By Patrick Avenell
Telstra-branded home phone dealers have been instructed to immediately cease selling the products, manufacturered by VTech, and remove the stock from shelves. This follows allegations of "gruelling" and "miserable" working conditions at VTech's factories in China.
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In a directive sent to dealers via the message service Telstra Retail Live, leaked to Current.com.au, the company ordered the de-ranging of this stock as a matter of urgency.
URGENT ATTENTION: Stop Sell All VTech Products
As of right now, you are required to stop selling the below VTech items:
TELSTRA 3450 TWIN
TELSTRA 9150 SINGLE
TELSTRA T800
TELSTRA T700
TELSTRA 9400 TWIN DECT 6.0 CORDLESS
TELSTRA 9450 TRIPLE DECT 6.0 CORDLESS
TELSTRA 9000 DECT
TELSTRA 950A
These items are also to be removed from display and replaced with CPE boxed stock of the remaining ranged product. Place the removed VTech product in your BOH [back of house] until further notice.
Note that there are to be no refunds preformed on any presold VTech products.
UPDATE:
VTech Australia managing director Mark Franklin told Current.com.au that an official statement will soon be released. In a brief conversation with Current.com.au, when asked if he had ever seen anything troubling at VTech factories he replied:
"I've been to VTech as an employee and as a customer when at Ingram Micro and Pacific Tech and I've never witnessed anything similar to what the allegations suggest."
VTech Australia has been the local distributor for Telstra-branded home phones since siging an exclusive agreement in June 2009. Before that, Ingram Micro was handling the distribution. VTech Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong company VTech.