Mobile Telco Accidentally Ported My Number, How Much Compensation Should I Expect?

LJ23SD on 22/11/2017 - 14:17
Last edited 26/11/2017 - 02:09

Hi everyone just I am looking for a bit of advice on how much compensation I should expect from one of the big telcos.

Long story short,

3 weeks ago I ordered a new iPhone X from one of the big telcos, I requested to be given a new phone number as I want to keep my old number in order to use it for work-related stuff. A few days later I was sent my newly approved contract which told me that once I receive my phone my old phone number would be ported over within 1-2 business days and included information about my phone number which I had not provided. Upon contacting customer support I was told that there was human error and somebody had taken my phone number from the shipping section of the online process and had authorized it to be transferred, Luckily as I noticed this early I was able to call up and have them cancel my order and replace it with the same old order without the number porting. This initially upset me as it meant my order was now at the back of the list again. I made a complaint and they offered me 1 months free phone bill $100. I refused and had it escalated to the complaints team. To make the incident even worse, the original order although that got cancelled somehow was reactivated, so now this network has actually ported my number. They sent me a new iphone X but according to their site I have another one on the way soon as well with a new number. At the moment now I have no phone number as the network has ported my number from my other network and I don't want to open the new iPhone as that order should have been cancelled. I really don't know what to do and am waiting to hear from the complaints team.

I have recorded the names and times I spoke with every customer service rep trying to fix this and even though above may look simple it has totalled up to over 9 hours at this point.

EDIT: What would be a reasonable amount I should ask for to be compensated?

Also just wanted to add that the network has admitted that what happened was their fault and that it should not have happened, they are currently investigating.

Resolution:

The complaints team just offered me 3 months of the phone part of my bill waived (3x85 - $255) and $45 for the lost credit on my phone. The matters now been resolved.

Mobile

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 22/11/2017 - 14:24
    +5

    I would never put a figure on it from your side. Just drag it out and let them realise it's cheaper for them to make you go away.

  • Savas on 22/11/2017 - 14:37
    +9

    I would ask for 10 million dollars

    • angelkulit025 on 22/11/2017 - 14:49
      +1

      you can only ask, demanding is another question.

  • abb on 22/11/2017 - 14:46
    +3

    Is it unreasonable at this stage to ask for them to return my number and give me $500 credit on my account?

    What leverage do you have if they say no?

    Have you suffered any provable loss as a result of their mistake?

    • J23SD on 22/11/2017 - 14:56

      Currently no, but it appears the new iPhone X I was sent may have been an accident as well. So in the next few days, they may send me another iPhone X because my new order number says my new order will be on the way soon. I am currently without a working phone as they have taken my number and loss of credit from my old network. And time as well I guess but they probably won't care about that.

        • J23SD on 22/11/2017 - 15:15

          Yeah, At the end of the day I am not interested in keeping the 2nd phone if they send another I'll send it back, When ABB asked about leverage it's all I could think of.

        • tsunamisurfer on 22/11/2017 - 16:14
          +5

          @JamesVincent:

          So you've suffered no quantifiable financial losses as a result of this mistake but you want $500 for it anyway.

          Let me guess….American?

        • J23SD on 22/11/2017 - 16:23

          @tsunamisurfer: At the moment I have lost 9 hours of my time and 45$ credit from my phone that they ported the number from. My race has nothing to do with this. The reason I ask to be given a credit is that what should have been a simple purchase of a new phone plan has turned into me spending a lot of my own time trying to stop a telco taking my number.

        • [Deactivated] on 22/11/2017 - 17:00
          +1

          @JamesVincent:

          so then appropriate compensation would be a little bit more than $45

      • whooah1979 on 22/11/2017 - 17:25

        I am currently without a working phone

        What's wrong with the phone?

        • J23SD on 22/11/2017 - 18:21

          they took my number and ported it. without my permission

        • whooah1979 on 22/11/2017 - 20:46

          @JamesVincent:

          So the phone still works, but the sim is inactive.

    • mrmc on 22/11/2017 - 17:20
      +4

      $100 is probably the best you'll get, $500 they are better off not having you as a customer as they'll make little to no profit

  • [Deactivated] on 22/11/2017 - 16:00
    +1

    You must be dreaming man….

  • AdamFury on 22/11/2017 - 17:30
    +9

    Ex Telco employee; $100 seems decent. Any more and you've done well but to answer your question. Not a lot.

  • redfox1200 on 22/11/2017 - 18:42
    +2

    about three fiddy

  • smuggler on 22/11/2017 - 19:13
    -2

    3 weeks ago I ordered a new iPhone X from one of the big telcos

    I hope you get nothing for buying an iphone X

  • Strahany on 22/11/2017 - 20:10
    +1

    You seem like the kind of guy that would refuse to pay for his entire family's meal because his Quarter Pounder patty weighed 112g.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/11/2017 - 00:18
      -1

      I know how cooks add extra weight to returned burgers.

  • CheapskateQueen on 22/11/2017 - 22:57
    +1

    $100 credit is pretty good. You're not getting $500. Dude that's a lot of money to expect. Beat case scenario they cover your costs (eg lost credit) and give you the $100. No harm in buying a prepaid sim until it's sorted. They'll reimburse that for sure.

  • alxr0101 on 23/11/2017 - 07:29

    You ordered an iPhone, no compensation would ever be enough for that…

  • mannu0101 on 23/11/2017 - 09:21
    -1

    Sound like Telstra to me;)

  • HeWhoKnows on 24/11/2017 - 21:05
    -1

    I really dont the see problem. What loss has OP suffered? Sorry no compensation justified.

    • J23SD on 25/11/2017 - 09:09
      +1

      Well they gave me $300 credit on my account and a full apology.

      • HeWhoKnows on 26/11/2017 - 11:35

        Consider yourself lucky. Thats a very good goodwill gesture. Just goes to show if you dont ask you dont get anything.

  • Aniseed Steed on 25/11/2017 - 09:31
    +1

    I had a slightly different porting issue more than a year ago when I switched from Optus to Telstra, which resulted in callers who were on the Optus and Vodafone networks not being able to call my number. I was given a $200 credit on my account by Telstra after lodging my complaint with the TIO.

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