate spin

So all posts here on Telstra must be negative and if it's positive, it's spin?

That's ridiculous

snakeskin8 writes...

So all posts here on Telstra must be negative and if it's positive, it's spin?

No, but the nowwearetalking website is a corporate spin site. I've emailed them in the past, they've modified my email to suit themselves, and then replied "yes, I agree with you". That's corporate spin.

Tezmyster writes...

but the nowwearetalking website is a corporate spin site. I've emailed them in the past,

which has what to do with not charging people to call their family/friends at this time?

drahcir writes...

which has what to do with not charging people to call their family/friends at this time?

The thread involved into that, but it's still a form of corporate spin. On one hand Telstra is providing this service for free which is great, but on the other hand they're ignoring the plight of rural Australians by cutting their mobile service and providing what has been described as an inadequate substitute. Telstra give themselves an impression of being a company for the people of Australia, when really all they want is the $'s.

Tezmyster writes...

On one hand Telstra is providing this service for free which is great

which is what this thread is about

but on the other hand they're ignoring the plight of rural Australians by cutting

then start another thread regarding this, it has nothing to do with the other

telstra damned if they do damned if they dont

Tezmyster writes...

Telstra give themselves an impression of being a company for the people of Australia, when really all they want is the $'s.

So wouldn't you take them up on their offer of free calls? It still costs them to terminate the calls.