A Telecom campaign to lure customers from rivals has backfired, with the telecommunications giant being forced to offer a big discount to all customers.

The company has been running advertisements urging people to "join the convoy back" to Telecom by offering them 25 per cent off the cost of calls from their home phones for six months.

It did not advertise that the discount was open to existing customers, but when customers rang demanding that if they did not get the same deal they would take their business elsewhere, they were told they could also have the discount.

This was broadcast yesterday on a national radio station and emails began doing the rounds telling people to ring Telecom to get their discount.

As a result the company was inundated with calls and was forced to give all its customers the discount.

They have until April 4 to take advantage of the deal.

[ external link ]