Our experience with Telstra has been disappointing. After applying for a phone and plan online, the handset was declined due to being just $3.80 over the limit. Although an option to make a down payment was available, it wouldn’t let us select it.We then contacted Telstra customer service, but the representative seemed unsure of the process. He suggested lowering the plan by $5 to improve affordability, reassuring us this would resolve the issue. However, since the handset itself was declined, we were concerned about unnecessary credit checks. Unfortunately, the result remained the same.Following Telstra’s advice, we visited a store, but after three credit checks and still no phone or plan, we were eventually referred to the complaints team. Frustrated, we decided to visit Vodafone, where the rest of our family is with. Not only were they able to offer the same phone with a plan that included more data, but it was also over $20 per month cheaper—with just a small down payment.Based on this experience, I would recommend comparing options with different providers before committing.
