Gates Automation

COMPANY: ECA Electronic Engineering Pty Ltd.
76-80 Levanswell Road
Moorabin, Vic. 3189

Product: Wireless Intercom with no range limit+ GSM Access control
Model GSM18V81

My concerns with ECA Electronic Engineering Pty. Ltd are mainly regarding the companys customer service (or lack of it) and broken
Product guarantee.

I have been using their Wireless Intercom + GSM Access control Model
GSM-18V3 for a number of years to operate the gate to our property. This
Product worked on the TELSTRA 2G network.

When TELSTRA announced that the 2G network is closing down on
1 December, 2016 I contacted ECA in May 2016 and asked for advice.
I was offered the new device GSM18V81.
I specifically mentioned that we only have 3G reception, will it work
With this? And I was assured by ECA that the new units are workable with 2G, 3G and 4G so you should not have any problems with reception.

Consequently, in June 2016 I bought the new unit GSM18V81 for $785.00
Installation of such was carried out by a friend.

On 1 December, 2016 TELSTRA closed down the 2G network and
Our Gate stopped working!

Now my problems had just started:

I tried repeatedly to contact ECA however the lines were busy and calls were not returned.

On 2 December the Service Manager replied in an email, saying
Sorry for our slow response as we had over 1500 similar phone calls
Today relating to the 2G network shutting down. So obviously we were
Not the only customers left in the lurk!

It was suggested that I send the unit back to their workshop for repairs which I did I have not seen it since.

My repeated call or emails have not been answered or returned and the one that was return was to verbally abuse me and inform me that they had been on holidays, that they were entitled to shut down for a certain length of time and lots of companies and even government departments did this.

I am not disputing this, however as a gesture of good customer service I would have expected a phone call (either before the holidays or straight after) to advise what was happening with my Wireless Intercom unit.

I now consider ECA Electronic Engineering Pty. Ltd. And their actions to
Be a breach of contract and requested that the cost of the unit, postage and
Installation cost be refunded. So far there has been no reaction from the company, which is not really surprising considering their track record!

10 February, 2017 Franz Kaech