Wrong port date despite repeated request to Optus

[alinaus]

Hi lovely people on the forum, The Optus experience has been quite frustrating for me and I'm only 19 days into it! I recently moved to Optus from another service provider. When I signed up for my new contract, I told Optus specifically that I required the phone to be ported on 2X Jan 18. I had chatted online with Optus over many occasions (at least 3 times) to get that date confirmed and reaffirmed. The agents had made multiple notes on my account. I was also reassured that despite receiving the physical sim early Jan, the service won't be activated until I called in to activate the service, which I was planning to do on 2X Jan 18. That date, 2X Jan 18, is important as that was when my contract was to end with the other service provider. I didn't want to be double billed. I mean who wants to, if you can avoid it?? I trusted Optus to do the right thing. Yet, Optus chose to port my phone on 1X Jan 18, 12 days earlier than what I had instructed them to do. The mobile number was activated without my consent/ activation. I now am left with a bill from my original provider from 1X Jan 18 to 2X Jan 18 and also a bill from Optus from 1X Jan 18 onwards. I was told that Optus cannot compensate me for the double billing as it is the other service provider's bill. The agent who I was chatting on line copied and pasted the same comments 3 times "as I clearly mentioned above we are from optus and there is no way I can credit the amount or restore the service", which I thought was quite rude! Those comments did not address my concern as a customer, as I just didn't want to be double charged and Optus to take responsibility of their mistakes and the financial consequence it caused. What I don't understand is this wasn't even my fault! Why should I be charged for this mistake made by Optus?!? I trusted Optus to do the right thing of porting my service on the instructed date and they failed me. I have to say I am deeply disappointed with Optus. I have since tried chatting online with the team, every time their line is full, so I have come to this online forum to seek help/ assistance over my matter. I'm not too sure what else I can do..... Thank you for listening and providing any similar experience of trying to request credits from Optus or just any general support/ suggestions. Thanks again.

[Yeldarb]

Yes I had a similar thing happen to me with Telstra many years back however they did manage to give me a credit. I guess you could write an official complaint to Optus or speak to the TIO if you feel strongly about it. Information on how to this can be found on the link below. 

http://www.optus.com.au/shop/support/answer/complaints-compliments?requestType=NormalRequest&id=1409...

[alinaus]

Hi Yeldarb, thank you for your response! 🙂 I will look into it and put an official complaint. Do we know whether they take these complaints seriously? Thanks again!

[Yeldarb]

Well I would hope they do. If you mention that you may be speaking with the TIO if unhappy with their response then you may have more success.

[alinaus]

Silly question, what is TIO? 😛 sorry as I said, I'm a total newbie!

[Yeldarb]

Have a read of the link below my friend.

https://www.tio.com.au/consumers

[alinaus]

Thank you so much for this!! Amazing information and support :). I feel a lot less lost now. Have a great night as I can truly say you have made mine! 🙂

[Yeldarb]

Cheers!

[Dan_C]

@alinaus,

I used to work in sales way back in the day. As far as forward dating port in requests are concerned, it was always tricky and there was a specific process that needed to be followed. When we input an order, we're prompted to enter your port in details (that's the losing carriers account number and matching DOB).

We'd need to input mock details then submit the order. We'd then need to go in and submit the port on the requested date of activation.

Alternatively, we'd save the order at point where we're prompted to enter the port details. We'd then submit the order on the activation date.

You're more than welcome to send us a PM with your account details → http://yesopt.us/pmdan, I need your full name, DOB and account number. I should be able to apply an adjustment to offset any fees incurred by the loosing provider. Look forward to hearing back 🙂