From telstra website

Payment Administration Fee

“We have listened to customer feedback and have made a decision to stop charging the $2.20 administration fee for bill payments made through the mail or in person at a Telstra Shop or Australia Post. See the details of this announcement.

We are currently implementing system changes to remove the $2.20 administration fee and will provide current customers with refunds in the coming months for any $2.20 administration fees they paid to Telstra since the new charge was introduced on 14 September 2009.

You do not need to call Telstra about this, as a refund for any $2.20 administration fees you have paid will be automatically applied as a credit to your current customer account with Telstra.”

Mr Thodey said Telstra would honour its commitment to a special offer of up to $50 Cash Back through to the end of December 2009 on selected Telstra Shop product purchases for customers who continue to sign up for direct debit payment options.

As the leader in australian   telecom sector makes a better move towards customer service , just like Nab did as well removing unpopular  fees   customers were getting charged, we hope  that  Other companies like optus  Also follow suit instead of charging customers $2.20 for them to pay their own mobile bill . I was  very pissed off when i noticed this on my bill recently.

Here is some  comments on this on another forum :

http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=765500

Optus to charge $2.20 for each paper bill??

..where the hell did they pull that out from?..
From 1st May each paper bill will hav addtional $2.20 surchage.
Will be considerng another phone & ISP company now..its BS.
Anyone other company doing this? or this is common practise now?

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But I’ll bet your bill is not reduced by the amount of the new charge. It’s just another way to get more money out of you while claiming it’s saving you money. Did the letter let out a waft of poo smell when you opened it?
Regards,
g@z.

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who wins? certainly not the customer.
If they want online bills they should offer a $2.20 discount to switch to it not charge you for paper bills.

 

-Death

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How about the thousands of people who don’t / cant use the internet?
I found signing up to get the paper bills a bit of a pain. That myaccount system for optus is annoying! It was down for a week when I first tried signing up too.

 

-Plastik8

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I can’t believe the number of people defending a blatant price gouge. Is anyone trying to say that it actually costs Optus $2.20 to print a paper bill?
Or is it rather that arbitrary and unjust charges are somehow acceptable?
Sure most people have an option. But should they be forced to do it?
If Optus implemented a policy where they would add $50 to your bill for holding your phone in your right hand then the solution is easy – use your left hand! But how stupid to suggest this as being reasonable.
I have had the pleasure of working for optus, and I have questioned similar decisions in the past, and have been assured it was about revenue raising and there was no justification for the cost.
What a bizarre, bizarre world we live in that people are content with that – not just complacent about it but will condescendingly defend it!
Just… wow.

 

-Rush

Article from http://www.theage.com.au/national/optus-bill-fee-to-hit-poor-20090323-97hn.html

CONSUMER advocates say that new fees for people who prefer to receive their phone bills by mail will hurt low-income earners who do not have access to the internet.

From May 1, Optus will charge mobile phone customers up to $2.20 a month for receiving their bills in the post. The company imposed the fee for new mobile and landline customers in January.

Vodafone already charges $2.20 for paper bills but says it will waive the fee for anyone unable to access the internet.

"The telcos should follow the lead of some of the energy and utility providers who, if you agree to pay your bills online or by direct debit, give you a discount," Christopher Zinn, a spokesman for consumer association Choice, said.

He said not everyone had access to the internet and low-income earners could be affected. "It could be pensioners, migrants, it could be those who want to have a paper bill," he said.

Unhappy with Optus paper bill fee? Break contract 4 free!