topic Re: Can call Australia but the Government in Get Support

Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 21:41:42 GMT

I added the international add-on few days ago because I need to give one of the government agency a call and also some other friends. Which calling my friends were OK, my calls to the government agency were all blocked. It says the talk is not included in the plan.

What's happening?

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

yuongmic — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 06:54:39 GMT

Did you run out of pre-paid minutes?

The pre-recorded message is a generic one, so the terminology might not be accurate.
Did you use up all your long-term minutes?

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

mm80 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 07:24:03 GMT

@Tankiun234 Did you add the free add-on or pay $15? The $15 international add-on doesn't include calling to Canada.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

geopublic — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 07:43:09 GMT

@Tankiun234 Make sure you are dialing the correct number.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

darlicious — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 12:58:13 GMT

@Tankiun234

Another user reported this issue....it has to do with the numbers being the equivalent of a 1 800 number that cant be used by foreign phone numbers. See if your friends or family can supply you with a local number for that government agency or try an international calling card.

Edit:

@Tankiun234 as i thought the owner of a toll free number can choose whether or not they will accept international calls and from which countries.

see below

I know this solution is solved but to answer why the OP couldn't dial that number is because "1300" number is a toll free number valid in Australia only. Same with 1800 number. Equivalent to 1-800, 1-888, etc in Canada/North America. And how you shouldn't be able to call our toll free numbers from overseas.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 17:08:13 GMT

Only used 45 out of 300 minutes. Still have time.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 17:05:57 GMT

I called my friends and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the calls are all fine.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 17:06:37 GMT

I did, thanks.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 17:12:09 GMT

I see, that makes sense. It's kind of weird that the website of Mygov specifically ask people from overseas to call 1 300 number though. They do have another phone number that's domestic I think, I'll just add +61 before that? I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

computergeek541 — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 18:23:51 GMT

@Tankiun234 wrote:
I see, that makes sense. It's kind of weird that the website of Mygov specifically ask people from overseas to call 1 300 number though. They do have another phone number that's domestic I think, I'll just add +61 before that? I'll give it a try. Thanks.

In that case, while 1-300 phone nubmers are toll free numbers, I'm not familar if there are restrictions about where those numbers can be called from. As per Contact us - myGov , yes, they say to dial the number fron outside Australia as +611300169468, but I would go ahead and find a regular phone number to call. A regular number should work.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 05:33:33 GMT

Hey, thank you.

I'll try to find a regular number.

Some moderator(s?) is also helping me, but I don't know how they are going to help, they haven't actually mentioned any solution yet🤷‍♂️

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 19:25:09 GMT

Hey,

I just tried another phone number of theirs. Funny thing happened.

The phone number is 132307, and I added +61 to call them. The first call was actually ringing and then it got cut off 20 seconds later. I tried 2 more calls after that, and it was the same block I have for calling the other number that starts with 1300.

🤨what? I'm very confused.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

darlicious — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 03:22:29 GMT

@Tankiun234

Can you email them and ask for contact numbers? Or suggestions for contact?

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 20:57:54 GMT

I did that, left a message on their Twitter... hope they'll read it and reply something useful.

On the other hand, the moderators replied, said it's impossible to call 1300 numbers. I also asked about the number 132307, they pretty much replied " no idea."

Calling the government agency is why I got the add-on, and I have no idea that's not included... So that is that...

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

whyveeare — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:04:21 GMT

@Tankiun234

Maybe try using Skype to call that 1300 number. I use Skype all the time to call 1-800 numbers in North America when I'm traveling overseas.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

darlicious — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:21:54 GMT

@Tankiun234

That's a good point....the terms and condition clearly spell out the exchanges you cannot call in the US and its known (I'm not sure its stated) that international "1-800" numbers may incur/require a long distance charges/add on so a cavaet should be included with the australia long distance add on.

If that add on really is of no use to you maybe you can ask to trade it in or get a credit from the moderators and raise the issue to pm management that 1300 numbers are inaccessible via the add on......its worth a try and at the very least inform the next buyer of its limitations.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 06:38:47 GMT

I'll try the Skype thing, thank you!

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 06:39:26 GMT

Yes! Thank you! I'll see what I can do

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

whyveeare — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 06:53:55 GMT

@Tankiun234

I just made a test call using Skype to an Australian 1300 number (in this case the Australian tax office). No problem at all to get through. But kind of pricey, $0.32/min. Sort of a reverse toll-free call, which is quite common in many countries. Especially when calling government offices.

Re: Can call Australia but the Government

Tankiun234 — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 05:51:21 GMT

After tons of googling, I found another phone number that call sort of detour me to the service I am trying to access. I might not need to Skype anymore, but we'll in a few days.

The Skype thing seems very neat though.