Telstra's (ASX: TLS) patience with Melbourne-based mobile reseller ispONE has worn thin. According to the telecommunications giant ispONE has fallen behind on payments which would allow them to cut off services to some 280,000 customers.
The customers are part of a low-cost mobile plan offering available from Aldi supermarkets and online store Kogan. However, even Kogan has had issues with ispONE and it successfully sued the reseller after it blocked 800 users of the mobile service.
According to The Financial Review on the other side of the story ispONE believes that Telstra was incorrectly charging them for data. Telstra has said it has "given them every opportunity to develop a repayment plan".
Federal Court Justice Tony Pagone ordered ispONE pay $300,000 to the court as insurance and has stopped Telstra from making changes to the contract until 4:15 pm today, until mediation talks have taken place.
Telstra would have been hoping for a smoother end to the eight-year contract particularly given the ACCC's decision to reject its takeover of South Australia's Adam Internet last month. Telstra has been hoping to create a low-cost carrier for its services, similar to the Jetstar-Qantas relationship, a move aimed at increasing its market share.
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Motley Fool contributor Owen Raszkiewicz does not have a financial interest in any of the mentioned companies.
