New account requirements (incoming migrant question) ?

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › New account requirements (incoming migrant question) ?

hamogram

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#25390 20-Aug-2008 10:46

Hi All,

I have another question. I'm incomming in October, and I'm going to take the first couple-few months to travel the country before settling down. But my first thing is to get a phone, I'm hoping to go on contract as data plan is important for me to keep in touch with my abandonned family and friends overseas. (From what I understand you can't data on PAYG). So... My question is, are they going to let me sign up for an account without a place to live? I'll be a vagabond of sorts, so I won't have an addy to give them. If not, is it possible to just sign up using a Post Office Box?

Cheers!

- Mike

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79295 posts

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Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#158275 20-Aug-2008 10:57

With Vodafone you do have a data option to use on Prepay, but it's not cheap if you are a heavy user. You can use up to 10 MB on casual rates daily and pay $1 - that's $1 a day for 10 MB then $1 per megabyte until the next day.

Quite expensive but it should be ok for e-mail download only - no web browsing as you don't have any visibility of your usage!

I am here in San Francisco this week and got a free AT&T SIM card, loaded US$25 and used this balance to add a MediaNET Pack at US$19.95 for 5 GB over 30 days. I am actually quite impressed with the level of detail AT&T provides in their website for Pay As You Go users, but don't expect this on Vodafone - at least not for now.

mikal

172 posts

Master Geek

#158329 20-Aug-2008 13:13

If you want to sign onto a plan you will need your passport.
If you are signing onto a plan with a term you will need to ensure you have a relevant visa (student/work). E.g. 12month contract you will need a 12 month + visa.
You could list a hostel you are staying at as the physical and have a PO Box as the billing address.
However you may be able bargain with VF saying you will pay via credit card as security for them etc.
In essence the more they know about your situation the more likely they are to approve you.

hamogram

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#158394 20-Aug-2008 16:30

Frietasm -

Oh that's great, I didn't know I could use the casual rate on pre-pay I thought it was contract only. That should be perfect for what I want, which is some IM / blog updating. In San Francisco? That's about 30 miles from me, I don't know the city too well, but I definitely know a few good haunts there. I don't think it's big in NZ, but stock up on Mexican food while you can! :)

Mikal -

Good idea on the hostel. Me and my wife are migrating so we have our passports and our residence visas, so they should be happy to lock us into a couple year long contract!

alienara

16 posts

Geek

#163746 11-Sep-2008 11:55

Yup i guess they've almost answered everything that you need to know. As of right now, Vodafone is offering the mobile data plan for $39.95 for the 200MB plan on a no term plan and $29.95 for a 24 month plan.

So depending on how long you see yourself in New Zealand, you can work out which plan would suit you better. But tbh if you are going to get a place in NZ, it's best to sign up for a landline + broadband because it'll be cheaper for you at the end of the day.

If you're coming to Auckland, there are heaps of places for backpackers in the City on Fort St. Like what Mikal said, you just need to bring your passport, make sure you have a visa that's long enough for the plan, or if you're planning to stay in NZ to tell the sales consultant as well. They might ask you for your credit card details as well. If they do, your application will most probably go thru easily.

There's a Vodafone store near Fort St, 66 Queen St, as well so if you have any problems you can approach them easily. Ask for Daniel, he's pretty good.