UNLOCK THE PREPAID 4G WIFI MODEM

[annaa]

Hi,

I am in overseas at the moment, how to unlcok my pre-paid 4G wifi modem? I can't call the service hotline as I am not in Australia.

Thanks!

[Steph · Accepted solution]

Hi Annaa, 

To get your device unlocked there is a fee to do so. 

If you've used teh Pre-Paid 4G device on our network for over 6 months, that fee is $27.50. 

If it's not been activated for over 6 months then the charge is $50 - $150 which our Pre-Paid team can confirm for you. 

To arrange the unlocking, and payment of the fee, you'd need to speak to our Pre-Paid team, which you can do via Live Chat: http://tel.st/nxzt  or on +61 2 9242 0570  both are available 24x7

[jjean]

I'm from New York and I purchased a 4G WIFI device while I was in Sydney.

Getting your device unlocked via phone is useless.  I called THREE times over a span of three weeks trying to get my 4G WIFI Device unlocked, but they said they couldn't get the unlocking code from the manufacturer and that the request would be escalated to upper management.  THREE WEEKS!!  Does anyone actually do any work there? It seems like all customer service are handled in India and they tell me the same thing word for word.

Needless to say, I asked for a refund.  If you purchased the device in a store, you're better of getting it unlocked there before traveling out of Australia.

[hlplatinum8888]

Hi Steph,
I used pre-paid Telstra Wifi 4G 2 years already, but now I need to bring it go to overseas. Please help me to unlock this device.

Thanks

[hlplatinum8888]

Hi There,
I used pre-paid Telstra Wifi 4G 2 years already, but now I need to bring it go to overseas.
Someone can help me to unlock this device.

Thanks!

[Steph]

Hi hlplatinum8888

You'll need to contact our Unlocking team to arrange for it to be unlocked.
If there is a charge for your device, they will let you know what this is. 

Our unlocking team are presently only available over the phone on 13 22 00  - say Unlocking, and they're available 24x7

[hlplatinum8888]

Ah....
Thank you Steph, I will call that number you give to me.

good nite!

[Dubeye]

Be very careful. Telstra quote the cost and on agreeing the terms you are transferred to other operators. I wanted to unlock a 3G dongle (why you ask- indeed I have!) I ended paying the initial charge but got hit big time for call charges because despite me having free landline calls from uk to Australia the transfers made by Telstra must have been to mobile numbers and I ended up talking to but not understanding very well the Philippino operator. She got quite frustrated by me asking her to repeat her instructions for unlocking and her general attitude was surprisingly not good. She insisted I had received instructions attached to my email despite me saying the attached file wasn't there. We then had this drawn out explanation with me writing them down. Not great! I haven't succeeded to unlock the dongle either. :-(

[nickegg]

Live chat not working. Calling from UK not practical. Need to buy unlock code urgently.

[Steph]

Hi Nickegg

Unlocking is a service that we only offer over the phone - there's no other option for you to have this completed.

If you have a Telstra SIM card with you, that has international roaming switched on, you can call us free of charge on +61 439 125 109 from  8am - 9pm AEST to have the device unlocked. 

[JamesR]

I've paid the unlocking fee got the information and was wrongly givin the details twice, finally got the additional information yet still cannot unlock mini wifi unit, there appears to be a significant gap in instructions provided by TELSTRA team
In this area. My only hope is to take into store to get it unlocked after spending hundreds purchasing another unlocked device overseas. Very annoyed that the unlock cannot be done easily like phones given TELSTRA sold this decide locked.

[sean__wong]

@Steph

The Chat team cannot action this any more

I was politely but firmly referred to 132200

As you may know the 13 range cannot be acccessed from outside the telstra Mobile and PSTN

I suggest updating thsi thread and your collegaues in the L1 Chat team.

I was able to unlock my MF90 prior to a trip OS using the following streps

1. Get Internet Browser access on a working device
2. Get IMEI device number (15 Digits) and
3. Get Device model number eg MF-90
4. Credit or debit card or ACTIVE Prepaid Phone Number eg the one in the prepaid device
5. CALL +61 2 9242 0570 and repsond to voice prompts with "unlock device"
6. Request UNLOCK team but answer all the ID etc questions
   ( don't say any word that sounds like P-U-K eg my wifi puck needs unlocking or the operator will get lost in the PUK screens)
7. REpeat all your information to the UNLOCK team
8. NOW you are starting the process, The UNLOCK TEAM will ask for IMEI number and then ask you to make payment on Telstra's BILL Pay page.
   They will supply an internal Telstra account + Bill Number
   You suppply your Payment details
   Then VERBALLY read back the RECEIPT Number
   https://my.telstra.com.au/myaccount/paybill
9. the UNLOCK TEAM verbally supply your UNLOCK CODE
10. Over to you to enter it in your device.
    (remember to do this you will probably need to disconnect from the internet to connect ot your devices WIFI network.
11. Happy Days your device is unlocked and its only taken 25 minutes of TWO Human Lives and cost $25.
12. Now you're probably thinking "where's my tax invoice / receipt ?" use your favourite screen grab technique or just ALT+PrintScreen button to get that last screen because the PDF button is BROKEN! and  when you click on the "get PDF" you get 404 error and cannot go "back".

RANT / Comment >

In 2017 this is a arcane method of "buying" a digital asset. Its simply busy work that is keeping some call centre folk stuck in endless loops. At some point in the future the human race wil llook back on this age like we look back on the early industrial revolution. 50 minutes of Person time and all for $25.

In Austrlaian Jurisdiction it is ILLEGAL to NOT provide a Tax Invoice. Technology failure is not an acceptable excuse.

Now of course IF Telstra had a reasonable OS Roaming Data Share plan we may never need to do this process!

[JohnNayler]

Thanks for this information. I successfully used this information to unlock a Huawei Mobile Broadband E8372 also known as a Tesltra 4G USB+Wifi PLUS so I could use an aldi data sim. Really pleased.

[Em8301]

Hi John

How did you get the unlock code?  I have the same model and have been told it cannot be unlocked, twice. Last time was abour 3 weeks ago.

[kcact]

I also have a Telstra prepaid WiFi 4G that I bought about July 2013.

I am considering getting it unlocked - what is involved in getting this done in 2017 ?

[IvanS]

Hi kcact, 

Our Pre-Paid team can assist any time via secure Live Chat here:  http://tel.st/nxzt

[WilliamHH]

Haha. Thesy can’t find an “unlock code” for my device. 😂😂😂 I have to wait for an official email from the “incompetence team”.

[Chocolate57]

Its exceptionally bad business to charge a customer again after already charging them to buy a device.

Its like a tax on a tax. And Telstra wonder why customer dissatisfaction grows daily. 

Then they lose customers to other carriers. Its a cycle of poor customer service that they have become very good at.

Tragic really. Lets see what happens when I try to unlock 2 devices tomorrow.

The outcome would seal my decision to close my entire account and go somewhere else...