An elderly relative needs me to buy her a modem for prepaid broadband (Telstra) and all places selling them (Telstra shops, DSE, Good Guys etc) all require id before selling.
Now I can understand why they need ID for activating the actual 3G service, but just for buying the modem … anyone know why this requirement?
No. Even the modems that don't come with a SIM require ID.
And you also need to show ID when buying/activating a SIM, and that ID doesn't have to be the same as the ID used to buy the modem. Two separate things.
I'm just curious why the need because there's not much you can do with just a modem with no SIM.
The sales droids I asked had no idea why, only saying "it's the rule".
Pretty sure snappy is right, only sim's require ID. the 'sales droids' are probably just used to most modems coming with a sim, and don't understand what the actual law is about.
Sorry but what relates 3g modem does not have a some card with it? None of them is what. (Unless you count relates mlbile broadband which is a business service only)
Just buy one secondhand if you don't want to provide ID
(gumtree etc…)
I'm not concerned about providing ID, I'm just curious why the need.
Ok i'm with you now.
(love Govt. red tape ;)
nah, its just that the sale of sims require ID (for the govt side) so they can manage the phones in case of terrorism lol. from memory was introduced awhile back (5 years).
its probably a stock standard procedure thats used for modems too, however irrelevant, probably some telecommunications act. maybe modems can be reverse engineered into detonators or something haha.
I know it's a Government requirement for ID to be attached to a SIM but that doesn't explain how I could get GT Mobile and Lycra SIMs off the street without showing ID and then actually using it…
It's likely a beaurocratic assumption by a 50 year old who has no idea that a 3G modem is a paperweight until it has a SIM.
What's a paperweight? What's paper? :)
maybe its big brothers way of naming you agianst a modem for when they want to crack down on illegal downloaders??
In the case of wireless routers without a SIM, requiring ID clearly sounds out of line with the Privacy Principles. I'd contact the relevant stores to try and squeeze out an official on-record position, then follow up by contacting the privacy commissioner if necessary.
Heck, I'll be passing a couple of Dick Smiths on the weekend, so I could help out by dropping in and asking if they require ID to buy the DIR-412 (is that the one? did you ask about no-SIM routers specifically or just put a general question like 'do all your 3G routers require ID'?). Which ones did you ask about at the other stores?
Maybe it's just easier reading details off your ID rather than getting you to say, and possibly spell out, everything. ~shrugs~
I imagine its because they all come with a Sim/Credit so they are more than just a plain modem