When friends told of disasters with their connections I boasted “with Telstra I hadn't had any trouble”.

On April 14 there were three messages on my answering machine, but dialling these numbers they were engaged? Saturday morning I still couldn't contact these numbers. There were three phone calls during the morning and no-one there each time, so I rang 13 22 00 and spent 45 minutes on my mobile sorting the problem out.

It was the same on April 17, so another 45 minutes on my mobile again.

Then again Wednesday, April 19, five calls which I couldn't answer.

The next morning my son arrived at 7.30am as they couldn't reach me on my home phone. So, again, a 45-minute call on my mobile.

I have rheumatoid arthritis and other health problems so need a phone link and my answering machine for overseas relatives and interstate family.

This NBN is advertised as the best thing since sliced bread and needed.

Please send someone human to sort this modem out or remove it as I've had enough and wonder who's paying all these 45-minute calls of complaint.

I was interested in the article by Chris Young “NBN speeds recorded” (The Border Mail, April 13) and in particular the experience of Mr Heinz Mence.

A week? He should be so lucky.

I have been without internet or landline phone since February 15. Like Mr Mence I’ve spent hours on the phone to Telstra, also NBN, Ombudsman and Sussan Ley's office.

Telstra and NBN never call when they say they will and I wait up to three hours after the appointed time. Operators on the phone do not speak English I can understand.

So they tell me I'm a priority, whatever that means. I wonder how much longer I have to wait for this wonderful technology.

The recent comments of the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, when meshed with those of the Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister, Darren Chester, (The Border Mail, April 22) will be received by the travelling public along the north-east transport corridor with only guarded optimism.

As always, the devil is in the detail and a close examination reveals no detail at all in this latest release.

Is the objective once more, that of silencing the squeaky wheel?

The Border Rail Action Group has been notable for its initiatives in providing constructive advice to government, not only highlighting the shortcomings of the V/Line rail operation, but offering practical cost effective solutions capable of implementation.

BRAG’s call to the premier is to translate that position into action.

His transport minister, Jacinta Allan, has before her a well considered cost effective plan tabled as a first stage in the upgrade of the fleet on the corridor.

This plan centres on the immediate introduction of a three-carriage VLocity train to operate a shuttle comprising two return services daily from Albury to Seymour.

The VLocity ticks all of the boxes that the North East passenger rail market has sought over the past several years of gross under performance – higher reliability, greater frequency (five rail services daily) and reduced journey times.

This should be quickly followed by a commitment to replace the N-Class fleet.

While it is currently being coiffured to look good, this 40-year old equipment has no justification for remaining in operation.