Mobile Voice Product Information

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Mobile Voice > Sales Information


Contents

Coverage

Who is the underlying carrier of mobile services?

Exetel uses only Optus as its upstream mobile Network carrier.


How do I check availability of Mobile services?

Exetel use Optus as the mobile carrier and therefore Exetel’s network covers 97% of the Australian Population. For more specific information on coverage, please contact us or use the following link http://www.exetel.com.au/hspa-service-availability.php


Plans and Applying

What are the currently available mobile plans?

Please visit http://www.exetel.com.au/residential-mobile-cap-plans.php to find out all details of currently available mobile plans .


How do I apply for a mobile plan?

You can apply for mobile plans by following one of these methods.

  • If you are a new customer:

Please visit http://www.exetel.com.au/residential-mobile-cap-plans.php and click on the order button of the required plan.

  • If you are an existing customer:

You can order mobile services from your members facility area.


What is the provisioning process for a mobile service?

The provisioning process for a mobile service is given below.

  • Ordering the service & posting the SIM

Once you have ordered a mobile service from our website, your details are entered in our database. Verification of billing is done within 2-3 working days. Once this is done your SIM will be dispatched and you will be notified via Email and SMS. If you are in the Sydney metropolitan area, this should take just one business day upon confirmation of shipment. To other areas of Australia, it may take 2-3 business days.

  • Provisioning a new mobile service

Provisioning of the mobile service is fully automated. Once your SIM is delivered you should also receive details to login to your secure user facilities to activate your service. Activation of a new service takes between 15-60 mins.


What do I need to do if I want to change my phone to an iPhone?

You may request for a micro SIM for a charge of $20 through members facility to use in your iPhone.


Handsets

Does Exetel sell mobile handsets?

Yes we have selected mobile handsets to be sold from time to time, please visit https://www.exetel.com.au/modemorder/index.php


I am on an Exetel mobile phone plan and want to buy a new phone. Can I buy an Optus pre-paid phone and use my existing SIM card?

Before using Exetel provided SIM card on a mobile phone provided by Optus, you have to check with Optus whether they need their SIM card to be used on the phones sold by them or not.


Short Messaging Service (SMS)

How does SMS work?

If you are in an Optus Mobile coverage area and your phone is switched on, you will be alerted that a message has arrived by a sound and/or vibration (depending on your handset setting) plus a Message Waiting Indicator will appear on the screen of the handset. You simply enter 'Mail' or your 'Message' menu to read the message – you can then delete it and/or reply with your own SMS message or a voice call .

Functionality includes:

International SMS: A great way to keep in touch with friends and family overseas

Group SMS: An easy way to send the same SMS text message to up to 20 people at the same time from a mobile.


What are the restrictions for SMS?

You should be aware of the following restrictions for SMS:

Text Messages can be a maximum of 160 characters. Currently there is no option for you to block your number when sending an SMS message. When a message is sent from a customer's handset, your mobile number is automatically sent. The receiver of the message will be able to view the sender's mobile number with the message on the screen of their handset. This will always occur even if you have an unlisted mobile number; a number not published in any Telephone Directory Service and/or Call Line Identitfication (CLI) Outgoing switched off.

Once the handset memory is full, you will no longer be able to receive SMS messages. You should be advised to delete messages that are not important, so space is not taken up on the memory of your handset.


Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS)

What is an MMS?

MMS, or Multimedia Messaging Service, is a flexible messaging service that enables customers with compatible MMS handsets to send and receive sound, images, animated images and video from their handset. They can send to one or more MMS handsets, legacy (non MMS) handsets and email addresses.


How does MMS work?

The MMS service uses the same network used for voice calls. It uses GPRS or HSPA as a bearer for the traffic. To send an MMS you should have a MMS capable handset with MMS settings and be in an Optus coverage area.

When an MMS is sent, the sending party is charged a fee for sending the MMS. Customers will receive the MMS network settings when they insert their Service Provider Sim Card into their handset. In case these settings are not received, please call Exetel on 0280301000 or email residentialsupport@exetel.com.au . Once the handset is set up it is advisable to send a MMS message to your own number. This auto provisions the final part of the activation process. When a message is received the handset will automatically download the MMS; similarly, when sending an MMS, the user will see the handset initiate a connection to send the message.


Who Can Use MMS?

MMS is available to any customer on an Exetel (Optus supplied) service. The service is not available to MobileSat (when in GSM mode Thuraya handsets support MMS) customers, or any customer who is barred from sending and/or receiving MMS.

Supported Formats: Formats supported by Optus MMS-compatible mobile phones vary dependant on the customer's handset. Supported formats including the following:

Photos/Pictures: JPEG, GIF, WBMP Animations: Animated GIF Sound: AMR Text: TXT Video: 3GP


Is there a limit on the size of MMS messeges?

MMS standards do not specify a maximum size for an MMS message. Message size can be limited by the capability of the handset to receive and store large files. Typical MMS size is around 30-100kb.

Recipients without MMS-compatible phones will receive legacy (non-MMS) handset notification, not MMS messages.

Customers switching from an MMS-compatible handset to a non-MMS-compatible handset will receive SMS messages with mixed up symbols if someone sends them an MMS. This is only rectified by contacting Exetel on 0280301000 or emailing (residentialsuport@exetel.com.au) for us to contact our upstream provider (Optus) to update your profile to a legacy handset.


What are the recommended generic MMS settings?

MMS settings are as follows;

  • Proxy address : 61.88.190.10
  • Proxy port : 8070
  • Access Point Name (APN) : mms
  • Network type: IPv4
  • Authentication type: Normal
  • User name: blank
  • Password: blank


I was billed for MMS but my mobile plan included MMS, what can I do?

Please email billing@exetel.com.au if you have any queries on MMS charges.


Premium SMS

What is a Premium SMS?

Premium SMS is a special SMS type, where the pricing of it is decided by a third party.

Example; When voting for a reality television show via SMS, the price of the SMS is usually decided by the hosting party and not by Exetel.


Premium SMS and MMS Barring

Regulations regarding the ability for customers to request the barring of premium SMS and MMS services came into effect from 1 July 2010.

Customers can refer to The Telecommunications Service Provider (Mobile Premium Services) Determination 2010, made by The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) As a provider of mobile services, Exetel is responsible to comply with the determination and has decided to bar all premium SMS and MMS by default on provisioning of the service.

This is to mitigate consumer complaints which are prevalent in the industry for these functions. Information concerning the Telecommunications Service Provider (Mobile Premium Services) Determination can be found on the ACMA website.


Activating Premium SMS and MMS

As an Exetel customer, if you would like Premium SMS and MMS services restored for use, please log in to your Exetel Members Facilities.

Select Premium SMS Barring


PremSMS01.jpg


Read the information carefully and set a Spend Limit.


PremSMS02.jpg


Click on Update Premium SMS Spend Limit


You may also contact residential support.


Where can I find more information about the premium SMS number?

Visit http://www.19sms.com.au/ to find Premium SMS numbers (short codes) providing details about the service and service provider, including name, pricing, frequency and help desk numbers.


Premium Services

What are premium services?

Premium services are content or live advice services which can be accessed by making a phone call, by messaging (e.g., SMS) or via a data connection from your mobile phone. Premium services numbers usually start with 188X, 19X, 190X, or an international number, for example 0011.

Examples of premium services are sex services, psychic lines, weather services, voting lines for TV shows or competition lines, chat services or ring tones. Premium services can also include high school test result hot lines.

Proprietary network services also offer access to premium data services. Examples of such premium services include news updates, sports or weather reports, ring tones or wallpaper.


How can I be charged for premium services?

You can be charged for premium services in several ways:

  • Flat rate - this is where you are charged a fixed amount for each call you make. It is a good idea to keep track of how many calls you make as the cost can quickly add up.
  • Timed rate - this is where your calls are timed and charged at a rate per minute or per 30 second rate. A fixed set up or connection fee may also apply. Keeping track of how long you spend on the call will help to keep your costs to a minimum.
  • By data volume - this is where you are charged according to the amount of data you download from or via a proprietary network.

You should always check the cost of the premium service before you use it. It is also a good idea to keep track of how many calls you make, or how often you access these services, and how long they last as the cost can quickly add up possibly creating financial difficulty where the cost of using premium services is unexpectedly greater than the amount you may have budgeted for.


Liability for cost

You are usually responsible for the cost of any calls made from your phone, including calls made by family and friends, even when made without your knowledge. There have been scams relating particularly to premium services and the sending of text messages. Please read Exetel’s Terms & Conditions (http://www.exetel.com.au/mobile_terms_conditions.htm) thoroughly concerning this. Note: If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment and wish to make calls to premium service numbers via the National Relay Service, then you must have an account with Australian Communication Exchange (ACE) and you will be charged for the calls.


What steps can you take to lessen the risk of high, unexpected bills for premium services?

To mitigate the risk of high bills for premium services, you should be fully aware of these premium call costs.

Exetel has limited barring options. We are only able to bar the GPRS service, International calls, Global Roaming or place a broad administration bar on all calls, in the case of a lost or stolen handset. We cannot, for instance, just bar calls to 190 numbers.


Mobile Plan Changes

How can I change my current mobile plan?

You may change over to one of the newly available mobile plans through your member’s facility

Go to Mobile broadband/mobile >> Mobile change plans >> select the service number >> select and apply for a plan change.


How long does it take to change the mobile plans?

Mobile plan changes will come in to effect with your next billing cycle.


How much is the mobile plan change fee?

Plan change fee will be displayed in the member’s facility. This fee will change from time to time.


Is there a downtime for my current mobile connection when I change plans?

No. There is no downtime for mobile plan changes as it will be an automated process.


Will I be on a contract when I change my mobile plan?

Applicable contract term for mobile plan changes will be displayed in your member’s facility.