Testing the Water
iPhone question
We're moving to NZ in about a month from the US. Should I buy unlocked iPhones here before we move (iPhone 4 unlocked is about $US750) or get a 2 year plan from Vodafone and get our phones for about $NZ380?
Are there good plans for unlocked iPhones? Are there carriers besides Vodafone that are reliable?
Senior Member
iPhone 5 will be out in a few months so you could wait and get the newest.
Telecom is fastest network and is reliable now (we had some issues when it was launched but seem to be sorted now). We don't sell the iPhone though so you need to buy one from Apple.
Ex Kiwi, now back again!
Member
5th September seems to be the unofficial data for 5Originally Posted by James 1077
Geek n Proud
The opinions expressed and postings on this site are my own personal opinions. They do not represent or reflect the opinions of my employer.
Testing the Water
Are the plans cheaper if you supply your own iPhone?
Member
I have an iphone 4 and plan to cancel my contract here. Can I just purchase a new plan in NZ and it'll still work? Not sure if its locked or unlocked. Its working now so i guess unlocked?
Member
Not really, if you have an existing phone, then bring it, but there are phone packages at various price points.
I arrived a year ago with my Blackberry, got it unlocked and signed up for a Vodafone contract. Only a little cheaper than had I got a new phone and the same deal.
Moved to an iPhone 4 in January, sold my Blackberry on TradeMe (for more than I paid for it in the UK) and actually ended up with a cheaper contract as Vodafone had a promotion.
Dec 2008 EOI Submitted; May 2009 ITA Lodged; Sep 2009 Phone Interview; Oct 2009 PR;
Jan 2010 Blue Stickers; Aug 2010 Arrived; Dec 2010 Working; Apr 2011 Wife arrives; Oct 2011 First home; Dec 2011 Wife working
Testing the Water
So....
Am I better off
a) buying a $US750 iPhone and bringing it over
b) signing up for a 2 year plan and a $NZ380 iPhone
Yorkshire Ambassador to New Zealand
SOmeone at work brought over his I-phone, needed to jail break it to get it to work, then when he updated the Os it stopped working again and he needed to wait for the new jailbreak to be written. Seemed a lot of hassle. There's also the need to carefully check the frequencies / sims available as Telecom (XT) and Vodafone use different frequencies for the 3G data outside of the very centre of the main cities, and not many phones can use both. So you end up tied to either XT or Vodafone. EU tend to use the same as vodafone (900) the US the same as XT (850).
Senior Member
iPhone 4 runs on 3G with both Voda and Telecom frequencies around the country - iPhone 3G (and 3GS) is only Telecom outside of the main cities and both Voda and Telecom in the cities (it will, however, run 2G Vodafone when it can't get a 3G Voda signal).
If it were me then I would get the phone here as then you are covered under consumer guarantees act so get a 1 year Apple warranty and an extra year (or more) consumer guarantees act protection. You can buy the phone outright here as well if you don't want to be tied to Voda or tied to a contract.
Ex Kiwi, now back again!
Member
I'm going to be landing in NZ sometime during the next 2 months, all being well on the visa front. I have an iPhone 3GS here in the UK and am now hooked on them. Currently I'm with O2 on 1200 mins per month, unlimited texts and data.
It won't be worth taking my current phone over to NZ so will have to find a friend or relation here in the UK willing to take over my contract for the remaining term (May next year). Consequently I've been looking at the various contracts available in NZ and can't believe how little you get for the money. It reminds me of the UK 15 years ago.
Is there no competition in the mobile market in NZ?
Reply With Quote