TPG Telecom customers say the internet provider is forcing them to transfer their email accounts, including changing their email addresses to a third party called The Messaging Company, they have three weeks to respond or risk losing their emails which has upset many of TPG’s hundreds of thousands of email users.
According to the Financial Review, the move has spurred consumers to raise their case with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).
A user of a TPG email account for more than 20 years, French teacher Christine Moore alerted the ACCC to what the telecom group is doing and said within her communication that TPG is “holding their customers to ransom”.
Moore said in her statement, “An email address is a fundamental part of everyday modern life and business…TPG is treating it as if it is something that can be thrown away without consequence.”
On the other hand, TPG said it is doing its best to ensure consumers have a seamless transition to The Messaging Company.
“From the day we contact customers, we are providing seven weeks for them to opt in to retain their email service, free-of-charge until 15 September 2024,” a TPG spokesman said.
TPG is Australia’s second-biggest provider of internet services after Telstra, and the move to The Messaging Company can disrupt a massive amount of users. Still, TPG customers are not only worried about the inconvenience but the cost.
As of today, much of TPG customers have been told they will be notified of prices at least 60 days before September 15, 2024.
The chief executive of the parent company to The Messaging Company, Atmail, is Dave Richards and he suggested pricing would be around $4. In contrast, The Financial Review uncovered iiNet told customers The Messaging Company would charge $25 for each account transferred during the first year.
The cost could be even higher, as discovered by iiNet customer Michael Will who lodged a complaint in relation to the switch. Eventually and according to Will, TPG crediting him with $160, the cost of two months of internet service.
After the complaint, Will claims he attempted to forward his iiNet emails to an iCloud account, but iiNet said it would soon close its forwarding service.
In contrast to TPG, Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady shared that the group had zero plans to end the use of email accounts under the Telstra Mail and Bigpond umbrella because it recognises the importance of the accounts to their customers.
Brady also claimed that Telstra is constantly looking at ways to improve service, including boosting scam email blocking.
With TPG’s interim results being released this week, we will see if the recent complaints affect profits.
