Checking whether mobile nr is on same network

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Checking whether mobile nr is on same network

TinkerOn

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#309249 2-Oct-2023 13:04

2 degrees sells mobile prepay addons that include "Unlimited* calls to 2degrees mobiles". This has been like that for many years. What is a 2degrees number though?

Customer "service" 1, 2deg phone shop:

"2degrees numbers start with 022. I don't know what you mean, I've been working here 2 years and nobody has ever asked."

Customer "service" 2, via 0800 022 022:

"2degrees numbers start with 022. Number portability is [correct answer]. Oh!"

"There's an IPMS tool". Yeah, and they agreed it doesn't work. Clearly ipms-prod.tcf.org.nz is for telco internal.

49 minutes for 2degrees to prove their incompetence.

It used to be possible to text a number to 300 and get an instant response whether it's on the 2deg network. It worked in Oct '22, it never gives a reply now. Did the telcos grudgingly agree to regulatory pressure to run this service some years back, to then shut it down when the pressure disappears?

Does anyone here know what's going on, since outdoing 2degree's competence is trivial?

Is there still is a useful and usable tool for checking whether a number is on the same network?

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2degrees

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#3137726 2-Oct-2023 13:18

The 300 service ... well, there's a blast from the past. I had completely forgotten we ever did that. In answer to your first question, there was no conscious decision to stop it to the best of my knowledge (and I would have been on the group who discussed killing it it, were we intending to do so). Judging by what happened to a test message I just sent to it, I am surprised it was still working in October 2022 as you suggest.

If it was "working", it was at best wildly inaccurate. The function it relied on for its answer was a database that stopped being updated years ago.

And to your overarching question though - no, we don't offer any up-to-date such service and have no plans to do so given it is no longer really relevant given the tiny percentage of customers on plans where we still differentiate charging between on-net and off-net. Such plans come such a small included calling allowance that I don't think you'd be calling many strangers with them - so you would typically tend to already know whether the person you were calling was on- or off-net.

There was no "regulatory pressure" to disappear that I am aware of. It's simply not really important anymore.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

RunningMan

8954 posts

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#3137727 2-Oct-2023 13:19

Other providers also offer on network calling at a different rate. e.g. Skinny unlimited mins to other Skinny numbers on some plans.

Short of asking the receiving party what network they are on, is there another way?

TinkerOn

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3137747 2-Oct-2023 13:44

SaltyNZ:
And to your overarching question though - no, we don't offer any up-to-date such service and have no plans to do so given it is no longer really relevant given the tiny percentage of customers on plans where we still differentiate charging between on-net and off-net. Such plans come such a small included calling allowance that I don't think you'd be calling many strangers with them - so you would typically tend to already know whether the person you were calling was on- or off-net.

That's a poor answer. It is not up to you to decide who I call. Asking people who their carrier is is pointless because most have not enough clue to know, or care enough to answer, and no I don't know for the people I know and I shouldn't have to ask them. Asking frequently to be sure is also not OK.

2degrees is advertising promises the customer has no way to take up. Before I make use of a service I expect to know 100% how much it will cost me (I don't care how much you think this is old fashion). With this, I have no idea whether I'll be charged exorbitant prepay rates or not. What percentage of customers is affected is irrelevant, and no thanks for thinking they can just be taken for a ride. Hint commerce commission.

Linux

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#3137748 2-Oct-2023 13:46

NR = New Radio I thought this was about 5G

SaltyNZ

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#3137753 2-Oct-2023 13:52

TinkerOn:

That's a poor answer.

I'm very sorry I was unable to help.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

TinkerOn

10 posts

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#3137766 2-Oct-2023 14:02

Thanks for your explanation. I'm still looking for a solution.

RunningMan

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#3137863 2-Oct-2023 16:35

TinkerOn:
SaltyNZ:

And to your overarching question though - no, we don't offer any up-to-date such service and have no plans to do so given it is no longer really relevant given the tiny percentage of customers on plans where we still differentiate charging between on-net and off-net. Such plans come such a small included calling allowance that I don't think you'd be calling many strangers with them - so you would typically tend to already know whether the person you were calling was on- or off-net.

[snip]That's a poor answer.

Hang on, this is not an official support forum and @SaltyNZ is most likely posting in his own time a pretty comprehensive explanation of where things are at. It may not have been the answer you wanted, but it's hardly poor.

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Behodar

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#3137877 2-Oct-2023 17:11

I just tried texting 300 on Skinny and it didn't work there either ("not delivered" error came back). It's still documented on the website, but doesn't seem to work.

rscole86

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#3137881 2-Oct-2023 17:28

Works from Kogan, you get a message saying on network or off.

Goosey

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#3137883 2-Oct-2023 17:42

To the OP.

TDLR - commerce commission won’t give a monkeys to your proposed complaint.

im not even in the industry but your demands are clearly unrealistic and your rant is hinting you are driven by another underlying matter.

The spirit of any telco advertising cheaper rates to devices on its own network has always been in the vein of family and group use.

if you are worried about the limitations of a pre pay plan then sign up to a post pay….generally enough for most people.

there’s plenty of options…

tardtasticx

3075 posts

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#3137901 2-Oct-2023 18:42

You could do a test call and check your billed usage after - last time I looked my account showed whether I was calling 2degrees or other numbers.

But does it really matter? I ultimately see it as “I have x minutes to call people, some people might be on-net and won’t count towards that allowance which will make it go even further, great”
People port numbers all the time, it would be impossible to keep on top of it unless you checked every time you were about to call someone for a 2hr convo.

jameshammond

33 posts

Geek

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#3142849 4-Oct-2023 20:21

I just tested texting 300 on both Spark and One NZ SIMs and both came back correct (the number I text through was only just ported over so seems up to date).

TinkerOn

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3142996 5-Oct-2023 09:43

So it seems 300 is current and working on Spark and One, and it looks like 2deg decided by neglect (for some years) not to bother any more.

TinkerOn

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3143005 5-Oct-2023 10:17

Goosey:

if you are worried about the limitations of a pre pay plan then sign up to a post pay….generally enough for most people.

Thank you. You are making assumptions about my phone use. I am so glad I am not most people.

My concern is a business making offers including a promise that the customer is not able to be sure of. I find offering a service the customer doesn't know how much it'll cost misleading and not transparent. Your opinion may differ.

openmedia

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#3143222 5-Oct-2023 17:36

TinkerOn:
Goosey:

if you are worried about the limitations of a pre pay plan then sign up to a post pay….generally enough for most people.

Thank you. You are making assumptions about my phone use. I am so glad I am not most people.

...

Well put. I haven't been on a Post Pay plan for about 10 years - don't see the need with the current pre-pay offerings.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

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