ITWire

”mac user’s” story on unlocking an “outright purchased” iPhone 3G from Telstra free of charge continues: “By this time I had had enough, and requested a record of the phone call, the Team Leader and the Operators Name and staff numbers, of which I received the Team Leaders, and operators First Names only - apparently the iPhone unlocking Department are not allowed to disclose surnames (understandably) or surprisingly the Staff Numbers?

“But I was assured that Telstra Would know who I was referring to should I give this information to them at a later date.

“I now decided to go straight to the Complaints Review department (High level complaints) and used the number which is generally only given by the TIO.

“Being greeted by a pleasant Team member, I was asked for my TIO reference number, and mentioned that I did not have one, but could hang-up and call the TIO for a number, after explaining my situation and nature of complaint, I was told that I would be transferred to someone in the unlocking Department, and to ask to speak to the Team Manager.

“Now I was back in the system of the iPhone locking department, and greeted by who I can only assume to be a team leader (not the name I was given earlier) I requested to speak with the Manager, but my operator was insistent that he could help me.

“I repeated my request to have my iPhone unlocked, and was given the same "the only way to unlock the iPhone is to pay the $150 iPhone unlocking fee by credit card" response, to which I stated a couple of reasons that this was in breach of codes, terms and acts I had researched, to which more uninformed 'guesses' as to why the fee was justifiable.

“After again asserting my reasons, and that the Complaints Review department transferred me to this department and instructed me to request the manager, I was eventually put on-hold and finally I was greeted by a Full Name, and a "how can help".

“After again going through the verbal tennis match of the Training manual response and my reasons, I again explained that I hoped to resolve this matter before resorting to requesting the assistance of The ACCC, The Office of Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs.

“I explained that Telstra Were in fact in breach of the Telecommunications Industry Code and the Fair Trading Act 1999, I was quizzed with "which act or code are we in breach of?", to which I quickly shuffled through my pages and found a section that was not my best ace up my sleeve but it was the one of the codes that I believed they breached; ACIF C521:2004 Customer Information on Prices, Section 6 that concerns the provision of information by a Supplier to its Customers about the Supplier’s Telecommunications Products.

“After some debate about why and my reasons as to why, mainly the complete lack of pricing information, and Telstra’s inability to provide me with the requested information, or as to where it could be found in their Terms and Conditions, or on their website, I was placed on hold again.

“After a relatively short 5 minutes, I was responded to with the answer I has been seeking; Telstra would Unlock my iPhone without Charge!”

But the story does NOT end here... please read on to page 5!