Smart One bill $3 charge now for Int free Iphone

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gjen

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Master Geek
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Topic # 147249 13-Jun-2014 13:28

Hi there

I understand Telecom changed the way they support interest free handset's so that now you have to have an active account and therefore they applied the minimum 15 anytime charge of $3.

My issue is that now it is costing me $3 a month for a supposedly interest free handset. This change occurred in March 2014 after I put the Iphone 5s on my home account in Oct/Nov 2013.

I do not require a mobile account due to an existing corporate account. So I just pay off the phone over 24 months. I have done this previously for an Iphone 4s

Telecom can you please advise how I can have this fee removed as I did not request the account and I do not need it. Over the term of the deal it is costing me $60 and to no value to me... and the phone is therefor not interest fee as it was before march.

Look forward to your assistance as when I tried talking to a shop assistant their hands were tied.

Regards
Gareth

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446 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1064947 13-Jun-2014 14:56

Interesting situation. I disagree slightly with what you are saying as in i consider the phone is still interest free. However being forced to pay for an additional service in order to retain an interest free deal which was not the case at the time of your agreement is questionable at best.

I'm sure Telecom are covered technically by their ts&cs which would allow them to alter the terms of the plan attached to the agreement, if not the agreement (for int free) itself, but would hope they choose not enforce that right in your situation.

I presume you have a telecom landline? (Is it still compulsory to one bill?)

Bung

2414 posts

Uber Geek
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Reply # 1064992 13-Jun-2014 15:22

"after I put the Iphone 5s on my home account in Oct/Nov 2013. " Have you had another sim and number just sitting unused on One Bill? Everyone on One Bill now has to pay the minimum $3.

Just another pin pricking nuisance like removing One Voicemail.

scheduler

254 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1064996 13-Jun-2014 15:27

Can you please clarify. Are you saying your phone is not on one bill because it is on a corporate plan but in order to get the interest free on the phone Telecom are charging you the newly introduced charge for 1 bill. If I am reading things correctly that would appear to me to be charging you twice for one connection Hmmmm. I think I must be interpreting something incorrectly

gjen

75 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 1065026 13-Jun-2014 16:20

@ Joff_nz Yes I Still have a land line

@ Bung They gave me a Sim and number allocated when I got the Phone in Oct/Nov. I didn't need it as I moved my corp sim to my new Iphone...

@ scheduler I put the phone on Int free in Oct/Nov and acquired a sim & number but I did not ask for a plan as I have an corporate plan which gets paid magically :) In March they introduced the smart one bill and so applied a mobile plan to my account to the value of $3.

Bung

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Reply # 1065033 13-Jun-2014 16:32

gjen: In March they introduced the smart one bill and so applied a mobile plan to my account to the value of $3.

They may have started billing all one bill mobiles $3 minimum in March but you've probably had the mobile sim and number that you don't use attached to your phone account on the old pay if you use it basis.

Next you'll admit that the Corporate account isn't even with Telecom :D

scheduler

254 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1065038 13-Jun-2014 16:58

Alright I think I have it. It appears to me that when you got the phone they put the sim you were given on One bill. At that you wouldn't have noticed it as there would have been no charge to your account as the Three dollar charge didn't come in until March.
I would think you can cancel the one bill plan ok but from what you have written that will require you to make full payment for the phone.

I think you need to get the contract you signed and see what is actually written on it especially if there is a requirement for a mobile plan or just to maintain a Telecom account?

gjen

75 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 1065042 13-Jun-2014 17:03

Yes it is with Telecom :)

gjen

75 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 1065045 13-Jun-2014 17:05

Yes that is correct I will have to try and see.

scheduler

254 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1065050 13-Jun-2014 17:13

I just googled the current online conditions for this and it clearly stated for the interest free offer you need to maintain a mobile post paid plan with Telecom

joff_nz

446 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1065058 13-Jun-2014 17:23

Yeah Telecoms t&cs would no doubt say:
- you can have phone int free
- to have int free you have to have a postpaid plan
- today the cheapest postpaid plan is the one bill which is free
- we reserve the right to change the cost of our cheapest plan.

So based on all this Telecom doesn't *have to* do anything, but assuming you're an otherwise decent telecom customer, I would be surprised if they would not offer you a credit sufficient to offset the onebill charge.

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1065073 13-Jun-2014 17:38

When I worked for Telecom the rules around this were:

You have to use the device with the mobile number where the Internet Free payments are to be loaded.

If you're not using it with this account - eg: on Prepaid instead it is your own fault. For most people they'll have the interest free payments loaded on the postpaid number being used to pay off this handset, they'll occur no extra charges unless if the device was actually being used on a Onebill account where you would want a plan regardless.

So the question for you is why are you not using the device on Postpaid or under this mobile number?

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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joff_nz

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1065076 13-Jun-2014 17:45

When I worked for telecom, we never enforced that at all.

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1065097 13-Jun-2014 17:55

joff_nz: When I worked for telecom, we never enforced that at all.

Is not following policy the reason why you're no-longer at Telecom?

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
A quick guide to picking the right ISP | The Router Guide | Community UniFi Cloud Controller | Ubiquiti Edgerouter Tutorial

joff_nz

446 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1065099 13-Jun-2014 17:57

Hah, no. Regardless of policy, (whether it officially exists or not), is it reflected in the terms and conditions or agreement the customer had/has with telecom?

joff_nz

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1065103 13-Jun-2014 18:01

joff_nz: When I worked for telecom, we never enforced that at all.

I'll rephrase this, when I was at Telecom, for 5 years and leaving approx 2.5 years ago*, this wasn't ever enforced, mentioned, or in fact understood to be a rule. Back to what I've said after this, is it in the contract? If not, 'policy' really doesn't matter.

*iirc, approx when you started? So not impossible that it changed, but that doesn't change my position.

So to tie it back to the op, which I realised I went a little off track, call telecom on 123, make it clear you are unhappy/ would like to complain about the cost you are now incurring for no gain, and see what they'll do.

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