If only we had mobile data rates like these...

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CrispinMullins

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#11630 2-Feb-2007 23:14

For those of you who can read German: https://www.simyo.de

Simyo is one of German company E-Plus's brands. They only do PrePay and sell exclusively over the Internet. Recharging is via direct debit and credit card only.

Anyway, here's the thing: They've introduced rates for casual GPRS usage of EUR 0.24 per megabyte, which works out at NZ$0.46 by today's exchange rate.

Vodafone's equivalent rate is $0.10 for 10kB -- effectively $10.00 per megabyte. (Don't know what Telecom's rate is for whatever non-3G data standard they support.)

I knew that mobile telephony was more expensive here than in Europe, but who would have thought that GPRS service would ever be twenty times cheaper than in New Zealand?

Not for 3G though, only GPRS...

grant_k

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#59663 2-Feb-2007 23:22

That's the sort of rate various GZ posters (me included) have suggested to Voda as a Prepaid Data rate, but nobody seems to listen.

A lot of the time I am in rural areas which don't have 3G, so having to use GPRS is what I'd be doing anyway. It's fast enough for checking your e-mail or for logging in to either of my PCs at home or the office via VNC.

I formulated a question along these lines and sent it to Juha for his "Interrogation" of Voda's Russell Stanners but haven't heard anything more.

Has any progress been made on the interrogation Juha?

tonyhughes

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#59665 2-Feb-2007 23:31

CrispinMullins: Vodafone's equivalent rate is $0.10 for 10kB -- effectively $10.00 per megabyte. (Don't know what Telecom's rate is for whatever non-3G data standard they support.)

TNZ = $8 p/MB (CDMA-EVDO or CDMA-1X [both actually 3G - 1X kicks butt over GPRS])

What a great concept in some ways... but really - what is needed is higher caps and lower prices on the fastest available current technology, instead of "hey - stick with old technology and we'll make it so cheap, you wont want to upgrade".

I guess they are trying to squeeze the last few dollars of ARPU out of the old GPRS gear before it gets mothballed.

CrispinMullins

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#59666 2-Feb-2007 23:37

tonyhughes: What a great concept in some ways... but really - what is needed is higher caps and lower prices on the fastest available current technology, instead of "hey - stick with old technology and we'll make it so cheap, you wont want to upgrade".

Well, that's certainly what the handset and content industries need, and it's what us geeks would like. It'd likely create its own set of problems though, especially concerning the amount of bandwidth available.

tonyhughes

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#59669 3-Feb-2007 02:10

CrispinMullins:
tonyhughes: What a great concept in some ways... but really - what is needed is higher caps and lower prices on the fastest available current technology, instead of "hey - stick with old technology and we'll make it so cheap, you wont want to upgrade".

Well, that's certainly what the handset and content industries need, and it's what us geeks would like. It'd likely create its own set of problems though, especially concerning the amount of bandwidth available.

Yes I agree with that point too (bandwidth), but I think *everyone* should be able to agree that making grandfathered technologies (2G) look more attractive pricewise is simply not good for investment in new technology (3G/4G etc).

sbiddle

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#59670 3-Feb-2007 06:50

You can't complain too much about the high end offerings though - the $49 1GB / $59 2GB benchmark set by Vodafone and matched by Telecom is *very* competitive by global standards. You'll struggle to find many operators anywhere who offer a better deal.

I've mentioned it numerous times before but I'll repeat myself in the hope that somebody listsn one day - somebody should introduce the concept of prepaid data to NZ! I'm only on a 3MB data plan as I don't use a lot of data but have times when I'm away for the weekend for example where I would like to be able to use my laptop. If it was possible to buy say 1GB of prepaid data that was valid for maybe 6 months for $99 I'd be their first customer. Vodafone's billing system can easily handle such a concept, they're just not smart enough to bring such a product to the market.

tonyhughes

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#59674 3-Feb-2007 08:43

Vodafone have prepaid data now. Its just insanely expensive... its not a concept they need to learn about, its simply a pricing issue....

sbiddle

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#59675 3-Feb-2007 08:46

tonyhughes: Vodafone have prepaid data now. Its just insanely expensive... its not a concept they need to learn about, its simply a pricing issue....

But you can't buy a 1GB allocation of data that can be added to any plan (account or prepay) and is valid for a set period of time (say 6 months) that can be used at any time.

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CrispinMullins

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#59681 3-Feb-2007 09:38

sbiddle: You can't complain too much about the high end offerings though - the $49 1GB / $59 2GB benchmark set by Vodafone and matched by Telecom is *very* competitive by global standards. You'll struggle to find many operators anywhere who offer a better deal.

Agreed, but those rates are only available on dedicated devices (i.e. not the phone you have in your pocket) as far as I know. I have a $19.95 15MB GPRS plan, but step over that 15MB mark, and the $10.00 for 10MB kicks in.

grant_k

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#59682 3-Feb-2007 09:42

sbiddle: You can't complain too much about the high end offerings though - the $49 1GB / $59 2GB benchmark set by Vodafone and matched by Telecom is *very* competitive by global standards. You'll struggle to find many operators anywhere who offer a better deal.

Agreed. For people who want this much data EVERY month (maybe they don't have ADSL) this is a good deal.

sbiddle: ...I don't use a lot of data but have times when I'm away for the weekend for example where I would like to be able to use my laptop. If it was possible to buy say 1GB of prepaid data that was valid for maybe 6 months for $99 I'd be their first customer.

Exactly my situation. I'll be their second customer...

cokemaster

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#59686 3-Feb-2007 09:56

CrispinMullins:
Agreed, but those rates are only available on dedicated devices (i.e. not the phone you have in your pocket) as far as I know. I have a $19.95 15MB GPRS plan, but step over that 15MB mark, and the $10.00 for 10MB kicks in.

I've had both the Vodafone 1GB promo plan (1GB for $49.95) and the Mobile broadband plan (open term 1GB for $59.95, 2GB for $69.95) on my On Account SIM card, which was primarily used in a Sony Ericsson P910. I did have a Vodafone Vodem at one point (after those plans got provisioned) but I was able to sign up to those plans without it. I've even told the CSR provisioned it (both times) that I don't have a 3G phone and didn't intend on getting a datacard and it was fine with them.

Sure GPRS wasn't the fastest median around but it was still counted within the included data.

If I believe right too - the Vodafone one also included WAP usage too which was a bonus.

On Telecom however, the Mobile broadband plans are restricted to the PDA's or datacards. I'm currently on the Mobile Broadband 1GB plus plan which I use for push email, primary internet connection (bluetooth modem), VPNing, uploading photos, and browsing internet remotely. I'd have to agree with what Tony said - 1X is much nicer for internet use than GPRS which is at times comparable to Dialup but sometimes worse.

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#59688 3-Feb-2007 09:59

CrispinMullins:
sbiddle: You can't complain too much about the high end offerings though - the $49 1GB / $59 2GB benchmark set by Vodafone and matched by Telecom is *very* competitive by global standards. You'll struggle to find many operators anywhere who offer a better deal.

Agreed, but those rates are only available on dedicated devices (i.e. not the phone you have in your pocket) as far as I know. I have a $19.95 15MB GPRS plan, but step over that 15MB mark, and the $10.00 for 10MB kicks in.

No. Once you go over your included data you're charged the going rate for the plan you're on which is $1.50 per MB.

The $10/MB is a casual rate that you only pay if you're not on a data plan.

CrispinMullins

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#59692 3-Feb-2007 10:29

No. Once you go over your included data you're charged the going rate for the plan you're on which is $1.50 per MB. The $10/MB is a casual rate that you only pay if you're not on a data plan.

Oh! That's obviously a lot better then. If only all of Vodafone's helpdesk people knew this...

CrispinMullins

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#59693 3-Feb-2007 10:32

cokemaster:I've had both the Vodafone 1GB promo plan (1GB for $49.95) and the Mobile broadband plan (open term 1GB for $59.95, 2GB for $69.95) on my On Account SIM card, which was primarily used in a Sony Ericsson P910. I did have a Vodafone Vodem at one point (after those plans got provisioned) but I was able to sign up to those plans without it. I've even told the CSR provisioned it (both times) that I don't have a 3G phone and didn't intend on getting a datacard and it was fine with them.
Sure GPRS wasn't the fastest median around but it was still counted within the included data.

I was told by two different phone-answering types at Vodafone that this wasn't possible, and that I needed either a Vodem, a datacard, or a separate 3G phone. How annoying. Can anyone else testify as to the situation here? I'd love to be able to get one of these plans activated on my SIM.

sbiddle

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#59694 3-Feb-2007 10:53

CrispinMullins:
No. Once you go over your included data you're charged the going rate for the plan you're on which is $1.50 per MB. The $10/MB is a casual rate that you only pay if you're not on a data plan.

Oh! That's obviously a lot better then. If only all of Vodafone's helpdesk people knew this...

....

I was told by two different phone-answering types at Vodafone that this wasn't possible, and that I needed either a Vodem, a datacard, or a separate 3G phone. How annoying. Can anyone else testify as to the situation here? I'd love to be able to get one of these plans activated on my SIM.

I'm not quit sure what their problem is - the plans are all listed here. It makes no difference what type of device you have except for the fact you can get an additional SIM linked to your account if you have a Vodem or Datacard so you don't have to move it between devices.

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#59700 3-Feb-2007 11:50

You can just add the dataplan to any connection as it's just a "call feature" addon. If someone tells you otherwise, ring back, or go to a shop. Vodafone staff often have no idea what they are talking about (someone told me some of them are contraced out which would explain the whole "don't care" attituse some have)..

Telecom's dataplan includes "wap" on the HTC devices (Pocket IE is also a WAP browser) but it's never included on a "handset" as they use a complely different portal for wap.

our low data plans are hideously expensive, out top-end plans ($60 for 2GB) is possibly the cheapest pricing in the world.

GPRS is not going to be mothballed anytime soon. While it's slow for todays huge websites (geekzone is a nice data-eater) gprs is super robust and uses little battery, very efficient.