Commchoice, 76 Lancaster Street, Coorparoo (2026)

23/09/2019

The new CommChoice website has gone live!
We are very excited to announce that after months of careful planning and design our new website is up.
Our streamlined site will make it so much easier for you to navigate our products. Check it out and let us know how you like the 'new' CommChoice :-)

28/11/2018

Christmas is almost here!
We have it on good authority that we are one of this guy's favorite suppliers :-).

08/11/2018

THANK YOU!
COMMCHOICE would not be where we are today without the support and loyalty of our customers and your personal referrals are what help us grow our business.
We would like to take this opportunity to Thank You all.
Here are a few testimonials of our clients from different parts of Australia.

Sent: Saturday, 29 September 2018 8:26 AM
To: Glenn Buckie
Subject: Re: Question
In all my years of dealing with company “men”, I doubt I have ever met someone like Glenn Buckie. He is THE most patient man I have ever met. When he speaks geek I stop him and he patiently explains it in a way I can understand. The willingness he has to make sure you get what you need is exceptional and in years of phone plans with other companies I had never had anyone say to me “We have a new plan that will save you money, thought you’d want to know!” Who does that! We love CommChoice and especially grateful to Glenn. Our NBN changeover has been easy and I was dreading it but he made it all happen with ease. If you are thinking of changing providers, look no further.
Diane and Robert Mathews, Adelaide
Diane McCann
South Australia
(Joined CommChoice 2014)

Sent: Tuesday, 21 October 2018 11:56 AM
To: Glenn Buckie
Subject: Testimonial
Hi GB,
As discussed, please find below a testimonial you can upload.
“Glenn and CommChoice have been tremendous in finding me a great phone and fax system for my business. Today we run VoIP throughout with no technical issues, quality equipment and great savings to go with it. Well done Glenn. Regards, Tony Rigby, Anthony DJ Rigby Insurance & Investment Services Pty Ltd”
Cheers
Tony
Queeensland
(Joined CommChoice 2012)

Sent: Wednesday, 7 November 2018 5:08 PM
To: Glenn Buckie
Subject: Re: CommChoice - NBN and 4G service update
Thanks Glenn.
Cashback got me in with you guys but it’s your extra, personalised service that keeps me with CommChoice.
Cheers,
Sam Lane
Western Australia
(Joined CommChoice 2015)

THANK YOU!!! COMMCHOICE really appreciates your wonderful feedback :-)

24/10/2018

Lyconet Opportunity – The COMMCHOICE Response

Dear COMMCHOICE followers,
It has come to our attention that last week’s Facebook post ‘COMMCHOICE – Part of Cashback World’ has been used to create negativity surrounding the Cashback World program and we would like to take the opportunity to respond to this.

COMMCHOICE has been a successful Cashback Merchant for the last 4 years.
Becoming part of the Cashback World Shopping Community has been one of our most rewarding experiences, taking us from a local to a national business with customers all over Australia. Our Cashback World customers have increased our customer base by a staggering 70% and to this day we continue to receive new orders from the Cashback World Community on a weekly basis.

Through the Cashback World program we’ve met inspirational and dedicated leaders who showed us an opportunity to succeed within this Shopping Community provided we were willing to put in the work. – As a result we’ve become a successful part of a loyal and supportive community of shoppers and up to 4000 members follow our weekly Facebook posts and give us wonderful feedback.

The stats and numbers in last week’s Facebook post ‘COMMCHOICE – Part of Cashback World’ are true and correct– provided you follow the format! COMMCHOICE customers will confirm that they receive their benefits every month – without fail!

After 40 years in business we believe that the level of your success strongly depends on the effort you are willing to put in. The right activity will breed results, but it will not happen on its own. Without a doubt, there are people who enter ventures without being shown – or seeing the full picture of what it really takes to succeed. Unfortunately, they might be left with disappointment and resentment. This post does not aim to judge – we purely want to set the COMMCHOICE record straight. We are part of Cashback World and living proof that the program works!

COMMCHOICE would not be where we are today without the support and help of many and we are always happy to reach out and do the same for others.
So, to all existing and potential new Cashback Merchants and Members – if you have any questions or want educated information about the Cashback World Program feel free to contact us at any time on 07 3395 0837 or email [email protected]

“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” – Zig Ziglar

We would like to add one more thing on a personal level.
We believe in everyone’s right to express their opinion, good and bad. However, every week COMMCHOICE goes through the effort to research, investigate and create posts to inform and engage our followers.
If you want to speak up and criticise, by all means, go ahead – but we would really appreciate it, if you would put in the effort and do it in your own words. Don’t copy our posts, take them out of context and use them to suit another agenda.
That is neither fair nor accurate!

The CommChoice Team.

18/10/2018

We are currently experiencing a problem creating a post.
However, due to popular demand we re-posted.
COMMCHOICE – Part of Cashback World (first posted in July). If you are interested you can read in again on the Glenn Buckie public page.

11/10/2018

Suddenly Problems with your Internet?!
Everyone is on the internet. It’s everywhere, all the time, and there is no escaping the daily need for internet connection. Unfortunately, sometimes we have a problem and lose our access to the online world.
When your internet connection suddenly wanes or fails to connect completely, you do not have to panic. Here are a few reasons why and simple tips for reconnecting your system and getting back to your day as quickly as possible.

Why Is My Internet Suddenly So Slow?
Your first step should always be to power down your modem, wait 10 seconds and turn it back on. In most cases this will fix the problem.
However, because we know there's nothing worse than getting a bill that's bigger than you expect, if you get close to your monthly data allowance COMMCHOICE will simply slow your speed until the end of month. So when you experience a sudden and inexplicable drop in speed you should call our help desk on 1800 828 668 and ask them to check your data usage. If you find that you frequently reach your data limit before end of month we recommend to contact COMMCHOICE and discuss our unlimited or increased data options.

Why Is My Internet Suddenly Dropping Out So Much?
Sometimes it’s just a simple fault on the network that can be rectified by calling our help desk.
However, we have noticed as the NBN roll out continues and moves into new areas, customers who never had a problem with their ADSL services before are suddenly experiencing drop out problems. We believe one possible reason is that NBN, being a hybrid of old and new technology, can affect the existing ADSL network – even though it is not supposed to. Unfortunately this kind of fault is beyond any carrier’s control. However, at COMMCHOICE we encourage you to call our help desk to get you through this period.

Some of the CommChoice team members have been in the business of Telecommunication for nearly 40 years and during that time we have worked with most of the major service providers. In our opinion we partner with the best providers in the market today that offer fantastic value for money and the highest quality services available. If you should have problems with any of our services please inform our help desk team immediately as it is their goal to assistant and get you back up and running in the shortest possible time.

25/09/2018

We are sure you agree.
You can never have enough data on your mobile plan!
COMMCHOICE is excited about our new $50 mobile plan with 25GB data coming soon. :-)

12/09/2018

Tips on How to Save Data
Running Out of Data Too Quickly?

“There’s no way I used that much data in such a short time!”
And you might be right. There’s a lot of passive data usage that slips under the nose of the average consumer. That’s why COMMCHOICE has done the research for you.
Here are tips to reduce your data usage that you should know:

1. Set Data Alerts and Limits
Prevention is better than cure, right? The easiest way to monitor and control your data usage is to set the limit and alerts for your data consumption every month.
Or you could also consider using third party apps like My Data Manager that helps you track your data usage. You can also set custom alarms for data usage limits so you will be alerted when your data usage has exceeded the quantity of data.

2. Cut Down on Background Data
“I don’t even use Google Play Music, how come it eats up my data usage?”
Background data, even if you don’t use an app chew data. Some apps require data feeds to remain updated, such as Facebook and Whatsapp. When you’re on WiFi you wouldn’t bother, but when using data roaming, it hurts.

3. Turn Off Auto Updates
You would be surprised at how many people actually forget about this. Auto-updates could eat up hundreds of MB in just a few minutes, depending on how many apps you have. You may choose to disable auto-updates completely or only allow auto-updates on WiFi connectivity.

4. Download Area Maps
Navigation can cost you A LOT of data since it relies on constantly sending and receiving data to track your location on the map. Luckily for Google Maps users, you can download an area of the map ahead of time and manually navigate your way through the indicated route. Simply search the area you want, tap More Info, then Download.

5. Browse Only on Mobile Version
Besides better readability and smoother scrolling, mobile version of websites also use less data as they compress data from desktop versions to make it mobile-friendly. If you want even more efficient use of data, you could consider using Opera Mini as your browser as it has an automatic ad blocker to save you even more data.

6. Compress Your Data
There are several third party apps that can help facilitate and are efficient in reducing the impact of images and texts on your data usage. These apps will show the usual breakdown for which apps are using your data the most, you will be able to create a universal cache for all apps and it also helps you manage image quality to suit your desired data-saving levels. Some are free, so give it a try!

7. Use Streaming Channels that Allow Offline Usage
It is a well-known fact that streaming music and watching movies is one of the largest contributors to using up your data. If you want to save data and have storage space to spare, you might want to download your music and movies. Downloading movies through mobile torrent sites are NOT advised as it often comes with viruses and other bulk your phone can do without. For music, Apple Music, Google Play Music, and Spotify are some apps you could consider as they allow you to create playlists to listen offline. - If you have the storage space for it! Spotify has the option to download all your saved songs, which is nice. :-)

But if these all sound like too much hassle for you, you can check out COMMCHOICE mobile data so running low on data doesn’t need to be a problem anymore! Just top up with COMMCHOICE mobile data plans. You can contact us on 0410 408 757 or check www.commchoice.com.au

06/09/2018

NBN!? Here is why we complain
NBN customers are five times more likely to complain about their service than non-NBN users, as frustrations continue to surround the nation's biggest infrastructure project.

Thousands of complaints were made to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman about NBN services, the most-complained about Telcos being:

Telco Complaints Increase/ year to year

Telsta 76.650 43.5%
Optus 28.766 31.2%
Vodafone 10.684 37.5%
iiNet 10.170 79%
TPG 6.995 44.9%
Sth Phone 2.068 266.7%
Primus 1.917 32.1%
Commander 1.704 25.3%
Virgin 1.354 11.6%

So what are our major complaints?

Delays to new connections is the biggest complaint.
With a workforce of close to 30,000 people digging trenches, hauling cable, climbing poles and going into people’s yards and homes, there are inevitably going to be issues. The team who digs the trench will rarely be the same NBN Co team that installs the utility box. Also, the NBN Co installers may have to come back and connect the cables to the Utility Box, and add in a new wall socket to connect the NBN Connection Box. All of this can take months.

Unusable internet and landline services are the next most popular themes.
Different areas are connected in different ways. Depending on your location, you may get a fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), fibre-to-the-node (FTTN), Hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC), fibre-to-the-basement (FTTB), fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC), Fixed wireless or Satellite (Sky Muster) connection.
When NBN Co install NEW infrastructure being FTTP, FTTB, HFC, Fixed Wireless, or Sky Muster, it’s installed parallel to the customer’s traditional phone lines and ADSL2 infrastructure. The install is low impact as the customer’s old service will work until the new service is fully operational. No ‘down time’ occurs. (Please be aware that you have to cancel your old services as soon as your new NBN services as up. Otherwise you will be charged for both!)
However, with FTTN and FTTC, NBN Co uses the customer’s EXISTING infrastructure and this is where problems arise. Unfortunately the NBN Co techs do not check the new service (build on the customer’s existing cable) at the premises. They only go to the Node, the curb side box or Pit. If the connection of the new service using the existing cable is not done correctly you lose BOTH old and new service as well! Delays of up to 7 days on NBN Co techs returning to site, cause problems not only for the customer who doesn’t have internet or landline services anymore, but for the providers as well, as they have no control over the NBN Co tech support.

Next in line are the complaints about slow speeds at some times of the day.
Anything from the type of connection running the network to the property, to the distance between a premises and the node, to the modem or population can influence how fast the network performs. Often the advertised speeds from leading service providers do not reflect the actual speeds a consumer can expect from the service. CommChoice and Vonex have provided alternatives for “higher throughput” premium NBN services, to give 3 options to our clients to allow you to choose the quality of NBN service you require. We cannot make the service run faster than what the NBN Co infrastructure can supply, but we can make it perform better once it hits our network.

Everybody is frustrated when we cannot rely on technology to stay connected, to be informed, and to do business.
This is why here at CommChoice we make it our priority to help you connect smoothly to the new technology - because when the going gets tough, the tough get going! ;-)

29/08/2018

Small vs. Big: which one is better?
This is always a hot topic.
Big companies may have the availability of resources and advantage of recognition, but they face the pressure of quarterly results and are stifled by corporate processes and procedures.
In contrast, small companies can engage with great new ideas more easily, show innovative spirit and agility but may struggle with getting expertise.

For a customer is it possible to get the best of all worlds?

Success isn’t measured by what you own physically
Unless you have a burning ambition to build an empire, to COMMCHOICE success isn’t about size in terms of buildings, thousands of staff or excessive product ranges.
Big companies often find that the quality control of their large teams is difficult and the level of low skill is remarkably high.
In contrast we allow our dedicated, well trained team to think outside the box and deliver much more comprehensive and customized systems. As an SME, COMMCHOICE is not stifled by inflexible procedures and the limitations of mass production. We have the ability to cater for customers and businesses that require unique, nationwide solutions.

Being very good at one thing
COMMCHOICE believes it’s much better to do one thing exceptionally well, rather than being a mile wide and an inch deep. Once we captured our USP (unique selling point) – staying fairly small – in terms of our core team – keeps us focused on what we do best.
For big corporations meeting budgets, achieving high revenues to pay for massive overheads often leads to a ‘quantity rather than quality’ mentality.

‘If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants’ Isaak Newton
Often customers hesitate to engage a smaller company out of fear for lack of resources, expertise and presence in the market. How can I trust them if I’ve never heard of them? Too small to handle big?
As a result most small companies see large corporations exclusively in competitive terms. From the beginning COMMCHOICE recognized that large regional, national, or even international companies can take on other, decidedly more attractive, identities as well. Subsequently, the Alliances and Partnerships we have formed give us access to innovative products, product distributors, large networks, and are a great source of assistance in many areas.
But we also collaborate with other skilled, local SMEs because we recognize the importance of bringing growth to communities in which small businesses are established. Over the years COMMCHOICE has built a network of partners capable of handling any size business big – or small.
Our partners raise us up, and their great skills add to ours.

One-on-One. Customer Service
Developing relationships with customers is a valuable asset to any business and small businesses take care to build genuine relationships. Through interacting on a more personal level COMMCHOICE is able to convey our knowledge and understanding of the products and services we are selling. We are passionate about our business and the people within it and we believe in going the extra mile regardless of size.
For the sake of a balanced argument we should probably mention the customer service of large corporations – but is there anybody left out there that hasn’t suffered from their hands? :-)

So, Small or Big? Ultimately the choice will always be yours.
For what it’s worth, we think customers should focus more on the right fit rather than size. Because if something fits you perfectly it is inevitably also the right size.

21/08/2018

15 Tricks for Getting Way Better Smartphone Battery Life

In theory, modern smartphones can last hundreds of hours on a single charge. Hundreds of hours, that is, until you actually start using the things! In practice, today’s top phones will squeeze out about 20 hours at best. With that in mind, COMMCHOICE rounded up research across the web to pin down battery saving tricks that actually work.

1. Start by deleting apps you haven’t used in months
Pesky apps that run in the background, track your location or send you push notifications can end up being a big drain on your battery. Why not just delete those dozen apps you haven’t touched in months?

2. Disable background app data for all non-essential apps
Many apps run in the background, even when you’re not using them. This makes sense for things like email and social media, where you might want to know the minute you get a new message or comment, but do you really need your games, notes, and music players gobbling up battery resources 24/7?

3. Don’t obsessively close apps
“Close all your apps” was the most popular battery saving tip in the world of smartphones. Ironically, it can actually make your battery life worse. When you leave an app open in the background, then access it a little later, your phone is smart enough to let you pick up where you left off, with minimal harm to battery life. However, if you keep closing and re-opening the same apps all day, you end up taxing your phone a whole lot more than necessary. It’s a little like turning off and starting up your car every time you hit a stoplight.

4. Disable notifications for most apps
Many apps will automatically send you “push notifications,” so-called because the app will notify you of things throughout the day, unsolicited. It’s time to stop the madness. You can customize your notifications down to where they appear, from banners to sound alerts to the lock screen. The fewer, the better.

5. Tell your phone to check for new email less frequently
One big battery life offender could be email. Fortunately, most modern email messages only expend power when you actually get a new message.
That said, your phone could still be losing power to a barrage of incoming messages. Just tell your phone to check email less frequently—say, only once every 30 minutes.

6. Turn off location services / reporting
Location services can be a quiet killer, draining your smartphone battery behind the scenes. You’ve probably already realized that GPS navigation sucks the juice right out of your device. Less obvious are location services in apps like Facebook and Instagram. These social media apps keep your exact position so they can tag every post, status or photo with the corresponding city or neighbourhood. If you value battery life more than geo-tagged posts (or better yet, if you find geo-tagged posts a little creepy), turn off location services.

7. Turn off auto brightness and dim the screen
You might like to view your display at full brightness, but that’s a guaranteed recipe for draining your battery fast. Try dimming your display just a bit and living with the change for an hour. You’ll be surprised how quickly your eyes adjust.

8. Turn off vibrations
We tend to think of a vibrating phone as a low-key alternative to a noisy ring, but when it comes to battery life, ringing is a lot less taxing than rumbling. If you want to squeeze out a bit more battery life, consider turning off vibrations entirely.

9. Turn down sleep / auto-lock duration
Your phone’s single biggest battery drain is the display. Ideally, you want your display off whenever you’re not looking at the screen. Set your device to turn off its display after just one minute (or on Android, 30 seconds) and you can save a whole hour of wasted screen time per day.

10. Turn off Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology that allows your smartphone to connect with other devices. It’s great for quickly sending files, connecting to your car’s sound system, or other close-range applications. While Bluetooth isn’t quite the battery hog today that it was two years ago, it’s still a drain on juice.

11. Use dark backgrounds on Samsung or Motorola phones (Android)
If your phone has an AMOLED display, using primarily black backgrounds can save you a solid hour of battery life per day.

12. Don’t worry so much about fully charging and fully depleting your battery
You’ve probably heard the advice about charging batteries: let your battery drain all the way, then charge to 100%. That way you are teaching your battery to ‘remember’ its full charge capacity, rather than confusing it with periodic, inconsistent charges. Nowadays, most smartphone battery technology is advanced enough not to need special treatment. Just charge when you get the chance, even if it’s only for 15min.

13. Pay attention to signal strength
When you have a strong connection or a great Wi-Fi connection, your phone will cruise along—without straining the battery. But, if you’ve got a single bar, weak 4G and no Wi-Fi in range, your phone will expend tons of juice simply trying to connect with a weak signal. Consider moving (physically) to get closer to a source, or just turn on Airplane Mode. Give your phone a break.

14. Use battery saver (Android)
Most of the recent Android have battery saving modes that can extend the life of your device by another dozen hours, even if you’re already under 20%.

15. Airplane mode
If all else fails, there’s still good old Airplane Mode. It might render all your phone’s best features useless, but it’s guaranteed to stop the bleeding. After all, a smartphone gone dumb is still better than a smartphone gone dead. :-)

Commchoice

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