I ask because both phone and live chat staff sent me links to my email to ask me to buy plans/hardware discussed in the conversation.
And one of them (phone) even told me BS on the phone to buy hardware I do not need.
All I wanted was to change my sim card from Telstra prepaid mobile to prepaid broadband so that I can make use of their Mobile Broadband Data Passes 5GB for $50. 365 days expiry , on my phone.
The woman on the phone told me I need to buy a Telstra device and put my sim card inside.
Luckily I live chat with someone who just did the switch for me. No extra device required.
TL:DR
My encounters with Telstra customer support today (phone and live chat) make me suspect they are paid for pushing Telstra plans and hardware, at the expense of customers.
Or may be some of them are just clueless?
Yes, likely for contracts and plans and upgrades.
But not for what you were offered (prepaid). Obviously they would discuss/sell the benefits of postpaid mobile broadband over prepaid. Which are beneficial if you are a regular heavy user.
The sim issue is likely lack of knowledge.
If you have a active prepaid sim, you should be able to swap it to whatever prepaid options are available. In this case, from prepaid mobile to a data sim. Then you can put that sim in any unlocked or telstra device (hotspot or direct dongle). It is very unlikely that they make anything selling hardware outright.
Correct me if I'm wrong.