Pivotel
Verified3 reviews
- Post-Paid Sim Only
This company recently purchased Think Mobile, who I had a trouble-free account with for decades. I am now trying to pay their bills but they make it so difficult to do so. I thought I had a direct debit set up with them but they won't accept it. When I go through their "self care" system to pay via my saved card information, I get an error. I'm not calling anyone to talk to some poor kid in India or The Philippines. I'm changing companies till I find one that actually wants to be paid.
- Plan Cost per Month: $35
- Plan Type: Post-Paid Sim Only
Pivotel configure your sat phone for expensive voice calls but cheap text messages do not work – I have had 2 different satellite phones with Pivotel. My first Thuraya sat phone advertiesed a data service to make cheap call using whatsapp but it was initially not set up so I needed to make expensive out-going telephone calls on my first long trip. Eventually it was set up but the data rate was never really high enough for useful calls, but I could send whatsapp messages.
When Thuraya stopped working I purchased an Iridium Go! and Pivotel did not set it up properly so I could never send a text message. On several long calls to their service number (1300882448) I explained that the ability to send messages was an important aspect of my account and that I had relied on this ability for a feeling of security while travelling in remote regions. I vividly recall being told that I still had the ability to make outgoing calls and that there was no reason to feel insecure. I was assured that my message-sending issue would be escalated and that I would receive a message when the problem was rectified by your service team.
Obviously I spent lots of money making phone calls rather than sending cheap text messages. I have emailed several times since I returned home without any response at all. I have cancelled my service and my concerns still have not been addressed.
- Plan Type: Post-Paid Sim Only
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are sorry to hear about the difficulties you have described, however what you have outlined is not the kind of service we provide or strive to deliver.
Pivotel services are designed to give customers reliable and secure communications, including text messaging functionality where supported by the satellite network and device. It is disappointing to hear that you were unable to use your services as expected, and equally concerning to hear that you feel your concerns were not addressed.
We would very much like the opportunity to review this further and make sure you have a clear understanding of what your equipment and service can provide. Please contact Pivotel Customer Care so we can look into this properly and work towards a resolution.
The Pivotel Team
Scam company – Useless company. Satellite got knocked out making sat phone I had purchased useless. They contacted offering new deals if you return handset or in fine print partial refund. Returned phone for refund and a few weeks later followed up with email enquiring what’s happened? They advised prioritising customers transferring. Over a month later still nothing and now not responding to emails. Scam company. No customer service. AVOID AT ALL COST!!!
We’re sorry to hear that you were unhappy with the support provided during the Thuraya 3 situation.
As you may be aware, on April 16, 2024, Thuraya services in Australia became unavailable due to issues with the T3 satellite. Thuraya worked extensively with the satellite manufacturer to restore service but ultimately determined that recovery was not possible and declared a Force Majeure Event. As a result, Thuraya terminated its agreement with Pivotel to provide services under these provisions.
Once it was confirmed that service could not be restored, we introduced a Thuraya trade-in program that we ran for six-months to assist affected customers in transitioning to Iridium or Inmarsat services.
We are sorry to hear that you feel your enquiry has not been addressed. We want to assure you that we take all customer concerns seriously. Please contact Pivotel Customer Care so we can promptly resolve this for you.
Kind Regards,
The Pivotel Team
“Promptly resolve it for me” more than a year after this was posted. Lol
We understand your frustration. If you have an issue, please contact Pivotel Customer Care directly. This ensures our team is aware of the problem and can resolve it for you as quickly as possible.
The Pivotel Team
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Hi tpuglisi, Thank you for sharing your feedback, and I am sorry to hear about the frustration you have experienced.
To clarify, Pivotel has always owned Think Mobile, and what you have seen recently is a rebrand rather than a change of ownership. We value the many customers who have been with us for decades and want this transition to feel seamless.
Unfortunately, we experienced a brief outage in our payment gateway that affected a small number of customers. This was promptly resolved, and direct debit and card payments are now working as expected.
Also, I want to reassure you that our customer support remains Australian based. If you contact Pivotel Mobile Customer Care you will always be speaking with a local team who will help get things sorted quickly.
Thank you again for your long history with us. We would appreciate the chance to restore your confidence in our service.
The Pivotel Team