Apple Offers iPad Refunds to Australian Customers Misled about 4G

Could have sworn at least one Australian telecoms had an LTE network...

The number of people who actually get refunds will show what a non-issue this is for many.

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Waste of time. Regulators should focus on real issues.

If a consumer was misled, they probably shouldn't own an iPad.

Nothing could come between me and the retina display. I'd rather have that than 5G Ultra LTE

The debilitating 4G gate is over my friends! hehe. I dont know how apple made it out alive, since this was such as huge issue. thank goodness!

/s

any bets on what the next "gate" will be??

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It does 4G? Is that the new 3G I've heard about?

Is it just me or do other Aussies find it stupid that Telstra - Australia's largest telecommunications company - is investing and implementing a different LTE frequency to what the rest of the world uses?

This is pure greed from Telstra, potentially forcing Aussie customers to adopt their own branded products to benefit from faster data speeds!

Can't you already return it for a full refund if it isn't what you thought it was?

JayLenochiniMac said:

Can't you already return it for a full refund if it isn't what you thought it was?

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yes but complaining gets the attention theyre seeking hehe

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Are they giving the refund without having to return it? Wtf?

Didn't they say it would be 3g outside the US? Or did I mishear or misread? As for the advets down under I don't know, haven't seen them.

JayLenochiniMac said:

Can't you already return it for a full refund if it isn't what you thought it was?

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I believe if you got it engraved you can't. This would allow those people to get a refund.

hetrigger said:

Didn't they say it would be 3g outside the US? Or did I mishear or misread? As for the advets down under I don't know, haven't seen them.

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yes they did, but if you dont hold a sign outside the apple store in AU making everything clear as you walk in, you get in "trouble" and 4g gate happens hehe

AJH1993 said:

Could have sworn at least one Australian telecoms had an LTE network...

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Telstra has one, but it's on 1800MHz. A dual mode 1800Mhz / 2300MHz TD-LTE network is under construction (Optus). A third 1800MHz LTE network is also in construction (Vodafone).

Telstra has also stated they may soon use 900MHz LTE. In addition, auctions for 2600MHz and 700MHz are to be held later this year. Asia Pacific 700MHz has a different band plan to the US - incompatible with both AT&T and Verizon 700MHz.

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Jayse said:

Is it just me or do other Aussies find it stupid that Telstra - Australia's largest telecommunications company - is investing and implementing a different LTE frequency to what the rest of the world uses?

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No country outside the US has used their heavily fragmented 700MHz band plan. Even the AT&T iPad can't use Verizon's LTE and vice versa!

In contrast, 1800MHz is currently used for LTE in Europe, Asia and Australia.

Jayse said:

Is it just me or do other Aussies find it stupid that Telstra - Australia's largest telecommunications company - is investing and implementing a different LTE frequency to what the rest of the world uses?

This is pure greed from Telstra, potentially forcing Aussie customers to adopt their own branded products to benefit from faster data speeds!

Click to expand...

Theres no international standard, and as such, how can it be said they are using a different LTE frequency to the rest of the world. If anything, the US is, considering its the only place that 4G LTE on the iPad will actually work. But as I said, theres no standard, so I'm not having a go at the US or anything.

Secondly, Au telecoms are doing what they can with the radio frequency thats available. Can't do much more than that...

Accc...!!!

The ACCC are the biggest bunch of toothless tigers around.

If they spent the efforts helping all Australians by investigating the rip off fuel prices they would be doing more for all of us. Instead they just claim they can't control things like that.

Surely most people with some tech knowledge would know Apple's 4G didn't work outside the US.

And those that didn't probably wouldn't know what they got wasn't work faster.

There will be very few returns. This is just a beat up. Apple will be happy for the free advertising for the 2 people in Australia who didn't know they sold tablets. (Hmmm, maybe Samsung will release a 4G tablet next in order to gain some media mentions...)

Actually, I'm surprised Samsung can show one of their ads on tv that says they have the highest res screen now that Apple's is higher. Perhaps they mean they have the highest res screens - that they supply to someone else

Chaos123x said:

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Are they giving the refund without having to return it? Wtf?

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Did they give an amount? Did they say full or portion? Did TELSTRA know their limits and responsibilities?

These and other questions will be answered in "As The Turns"!

They are also advertising it in New Zealand (Australia’s little sister) as 4G, despite, similar to Australia, it is not on 4G in New Zealand.

The NZ Commerce Commission has filed a complaint about this today too.

Wise up Apple.

Why couldn't the countries agree on a common set of frequency bands around the world for LTE?

I understand the different frequencies that LTE use around the world, but I'm not sure about 3G. How is it that 3G works all around the world, and if it's due to being similar frequencies, how come all the countries could agree or use the same one for that and not for LTE?

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Read the fineprint where it says 4G LTE only in US & Canada. What a bunch of crybabies!!!! Hope Apple gives them a bottle with their refund!!!!

Jayse said:

Is it just me or do other Aussies find it stupid that Telstra - Australia's largest telecommunications company - is investing and implementing a different LTE frequency to what the rest of the world uses?

This is pure greed from Telstra, potentially forcing Aussie customers to adopt their own branded products to benefit from faster data speeds!

Click to expand...

No greed, no Au carrier can use it.
In Australia 700MHz is used for analog TV.
700/2100MHz will be available after 2016 when analog TV is switched off.

USA & Canada are in the minority using 700/2100MHz.
Most of Europe and Asia are going with 900/1800MHz.

I think this is more a matter of principle and advertising products without misleading names rather than a big deal that Australian consumers made.

Storm in a tea cup! Yawn...