I ordered a Telecom XT USB modem for my Ubuntu laptop. I went with them because they had the best prices, and the most suitable plan for my intended usage, and they had a modem that was compatible with my system. The service over the phone was great while the guy organised the things that I needed, and he got it couriered out to me within 3 days. That's where the good part of the story ends..

I got my modem working with a bit of fuss under Ubuntu (which I expected) and it did eventually go once I had it sorted out (which I also expected). Then after 3 days it mysteriously stopped working. I rang the help desk and they couldnt figure out what was wrong with my system. I described my symptoms, and after reinstalling the modem software a few times on my WindowsXP machine and trying the modem on 2 PC's and 1 laptop, they said they'd ring back in 20 minutes so he could consult with his workmates, to try and figure out what was wrong. They didnt call back. I rang back around 10.30pm and their department was closed. Next day, I rang back around 10am, and again, they couldnt figure out what was wrong. So I went into the Telecom store. The guy at the Manukau store was great (I cant remember his name unfortunately, nice young Indian guy),and he found out for me that I had somehow been put on prepay internet with $10 credit, and I had 5 cents credit left on my sim card. I had specifically asked to be put on an open term contract, 500mb monthly plan, and have it billed to my landline telecom account. So he spends 20 minutes on the phone with a Telecom lady, and they had a big discussion. Indian fellow who knew his stuff kept describing how to solve the issue, and the lady operator on the phone didnt really understand how to do it, from what I could tell. While I'm at the store, I used MSN and the web from my Ubuntu laptop with the same model Telecom MF636 from one of their display computers. No driver issues at all. So apparently the problem is complex, because they need to disconnect my sim cards phone number, and reconnect it with the different plan (or something like that?!) and he tells me it should be done within 2 days.

2 days later.. I ring 123 back at 9pm because its still not working. The guy then says its an easy fix (or words to that effect), and that it will be working within 4 hours. Next morning, its still not going. I went to a convention, where the WiFi happened to be broken all day, and I had no internet. I rang Telecom back at lunch around 1pm, hoping they could resolve it at long last.. and after being transferred 3 times (I get transferred at least 2-3 times whenever I ring them, sometimes to foreign countrys with awesome 3 second delays), a NZ operator finally talks to me and says she can have it fixed with 10 minutes. great! well, I'm back home from the convention, its after 6pm, and its still not connected.

I ring back, they tell me I've got the wrong department, and to ring this number instead.. So I ring that number, they tell me I've got the wrong department, they forward me somewhere else.. I talk to them, they tell me I was supposed to ring the number I had just rung... at one point,a lady with a 3 second delay on her line tells me I have no account with Telecom under my home phone number..

I've just got off the phone again.. she says she'll ring back within 30 minutes. Apparently theres a service order on my line waiting to be resolved. This one was another NZ operator, so I'm hoping she'll finally be able to resolve it. Meanwhile, I've already spent $10 worth of expensive prepaid credit I didnt want to, and I've missed out on internet all week when I've wanted to be mobile. 2 helpdesk operators couldnt figure out what was wrong, telling me to re-install my software and drivers over and over, and 3 people have fed me storys about how it'll be working within a certain amount of time, only to be let down each time. Not to mention an annoying voice prompt that's infuritating to use, and aproximately a dozen or so re-directions to foreign countries.

I'm sick of telling people that I want the 500mb monthly plan at $34.95 billed to my landline telecom account and not prepay.