I took the plunge and bought an iPhone off Trade Me. (NZ Original).

I was near a Telecom shop (Botany Downs) when I picked it up so I popped in because I thought I'd better check my data plan and update it (SPEND MORE) as I was on an E75  so I thought I'd match what I would in theory use. The girl quite politely showed me the Discover magazine which had the new Smartphone Extras in it. Great - instead of paying $18 for 50mb and unlimited texts, I could upgrade and pay $28 for 250mb and I think 750 text. Perfect lets do it, this is the ticket.

'No it would be better if your rang them yourself as thats all I will be doing. Just dial *333'
'oh.... ok.... so.....' *leaves*

So I rang Manila and spoke to the person there whom had no idea what I was on about. I hung up and rang back again some 15mins later to speak to a different person whom again had no idea what I was on about even with me reading the plan details to the lady. In the end, I went to a different Telecom shop (Sylvia Park) and the store manager hadn't heard about it but upon showing him the magazine, he just rolled with it. I was the first one he had apparently done.

Lesson 1: The customer (me) should rarely know more than the expert (Telecom)

So after playing with this iPhone a while, reading this site and the iphonewzealand.co.nz site, I discovered that the OTA update of my v1 sim that I've had since launch day to v3 that would reportedly enable the voicemail button on the iphone wasn't actually going to do that but if I paid the money and bought the new v3 sim, that would enable it. Perfect lets do it, this is the ticket.

Rock into Sylvia Park and was greated with a 'What you talkin' about Willis?. Visit geekzone and iphonewzealand. That'll have the answers for you and you need to update the carrier bundle' After explaining to the man I had done my homework and that in fact I needed to purchase a v3 sim he took my sim, punched it into his PC and advised mine was updated over the air 2 months ago.

'You don't understand, I actually need to buy this sim because the OTA update didn't update a specific field'
'You have a v3 sim sir, have a nice day'

Lesson 2: The customer (me) should rarely know more than the expert (Telecom)

Following on from this, this is the 3rd time I've been told about updating carrier bundles and to visit iphonewzealand.co.nz in a Telecom store. Is this a default answer for 'I can't really be bothered solving your problem' If you are going to spout this then at least know what you are on about. Its pretty much known that the bundles don't work on iOS4...

Have a word to the people that I give my $260 odd a month (for the last 13 years) to. At the very least, make me believe I have been taken care of and listened to even if you don't. The vast majority seem too interested in their wacky hairstyles and unshaven looks and looking like slobs. It might be a look, but it fits in with the service...