I called TelstraClear today to ask how much i'd save if I took my home phone out of my package, since that price isn't on their website as far as I could see. I was on hold for about 5 minutes, which is about normal, and then even though i'd chosen the correct prompts I was then told i'd been connected to the wrong department and had to stay on hold for another 5 minutes to talk to someone else.

Once I was talking to the right person, in Manilla, he put me on hold then came back to tell me I couldn't remove the phone line as I had broadband. I told him he was wrong, I was on cable, and I could remove the service. He put me on hold again, then came back and told me because I had digital TV I couldn't remove the phone line. I told him he was wrong again, that it worked over its own cable modem and the cable network. He put me on hold again, then came back and gave me the information I wanted (you save $39.95 per month by removing the phone line).

I told him i'd like to file a complaint, and I was transferred to the disconnections department in New Zealand. The woman was helpful though, listened to what I said, and said she'd pass the information along. I felt like I was being fobbed off or ignored though.

So, the complaint is that twice they incorrectly told me I couldn't remove the phone line, and it's only because i'm technical that I knew they were incorrect. If my parents had called up they'd have accepted this and paid the $460 per year, not a huge sum but it adds up. It's obviously in their own best interest to keep taking money for an unnecessary service, which is getting close to fraud.

I wonder if I should look into a complaint with some telecommunications authority. That way TelstraClear might actually listen, acknowledge the mistake, and try to prevent it happening again.