Aged mother is in a tizz. Her phone company (Tellnet) went into liquidation late last week leaving her without phone or more importantly her Safety Link connection. She thought it was simply her phone out of order and tried at the Post Office to report it. In the end she went to the electrician next door who checked for her and gave her the news. Luckily for her they hold the Safety Link contract so arranged for a new one that doesn't need a fixed line. So that was the major thing she was worried about. My brother who lives an hour away came over and bought a simple mobile that the family can use to ring her on. When I was there I made a list of the requirements for her new phone and then yesterday she went to the reseller to see about getting a new phone company. That didn't go well. She needs 100 points of ID - fair enough, but she has to have photo ID. Drivers licence? Passport? Proof of Age card? She's 95 and has none of these. So then there were forms from the PO and Vic Roads which needed her full birth certificate and marriage certificate to be certified. She had these the other week for another transaction (which was it's own drama) but now can't find them and was in a bit of a state. Also seems that she can't keep her original number which makes it very hard as she will need to contact lots of people/businesses. Also told she must have the new phone through the NBN. She decided she was not going to even think about it now till next week which is good.
Talking with my brother and we've decided he will get the account on in his name but just have the bill sent to her place. He will go over on Tuesday and sort it out. The easiest and least stressful solution by far I think. It just seems that the process has been made deliberately difficult for a situation out of the consumer's control.
