4 hrs later in total of waiting I walked away with a huge smile on my face with my new iPhone. At that point in time I didn’t care about the pricing although I knew I would eventually be outraged, my high nulled my senses for the time being.     There was some relief to know that my data plan wasn’t locked in for the contract and I could change it month by month so I was willing to evaluate and take it from there.    If I wanted to buy outright I needed to unlock the iPhone for a $150 (remember Optus was only $80) so at least I had some sort of escape plan I guessed.   

It took me about 3 days to truly evaluate I had stuffed up BIG TIME.  Free hotspots?? HA!!  Yeah sure they do work …. standing in the T-Life store they work, if you’re in a Starbucks (Telstra network) they would work or if you’re lucky to actually find a Telstra CBD hotspot that the iPhone picked up (and then requesting an access code EVERY single time) doesn’t piss you off then so be it.  BUT IT DOES PISS ME OFF!!  And it pisses me off I couldn’t get the technical advise I would expect from such a large company implementing such a device.   Releasing the plans whilst in line is just so rude!!  Haven’t being set an SMS within the first week saying I was almost at my max of data cap download for 250mb despite my phone saying I had only done 5mb was also rude too.  But having to return numerous times to the T-Life within the coming weeks with certain questions or technical issues (eg the above SMS warning or when the phone bricked with an app (2.0 bug) and they replaced it because they didn’t know how to restore it…. which I had to read up myself)…. and every single I waited, and waited for a minimum of 2hrs to get a service was rudest of all.  I soon worked out that the T-Life store is great service for selling but their one on one service doesn’t actually mean anything to with do “service” service.  

I finally cracked it, paid my $150 to unlock my iPhone but as I write this I’m still contracted with the devil fearing my swap to another provider will only mean transferring problems.   Having gone through the Whirlpool forums it’s a clear indication that all providers do have problems to some degree.  One poster might mention a terrible experience with company A but another poster saying they are perfectly fine which brings me to my Telco conundrum.   Is it better to stay with the Devil you know or break away like a bad divorce and risk ending up with similar problems elsewhere?

It be fair to Telstra, their actual connection to their network has been faultless which is why I’ve been chicken to jump ship.  I do personally know of others on different networks/providers that have had connections problems (even after 2.1) and I’ve even tried a 3 sim in my phone which had unacceptable reception to the point of dropping off entirely (remember I work in the CBD).   I don’t use any of Telstra hotspots as there is no need. I’ll poach WiFi from anywhere it’s free (eg a restaurant) or if I’m using cell data for maps the download isn’t that much.   I’ve dumbed down my massive $59/250mb to $10/150mb data cap which seems to be doing ok but paying $40 for $30 worth of call is outrageous!!!   And I will be forever be disappointed in the amount of contradicting information I have been given from different departments within Telstra.  How ironic is it that they are so BIG and “the BEST” that their internal communications are so appalling!? 

Like a lot of Whirlpool posters I’m not alone in deciding what to do so I’d like to ask the readers of iPhoneWiki for their 2 cents too and help me answer my question.  Do I stay with the devil I know or leave them like a bitter divorce?

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