This is my mobile phone story, it is not yet finished. It’s from memory so fine detail has been lost.

I had a Telstra CDMA phone when they closed down the system. From memory this was at the end of April 2008. My mobile is not important; it is only used in case of emergency, occasional calls & to know the time. 

Telstra wrote that my number would be lost if I did not change to Telstra Next G before the system shut down but I was still deciding if I wanted a mobile or not when the CDMA ended. From memory this about the end of April.

About a week later I was offered an unwanted family GSM phone & as a matter of interest I decided to try it out.

I purchase a $30 pre-paid Optus SIM card. This was the cheapest available within a 100 km radius.

After several long phone calls (hours) the activation did not work so I was asked to get another card and would be credited with the $30.

I purchased another card. Activation still did not work and I was asked to purchase third card. This involved more hours of calls.

When I refused to fork out more, which would bring the total to $90, I was told they could not help me.

I contacted the Telecommunications Ombudsman (TIO), contacted Optus again, and was connected in about an hour. The phone was now operational.

I live 7km from town and was amazed to find that, after all these years putting up with a weak CDMA service, this old GSM phone, on Optus and which should not work away from town, had better reception that the Telstra CDMA ever had.

A short time after the CDMA shut down I received a surprising letter from Telstra that told me that my phone number was available ‘till the end of the month.

After discussion with Optus I/we immediately requested that it be ported over to Optus and was told this was not possible. So I contacted the TIO and armed with this ammunition I was told I had to start a Telstra post paid account to get the number. This I did with the object of changing to Optus later.

At this time I was told that when I changed from Telstra I would be credited with the $60 for the two $30 prepaid SIM cards that Optus could not activate.

The phone was now operational on a Telstra post paid (monthly account) SIM card.

After a week or so I requested Optus to take over my account. I had been told at one stage I had $80 credit, even though I had only spent only $60.

Optus said I now had an account and would receive a post paid SIM card by courier. I told them that this would probably not happen because couriers are notorious for not delivering 7 km out of town unless they had time on their hands. I waited home two days and it did not happen.

More time on the phone and they sent a pre-paid SIM card by mail. It was the wrong card and couldn’t be activated.

Many more phone calls and much time spent and a post-paid card was delivered by courier.

This could not be activated, resulting in many more phone calls.

I contacted the TIO again and after more phone calls I was asked to call a number and advise that “the port into Optus had expired and I needed a new verbal recording and a new SIM card”.

I did this and was told that the last SIM card sent to me would be activated. I explained again about a new card being required and this has been a painful process. This was ignored. He said he would have the SIM card activated and be sure to follow up the process to ensure it went through within a couple of days.

Still no connection 3 1/2 days later.

I phoned once again and was told once again that the system showed my SIM card was operational. I was asked if I had a Sim card ending in 191. I answered just the same as I have done several times when asked the same question – I have no card ending in 191. Result – another SIM card would be sent to me.

I asked the state of my account balance and was told zero balance. The $60 worth of unusable prepaid SIM cards had not been credited. This upset me a bit because it was half the reason I put up with all this trouble; I was reluctant to lose the money.

The next SIM card arrived at the end of the week and I was able to have it activated. I asked how much credit I had and was told $2.00.

Another call and the complaints chap said he would credit $20 to each of my next 3 accounts.

THE END (hopefully - 6months later on 9/10/2008).

They keep piling insult on injury, I am convinced it will never end – have received a bill for $9.69 covering from the 4 September to the 3^rd October although the phone was not connected until the 9^th of October.

21/10/08 Sent a letter to Optus Customer Relations Group explaining the situation and did not receive any reply.

10/12/08 Spoke with Karen at Optus who agreed to the $9.69 was wrong and would be cancelled.

10/1/09 Still no end - The next Optus bill arrived for $8.77 with no $20 (per month) credit as promised

11/3/09 Received a text message from Optus to "pay $26.77 now by credit card or refer to bill for options". I had not yet receive the bill so called the help number on the last bill. The same horrid performance began again – passed on to another person - then passed on to another person - then left to wait – all the while having difficulty understanding the people - & as usual finally gave up waiting. I had learned my lesson though, so this time I didn't wait as long as I had in the past until I was disconnected.

11/3/09 Rang the Telecommunications Ombudsman who were very nice & said they would have to contact Optus & this would take 8 weeks because of the backlog. I was also advised I had to pay any outstanding bills.

Some comments at random:

• It would not be possible to handle this type of shambles without a speaker phone.
• Several times I have been transferred 3, 4 or more times to different sections until the last dial tone stops after a few seconds leaving me no option but to start again or give up.
• I have made mistakes. One time a nice person asked if I would mind being transferred, I determined to hold on as long as possible. Occasionally she checked I was still there and apologised for the delay. After several hours I fouled up and forgot and used the phone to make a call.
• The only joy I have had in this miserable experience was when one Telco person called another one so I was part of the three way conversation. The two of them started a slightly heated argument because they couldn’t understand each other. 
• I do regret is that I have not documented this in detail from the start.
• Obviously this problem is partly cause by my request for the original CDMA phone number. I wonder if any of this is exacerbated by antagonism between the Telcos involved?
• I have requested my money back a few times but somehow or other the subject gets changed.
• I have lost track of how many phone calls I have made, over 10, maybe 20 or more and time-wise two or more working days at the minimum.
• I had been asked for an invoice number on occasions. I did not have an invoice so had no idea. This would result in a transfer that did not connect or a misleading promise to call back. Then during the last card activation session this same question seem to be about to stall the proceedings once again. While waiting I noticed the letter accompanying the cards had two different SIM numbers, in as much that one included an extra six numbers in front. The light dawned and I asked what the extra six numbers were – yeah the freaking invoice number!