General Billing

What is the payment cycle for Internode services?
How does it work in timing terms?

Internode manages accounts on a monthly cycle with invoices created on the same date each month (e.g., the 10th of every month).

The date your invoices are created is called the Date of Issue and is displayed on the first page of your invoice.

Payment is due 28 days from the Date of Issue: this due date is the Last day to pay and is also listed on the first page of your invoice.

If you have automatic payments set up, your invoice will also include the date that Internode will attempt payment, and if surcharges are applicable.

All base monthly fees are charged in advance, in accordance with normal industry practice. This means we will collect payment for the subsequent month just a few days before that month begins.

Usage-based charges, such as call charges, data blocks, or excess fees, are charged monthly in arrears.

You should expect to see the following items on your invoice:

• Any payments we have received since the previous Date of Issue.
• Base monthly fees for the coming month (in advance).
• In-arrears charges for any usage-based fees incurred since the previous Date of Issue.
• Any other charges or adjustments made since the previous Date of Issue.
• The date your invoice will be due (Last day to pay: 28 days from the Date of Issue).

You can also check any charges or payments since your previous Date of Issue by logging into My Internode and checking Account Info and Bills.

How do my bills arrive?

Invoices are normally sent to the email address you nominated when you signed up with Internode. We can also fax or post your invoices if required.

To change between email, fax, or post, or to change your delivery address, follow the instructions on our Changing Contact Information page.

NOTE: While Internode can post invoices, we discourage this for environmental reasons, and it will attract a $1.50 surcharge per invoice.

How can I pay for my Internode ADSL service?

Internode offers a variety of different payment methods, including Credit Card, Direct Debit, and BPay. For more information, see our Payment Methods page.

When Internode ADSL is first connected, what bills can I expect - and when?

Because Internode charges base monthly fees in advance, your first invoice must catch up with our regular billing cycle. To do this, your initial invoice will include the following charges:

• Your ADSL setup fee.
• If you purchased a router from us:
  • The cost of your ADSL router.
  • Freight (if the router was sent to you via courier).
  • A credit card payment for the ADSL router and freight.
• Your first monthly fee.
• A credit card payment for the first monthly fee, and the ADSL setup fee (if you are paying by Credit Card).
• Your second monthly fee.

If you are paying by Credit Card, we will charge for the setup fee and the first month of service on the day the first invoice is created. This means that your remaining balance will only be the second monthly fee - and this amount is not due until 28 days after invoice is created (Date of Issue).

When does my credit card get charged?

Credit Card payments are taken on a regular schedule. Your invoice will state when we will attempt to take payment - generally 28 days after your invoice is created (Date of Issue) - and will also state the amount of the transaction. This information will appear on the first page of your invoice.

There are also some circumstances where an amount may be collected outside of the regular schedule:

• When your service is first connected, your ADSL setup fee and first monthly fee are charged immediately (as noted in the previous question). This payment will appear on your subsequent invoice.
• If your financial institution declines your credit card payment, we will retry each day to collect payment - in case the card was temporarily over its credit limit. In this case, you may see the charge on your card a few days later than predicted (but still for the predicted amount). You will also receive a notification advising you of the failed attempt.
• If regular credit card payments were unsuccessful, just before we issue your next invoice we will try once more to collect the overdue amount. If this is successful, you will see this payment on the new invoice.
• If you have purchased equipment, e.g., an ADSL router.

All credit card payments will appear on your subsequent Internode invoice, including the date and amount of the payment. You can also view pending transactions - including credit card charges - online through My Internode.

What do the various parts of my bill mean?

Internode invoices are modelled on utility company invoices.

The first page of your invoice summarises the financial status of your account, payment methods available, important notices, and (if you have automatic payments set up) when payment will be attempted.

The second page gives a detailed item-by-item summary of base monthly fees, in-arrears charges, and payments you have made.

Specifically, the items on your invoice are:

Customer Number:	A unique number identifying your Internode account. This will start with a letter, and include 6 - 7 numbers.
Invoice Number:	The number of your invoice, i.e., if this number is 10, then this is the 10th invoice you have been issued.
Date of Issue:	The date that your invoice was created.
Opening Balance:	The balance brought forward from your previous invoice.
Total of this bill:	The total of any new charges during the month. See also New Activity.
Last day to pay:	The day that payment will be due. This is 28 days after the Date of Issue. Be aware that some payments take time to be processed: See our Payment Methods page for payment clearance times.
Total amount owing:	The total amount due, taking into account your Opening Balance and payments made since the previous invoice.
Payment Options:	Information on how to pay your account.
Payments:	Any payments you have made since your previous invoice. Be aware that some payments take time to be processed: See our Payment Methods page for payment clearance times.
New Activity:	Lists all charges on your account, including base monthly fees (charged monthly in advance), and in-arrears charges for usage-based fees, such as phone calls, or data blocks.
Closing Balance:	The total New Activity, minus any Payments you have made since your previous invoice.

When can I expect interim billing or changes in the Billing Period?

From time to time there is a need to make changes to billing periods, this may be due to an upgrade or downgrade to your service(s).

If you require any further assistance regarding this, please Contact our Billing Team.

I think I've been double-charged or wrongly charged on a bill -
what should I do?

Chances are that you haven't been double-charged at all.

Because Internode charges base monthly fees in advance, there are some occasions where your invoice will need to "catch up" with the regular billing cycle.

For instance, if you are a new customer, you will see both the first and second monthly fees on your initial invoice. For more information about what to expect on a first invoice, see "When Internode ADSL is first connected, what bills can I expect - and when?"

On rare occasions, you may not have received a regular monthly charge in advance. If this occurs, your subsequent bill will catch up on those charges.

We apologise for the inconvenience and confusion that these "catch up" invoices may cause, however, bringing your account up to date guarantees invoices will be simpler - and more predictable - going forward.

If you receive an invoice that includes more than a single monthly charge, check the dates on the charges. You should find that even if you have two monthly charges on an invoice, they would not be for the same month.

If you are still unhappy or require further assistance, contact our Billing Team.

We recognise that mistakes are possible, and we're not claiming to be perfect. We're more than happy to investigate, explain, and - if necessary - correct anything that is incorrect on your invoice. Just contact us, and we'll be happy to help.

What should I do if I need further information or help with a bill?

If you have a query with your account, contact our Billing Team: Mon - Fri 7am - Midnight CST.

• Contact our Billing Team

Should you find any issues are not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the option to follow our escalation procedure to pursue your issue with Internode.

• Contact our Feedback Team

What if I want to cancel my Internode ADSL account?

We hope that you won't ever cancel your account - but sometimes needs and circumstances change and you may need to do so in the future.

For all information on cancelling an account, see our Cancelling your Service page.

I've made a payment - where should I send the remittance advice?

If you wish to send remittance advice to Internode, please include:

• Your Customer Number (including the letter at the beginning)
• The amount paid
• The date the payment was made

Your Customer Number can be found on the first page of your Invoice, in the top-right corner.

Once all this information is included, send your remittance advice to: remittanceadvice@internode.com.au

How can I check my current account balance or view past invoices?

You can view your current account balance using My Internode:

1. Log in to My Internode using your Internode username and password.
   (Lost your password? Click here!)
2. Select Account Info and Bills under My Account in the menu.
3. Your Last Statement Balance and Pending Balance will be visible here. This will also show transactions not yet billed.
4. To check your invoices, select Recent Invoices at the top of the screen.

I've made a payment via Direct Credit, but it didn't appear on my account - why?

In order to correctly identify your payment and apply it to your account, your payment must include your Customer Number - including the letter at the start - as the Lodgement Reference. If you do not include your Customer Number, your payment will not be identified.

Also note that payments made via Direct Credit can take up to 4 days to be received by Internode. If your payment was made more than 4 days ago and still does not appear on your account, contact our Billing Team as soon as possible.

How do I update my Credit Card information?

You can update your Credit Card information online using My Internode. Full instructions on how to update credit card details using My Internode are available on our Credit Card page.

You can also update your Credit Card information over the phone. Call our Billing Team on 1300 889 188 to update this information.

Note: For security reasons, never send your credit card information to Internode - or anyone - via email. Internode will never email you requesting your credit card details.

Trading Terms and Suspensions

What are Internode's trading terms?

Payment is due 28 days from the date your invoice is created (the Date of Issue). Your account will remain in "normal" credit status until the 28-day period has expired.

Will I receive a reminder?

If your payment is not received within 28 days of the Date of Issue, an "Overdue Notice" will be sent. This notice will be sent to your billing address, as well as via post (if this is not your normal billing method).

The "Overdue Notice" will state the amount that is due, and when payment must be received by in order to avoid suspension of services.

What if I'm having difficulties paying an account?

If you are having difficulties paying your account, contact our Billing Team as soon as possible: Mon - Fri 7am - Midnight CST.

What are the effects of non-payment or repeated late payment of a bill?

Failure to make payment towards a bill or repeated late payment of bills may have an effect on the provision of current or future Telecommunications Services with Internode.

If you require any further assistance regarding this, please Contact our Billing Team.

What are the effects of a part payment of a bill and how does Internode allocate payments received?

You are obliged to pay the full amount detailed on your invoices by the last day to pay which is stated on your invoice(s). If only part payment is received towards a bill an overdue notice will be issued and all services on the account are at risk of suspension.

Internode allocate all payments received against the account not against individual invoices issued.

If you require any further assistance regarding this, please Contact our Billing Team.

What will happen if payment is not received by the date specified on the Overdue Notice?

If payment is not received by the date specified on the Overdue Notice, a suspension of service will occur, and a Suspension and Pending Disconnection Notice will be sent. This Suspension and Pending Disconnection Notice will be sent to your billing address, as well as via post (if this is not your normal billing method.)

Suspension of service means that all services under a particular account will be suspended until Internode Pty Ltd has received the overdue amount.

If my account is suspended, do I still need to pay for this period?

If your account goes into suspension due to a default on the account, you are still required to pay for the service during the suspended period. As the suspension has occurred due to non-payment of the account, no credits will be issued for the suspended period.

How does a suspension of service work?

Suspension affects all services under an account. This means that when an account remains unpaid after the date specified on the Overdue Notice, all services will be temporarily unavailable.

If suspension occurs, how can I get my services reinstated?

If an account is suspended, payment of the overdue amount must be received to remove this suspension. Payment can be made any time via credit card using either our online payment gateway or via our Pay By Phone service on 1300 553 233. Please refer to our payment options and fees on our Payment Methods page. Be aware that some payments take time to be processed: See our Payment Methods page for payment clearance times.

Payment made via credit card will automatically update our billing system, and your services will be re-instated within 90 minutes of payment being received. If paying via cash, cheque or money order, payment will need to be received by Internode first, then applied to your account. Services will be re-instated within 90 minutes of this payment being processed.

What do I do if I have a query with my account or bill?

If you have a query with your account, contact our Billing Team: Mon - Fri 7am - Midnight CST.

• Contact our Billing Team

If I query my account, will I still be suspended?

All account queries should be addressed within the 28-day trading period. All queries will be responded to as soon as possible, and should not affect the date of payment. In a rare situation where an issue requires investigation beyond the 28-day trading period, an extension may be granted.

What if I am unable to pay due to financial hardship?

If you are temporarily experiencing genuine financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances you may be eligible to apply for assistance under Internode's Financial Hardship Policy. Customers who are merely seeking to defer payment will not be eligible.

To learn more, including how to apply if needed, see the following documents:

• Internode Financial Hardship Policy (PDF)
  
• Internode Financial Hardship Policy Summary (PDF)