Mobile phone operators

[jeanmarcJ202]

We are arriving in NZ by mid-feb 2011 and I was wondering which mobile operators in NZ would you recommend & why?

e.g cheap, availability, customer service etc... are some factors to consider...though price is the most important.

Also, any recommendation on internet connection?

Thanks
JM

[Sun777]

I got Vodafone prepay connection & Broadband at Auckland airport (and used it for couple of weeks till I researched/decided on long term connection.....with same operator). It helped me to avoid roaming charges on UK no. & staying in touch over internet. Do take a proper review as some operators have problem giving services in certain areas, worthwhile to do a quick search on this forum (while someone responds back).

The post pay connections (mobile & internet) are much cheaper than these prepay ones, switch on as soon as you find a property/address proof.

[Duncan74]

Sun - depends on usage. For me then Vodaphone supaprepay with the $10 data and the $10 best friend works out way way cheaper than any contract. So as with all mobile contracts then ignore the headline charges, and do the maths on your specific usage. The only downside with the vodaphone prepay is you don't get an itemised listing of where your money went so it's hard to then put that data back into the 'spreadsheet' to compare other plans.

[Mgee]

There's no easy answer to this, as the two previous answers prove... It depends so much on your usage, i.e. do you require any data, will you be calling mostly landlines or other mobiles (and on which network), do you need best buddy -options, how much you text etc. For some the prepaid options are the best choice, for some a post-paid plan works out better.

When we arrived, there was a comparison tool between the plans on the Consumer website, but I couldn't find it anymore. For myself and hubby, the best option was Black + White (they piggyback on Vodafone's network) plan with a certain data quota and a certain amount of texts and calling minutes. However, as I said, it depends on your personal needs -we refused to get a landline as we haven't had one for the past 13 years, so we use mobiles for everything. Also the plans change all the time with new ones being launched, so what was the best option six or even three months ago might not be the best one anymore.

I'm afraid you need to figure out what your mobile phone usage needs are, and then do comparisons between the plans offered by different operators. The same goes with internet providers.

[Duncan74]

And also mentioned on many ofther threads on this topic, it depends on if you're bringning over your phone, what that phone is and where you live now. Broadly speaking, from the US, then Telecom's network will offer better 3g, and for europeans then vodaphone will work better. 2 degrees that Ian always reminds me I've not mentioned you'll have to look at yourself as when i did the research they didn't have any 3g coverage so it didn't matter what your phone was ;-)

All about if the phone has 850 or 900 as the frequency for data for the areas outside the very narrow city centre. In the centre then 2100 should be common on all phones.

[Sun777]

depends on usage.

Yup! .

OH has features like best mate, family (you can nominate 2/3 people for free voice/msgs). Christmas brings some good season for great deals so just emphasized on contract.

Prepay internet does prove very expensive. Hardly half a GB for $30 (prepay), I took yearly contract which charges me $65 for 30GB. I remember we ended up spending $250 in first 4 weeks after arriving here, mainly because of misunderstanding some data bundle blurb (which charged us $1 per MB beyond 10MB usage per day, what!!! )

[mattandjax]

. 2 degrees that Ian always reminds me I've not mentioned you'll have to look at yourself as when i did the research they didn't have any 3g coverage so it didn't matter what your phone was ;-)

s

Should add that they do have 3g coverage now see http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/broadbandzones

We are on Vodafone with bestmates, works well for us. On the Voda Iphone plan you get 3gb of data a month which is plenty for me.

[Duncan74]

100mb a month does me fine. I'm sure I used a lot more in the UK, but just like everything over here you adapt. As most of the people around me have brick phones (UK expats that you'd have expected to have iphones in the UK) then most people wouldn't have any need for GBs of data a month. Hence the price structures.

[jeanmarcJ202]

Thanks to you all.

I guess the only way is to set feet and then decide accordingly. I can easily imagine that initially I won't make lots of local calls but rather more international calls...Any advice on same?


JM

[Duncan74]

Vodaphone supaprepay has a $2 for up to an hour to most overseas countries. Part of the reason I went with that.