Megatel has a consumer care policy. We will work with you/want to work with you: to try to keep your services connected if you are having payment difficulties; and to make sure you have every opportunity to be on the best pricing plan to meet your needs; and We’ll work with you to resolve payment debt and with your consent we can link you to one or more support or social agencies to assist you, or you can nominate a support or social agency and/or advocate to assist you.

You can find more information of our consumer care policy from here.

Linking you with financial mentoring and support organisations.

If you are struggling to keep up with your bill payments, with your consent, we can connect you with support agencies, who will help you with things like paying your bill. 

Once contact is made, we will give you some time to talk to these agencies and receive help without disconnecting your electricity supply. 

We will work with you and your support organisation as a partnership, making sure we all use agreed ways of communicating with each other. 

The following organisations may also be able to help with financial assistance and/or free budgeting advice: 

Social agencies: You may be able to get extra assistance from Work and Income, the Citizens Advice Bureau, your local Mayoral Fund or Age Concern. The Work and Income number is 0800 559 009 or, you can visit online at www.workandincome.govt.nz. Please also refer to the request form, you can submit to work and income to support your bill.

Budgeting advice: If you are finding it difficult to pay your bill you can seek free financial advice from Money Talks on 0800 345 123, SMS on 4029, or email help@moneytalks.co.nz.

Protecting the health of Medically Dependent Consumers 

If you or someone living with you depend on electricity or natural gas to run critical medical support equipment, then you are considered a “Medically Dependent Consumer” (“MDC”). Examples of critical medical equipment include ventilators, renal dialysis machines, oxygen concentrators, and ventricular assistance devices, as well as other non-medical equipment which may be needed for critical medical support (e.g., an oven to heat fluids for renal dialysis).

The medical dependency will need to be verified by a qualified Health Practitioner (e.g., your doctor, District Health Board, Private Hospital) at your own cost. We may ask you to get your doctor to return a completed form that confirms your Notice of Potential MDC status, or potential MDC still applies. 

If you think that you or someone in your household, may be, or become medically dependent on electricity, you should get in touch with us to let us know as soon as possible. 

Download, and complete the Customer Safety Checklist form and email us at help@megatel.co.nz.

We do not disconnect the electricity or natural gas supplies of medically dependent consumers for non-payment. However, despite our best efforts, occasionally your electricity and natural gas supply can be cut because of extreme weather, accidents, or technical problems. In case this happens, you should have an emergency response plan. An emergency response plan could include having a fully charged battery available, going to a friend or family member’s house with electricity and/or natural gas or, in serious cases, calling an ambulance to be taken to hospital. 

For more information on preparing an emergency response plan for your household go to: www.eranz.org.nz/medically-dependant.

The 111 Contact Code

The purpose of this code is to ensure "Vulnerable Consumers" of internet-based phone services have access to an appropriate means of calling 111 emergency service in the event of a power failure or broadband outage.

If you, or someone in your household, relies on a landline connection for medical, safety or disability reasons, you may be able to apply to be listed as a Vulnerable Consumer. Information on who can qualify as a Vulnerable Consumer and how to apply is set out further below.

Our naked broadband service or Voip service will also not be available during a power outage, as your modem/router requires power to work, which means you won’t be able to use your home phone to make 111 calls during a power or broadband outage.

We strongly recommend you maintain or have access to a mobile phone service and keep a charged mobile phone at your premises in case you need to call 111 during a power outage or service disruption.

If you do not have an alternative means to contact 11 please let us know as soon as possible by following these steps:

Download, and complete the Vulnerable Consumer Application Form and email us at help@megatel.co.nz.

For more information on the 111 Contact Code go to : https://www.megatel.co.nz/etc/vulnerable_consumer