Telstra has been fined $102,000 for an advertisement marred by ambiguous pricing for the Apple iPhone 6.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued the telco with the fine following a full page advertisement taken in the 27 September edition of The Age.
The advertisement listed the iPhone 6 at $70 per month over two years. Buried in the fine print was an additional monthly instalment that had to be paid for the phone of $11 per month. The consumer watchdog recognised this to be a misrepresentation of Telstra’s iPhone 6 pricing.
ACCC chairman, Rod Sims, said ambiguous advertisements could lead to consumers making uninformed buying decisions.
“Businesses must be careful about using attention grabbing headline prices to ensure that their advertisements do not mislead consumers about the actual price they will have to pay. This is especially the case for bundled goods and services like phones and plans,” said Sims.
The fine marks the second occasion Telstra has been addressed by the ACCC after it was reprimanded in October for its policies on smartphone warranties.
