ADSL customer terms

Connection and installation

Installation of an ADSL service

When you sign up for an ADSL service you’ll be sent a self-installation kit and will have to install the ADSL service yourself at your premises. The self-installation kit includes a wi-fi modem needed to support your ADSL service.

Installation of a limited phone service as part of an ADSL bundle

If your premises does not have an existing phone line on the Telstra network, we may need to install a new line to connect your ADSL bundle. Your standard activation fee will cover the installation of the new line to either the first socket or Main Distribution Frame. You’ll be responsible for the cost of any trenching or additional cabling work. You can either organise this yourself or you can arrange for us to do this for you.

Trenching work will be quoted and charged to you directly by the technician. Additional cabling work, e.g. private internal wiring in an apartment, will also be quoted. We cannot provide you a quote over the phone as the cost of the work is highly variable and dependent on the site and the nature of the work to be completed. We’ll take payment upfront if you choose to proceed with these works.

You’ll need permission from the building owner/manager and landlord for the work to be completed. You’ll also be responsible for negotiating with these parties to cover costs.

If we need to carry out work at your premises to provide you with a limited phone service as part of a bundle, you can nominate a person who is at least 18 years old as your ‘appointed agent’, in which case you acknowledge and agree that:

• we may disclose your personal information to your ‘appointed agent’; and

• your ‘appointed agent’ will on your behalf:

1. be present at the location and at time agreed with us to connect your service;

2. make any decisions necessary to connect your service (including the locations of wiring and wall sockets);

3. accept or reject quotes from us; and

4. accept all charges for the work undertaken by us at the premises.

Signing up for a static IP address

If you sign up for a static IP address, we will assign you an IP address for you to use with your service. That address will not change so long as you keep paying for that static IP address. However, if you cancel your static IP address add- on, we may assign that IP address to another customer. If you sign up again for a static IP address, we cannot promise to assign you the same IP address you had previously.

Transferring a fixed service to Belong

Transfer of a service

If you have a service with another provider, and sign up for a Belong service in place of that service, you must be the legal lessee or an authorised representative on the account in order to transfer that service to Belong. In submitting your order you:

• agree that you’re the account holder of the service or authorised by the account holder to transfer this service to us;

• agree that the information provided to us in signing up for a service is true and correct;

• authorise us to act on your behalf to transfer your service; and

• consent to your current provider disclosing information about your service accounts with them and service numbers to us to effect the transfer to us.

Transferring a phone service to Belong

If you already have a phone service with another provider, and sign up for an ADSL bundle in place of that phone service, you must be the legal lessee or authorised representative in order to transfer that service to Belong. You may be able to retain that number if you request to transfer or ’port’ the number to us. However, we cannot guarantee that you’ll be able to port your number to us.

In submitting your order you:

• request us to switch the telephone number in your order (if any), the telephone service(s) for that number and, if applicable, the line(s) associated with the services, from your current telephone company to us and then connect the selected Bundle, where possible;

• authorise your current telephone company to release you from your current arrangement with them and to provide information about your account(s) and telephone number(s) to us as required for the purposes of the transfer;

• authorise us to act on your behalf with respect to the transfer of the service(s) and, if applicable, the line(s) associated with these services;

• understand that these terms relate to your transfer to us and not to the service(s) provided by your current telephone company; and

• acknowledge that if your telephone number is being transferred from another network, then ADSL or other services associated with your telephone number may be disconnected, resulting in finalisation of your current telephone company's account for those service(s).

Your broadband service will be suspended during transfer

Your broadband service will be suspended during transfer process. This will result in broadband service downtime from when your existing service is cancelled until your Belong service is activated.

You may experience a downtime of between 20 minutes and 4 hours. We’ll try to ensure that the downtime does not exceed this expected timeframe.

Termination fee may be payable and benefits affected

You'll be responsible for any charges you incur under your contract with your current broadband, phone or service provider, as well as any fees (such as termination fees) that arise as a consequence of the transfer. We suggest that you check your contract before signing up with Belong.

Your provider email address

If you’re currently using the email address that was supplied to you by your current provider, you won’t be able to access it once the transfer has occurred, so you should arrange to back up any information before the transfer takes place. As we don’t provide email addresses to our customers, you’ll need to arrange a new email address.

A limited phone service

An ADSL bundle comes with a limited phone service. A limited phone service is not a standard telephone service as defined in Section 6 of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 (Cth).

Calls you can make or receive using a limited phone service

You’ll be able to use your limited phone service to:

• receive calls to your phone service; and

• make outbound local calls and calls to 000, 1223 (free directory assistance), 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers (included calls).

The cost of the included calls is included in the fixed monthly fee for your ADSL bundle. No additional charges will apply for those calls.

Calls you cannot make using a limited phone service

You will not be able to use your limited phone service to make any calls besides the included calls. In particular, you cannot use your limited phone service to make:

• long distance (STD) calls;

• calls to mobile numbers;

• calls to premium services;

• calls to overseas numbers; or

• calls to satellite phones.

You can do so using a calling card which uses a local or 1300, 13 or 1800 access number, or you can use a mobile phone service.

You won’t be able to preselect to another provider for long distance calls, international calls and calls to mobile numbers on your limited phone service. If you would like to preselect those call types, we recommend that you sign up for a Telstra Voice Part service.

Other features of a limited phone service

A limited phone service comes with calling line identification (CLI), which allows a person being called from the phone service to see your phone number if their phone is capable of displaying the number.

A limited phone service also comes with caller number display. If a person calling you has not blocked CLI on their service, you’ll be able to see the number they are calling from, provided your phone is capable of displaying the number. The limited phone service does not include any other enhanced calling features.

Limited phone services only available as part of an ADSL bundle

Our limited phone services are only available as part of an ADSL bundle. If you have an ADSL bundle with us, and cancel your broadband service, your limited phone service will also be cancelled.

You can, however, transfer your phone service to another provider who provides services on the Telstra network, and still receive a broadband service from us.

Priority Assistance not available from Belong

We don’t offer Priority Assistance services with your limited phone service. If you require Priority Assistance, we recommend that you obtain a Telstra phone service.

Silent Lines not available from Belong

We also don’t offer Silent Lines. We can put you on a No Entry Line so your phone number won’t be listed in the White Pages print, online and mobile directories, but this won’t provide the full range of features of a Silent Line. If you want a Silent line to ensure that your name, phone number and address won’t appear in any Directory Assistance database and Calling Line Identification is blocked, we recommend that you get a Telstra phone service.

Telephone numbers

The Telecommunications Numbering Plan sets out rules for issuing, transferring and changing telephone numbers. Both we and you must comply with the Telecommunications Numbering Plan, as relevant to our provision of a service to you, and your use of that service.

When a phone number is assigned to your phone service, you do not own that number. However, you’re entitled to:

• use the telephone number, except where the Telecommunications Numbering Plan allows us to take the number from you; and

• transfer a telephone number to another person if you get our consent first.

Charges

Billing periods

Our billing period runs from the 1st of each month, until the last day of that month.

Charges for your service

You must pay for activation of your service and modem on the date you sign up. These costs are not refundable if you subsequently withdraw your order for a Belong service.

All monthly charges are payable in advance.

You must pay the monthly charge for your selected service starting from:

• the date your service is activated, if your service is activated on the 1st of the month; or

• the first of the month following the date your service is activated, if your service is not activated on the first of the month, until the date specified on the invoice.

We try to include all charges relating to a billing period on that bill. Where that does not happen, bills may include charges from previous billing periods as long as we comply with the billing requirements in the Communications Alliance Code – Telecommunications Consumer Protections (C628).

Payment methods

You must pay for your service using direct debit from your credit card or a PayPal™ account. We may make other billing methods available from time to time.

Overdue payments

If you do not pay an invoice on the first, we’ll send you a reminder notice on the 5th.

If your bill remains outstanding 10 days after you receive a reminder notice by sms, your service will be suspended and you won’t be able to use your service. We’ll send a notice notifying you that your service has been suspended and warning you that it will be disconnected. If 10 days after receiving a disconnection warning by sms your bill remains outstanding, your service will be disconnected.

Financial hardship

We recognise that sometimes unforeseen events in your life, such as sudden illness or loss of employment, may affect your ability to pay us for services you have used. If you’re experiencing financial hardship which is affecting your ability to pay an amount which is due for your service, please contact us

Taxes

The charges for your service may not include all taxes. You must pay any applicable taxes that we include as part of your invoice for your service. Applicable taxes may include any stamp and other duties, fees, taxes (including GST) and charges relating to your purchase of the modem or your service. GST may be imposed on a supply we make to you under these terms. We’ll issue a Tax Invoice to you for any supply on which GST is imposed.

Changing your plan size

You can change your plan size to another available plan size at any time but only once a month.

If you increase your plan size, you’ll receive the extra data allowance straight away, and the new monthly charge for your plan will apply from the next month.

If you reduce your plan size, we’ll move you to the smaller plan size at the start of the next month, and your new monthly charge and data allowance will apply from the next month.