New Vodafone Plan

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kiwisteve

129 posts

Master Geek

#1989 6-Aug-2004 08:52

Anyone tried the new Vodafone Motormouth plan ?

Steve

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#7576 6-Aug-2004 14:41

I'm reading the details and can't see any downside in switching my regular prepay to motormouth prepay. If I'm reading it right it's off-peak 24/7 to everyone except Telecom mobiles and countries I never call.

If that's the case why do I have to manually switch, why isn't it replacing the old prepay plan (and for that matter the 89c anytime one).

What am I missing?

kiwisteve

129 posts

Master Geek

#7577 6-Aug-2004 15:03

Interesting point ! I can only assume beacuse of its expiry date thats its not a Permanent Plan.
I have just switched my Prepaid , but I have to wait untill the 20th before the PostPaid
Billing cycle for my other number. I did the SMS change for the Postpaid plan and I got an SMS back from Vodafone saying ( An error has occured and to contact 777 ) !!

Steve

mike

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#7578 6-Aug-2004 15:26

The way I read it (and having downloaded the brochure from the vodafone website) is that it is a permanent plan and only 10 cent v to v text is a limited offer (through 31 oct 04)

It almost seems like a bad business decision not to replace the old prepay plans with this. It could backfire if customers realize two months down the track they've been paying way too much on the old plan (especially with vodafone advertising it extensively on TV + everywhere). I'm sure they'll text "everyone on vodafone" as well.

It should automatically replace the peak/offpeak prepay plan for everyone.

kiwisteve

129 posts

Master Geek

#7579 6-Aug-2004 15:35

It sounds like the Old Telecom Local free minute calling zone plan versus the Nationwide calling plan back in the old Analogue days !! They didn't tell people they could change plan !!

I will have a closer look at the Voda WebSite !

cheers

alasta

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#7582 6-Aug-2004 17:03

I think the main problem with this plan is the fact that it is just too complicated. Those of us on Geekzone probably won't have a problem understanding it but I think Joe Average will find it difficult to differentiate between the PrePay Motormouth and the On Account Motormouth, and the various complications with Vodafone-Vodafone versus Vodafone-landline versus Vodafone-027 prices and bundles.

On the whole, the PrePay option looks like a great deal, but the on account deal is only good if you send heaps of text messages or make lots of calls to other Vodafone users. Therefore, a potential negative side effect is that it may encourage users to move from account to PrePay.

From a marketing perspective, I think the main aims are to alienate Telecom Mobile customers and hit back against the $10 text deal and I expect that it will be successful in achieving this. However, personally, I am far more excited about the price drops associated with the new Mobilise plans. Mobilise 50 will definitely save me more money than Motormouth would.

mike

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#7583 6-Aug-2004 18:03

Okay, the downside of switching to motormouth just hit me like a tonne of bricks - no off peak for calling Telecom mobiles. That's a 135% increase in the cost of calling Telecom mobiles nights and weekends, ouch. For youth that will be like a return to the days where you couldn't text between networks.

Motormouth on account looks like the 200 anytime minutes can only be used vodafone to vodafone as per this page:
http://www.vodafone.co.nz/pricing_plans/motormouth_plans.jsp - ouch.

Overall I love the idea of anytime minutes but too many ouches right now.

PS. the new mobilise plans do look good :)

kiwisteve

129 posts

Master Geek

#7584 6-Aug-2004 18:28

Yes its very obvious that you will pay dearly to call a Telecom Mobile phone !

Steve

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Ben

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Vend

#7586 6-Aug-2004 19:09

Yeah I eyed up the plans, but because my wife has 027, they'll never be of any use to me.

The underlying factor in all of this in interconnect fees, for both voice and txt. It worries me because Telecom can afford to sink money into things like free txt, because the have (monopoly) income from other areas to bolster their business.

IIRC, txt interconnect fee is something like 17c, which means if Voda wants to compete with Telecom's free txt, rather than just losing income, it will cost them to do it. It costs Telecom at the moment, but just wait until they suck enough young heavy-txt users away from Voda, then they will start trying to beat down the interconect fees to try to put Voda out of business.

This is an example of bad monopoly practise. Monopolies can be good, but not when they use a monopoly in one area to force out a competitor in another.

mike

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#7587 6-Aug-2004 19:39

Wow, I never thought this could be turned against Telecom (though now I see exactly how vodafone will combat the ridiculous cost of calling telecom mobiles from motormouth).

Just remember Vodafone New Zealand is an insignificant (and wholly owned) part of the global Vodafone empire. Talk of telecom crushing vodafone is ridiculous, the opposite is more likely.

Vodafone have more mobile customers than Telecom and Telecom Mobile is profitable on its own so I don't think you have any valid points. Sorry.

alasta

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#7588 6-Aug-2004 20:20

I agree with Mike. It's all very well to argue that Telecom can depend on other areas of its business to prop up and, ultimately, grow the mobile division. However, when you look at Vodafone's global scale, the same is true for them.

The reality is that Telecom just didn't do the research before they launched the $10 text deal and now they are paying the price. It's a pity, because they had all the right ideas and all the right intentions.

peteremcc

250 posts

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#7598 7-Aug-2004 17:36

I think the main problem with this plan is the fact that it is just too complicated. Those of us on Geekzone probably won't have a problem understanding it but I think Joe Average will find it difficult to differentiate between the PrePay Motormouth and the On Account Motormouth, and the various complications with Vodafone-Vodafone versus Vodafone-landline versus Vodafone-027 prices and bundles.

----------------------------
Three points:

I personally have changed because I don't ring telecom mobiles very often.

I think that in a sneaky kind of way this is deliberate. Most young people will be switching to save on text without realising they will pay more to call telecom. So VF make more money. The fact there there making less money on the texts is a non-issue. If you know young people they will still use up all there money by sending 2x the number of texts. How often they can topup is the only limitation..

About the young people using up all their money. It's simple. Most don't consider their money on their cellphone, to be money because they are not handing over the cash. People would spend a lot less money if they had to drop a 20c coin into their phone each time even if they didn't have to top up ever. The only worry teens have is how they are going to get their next recharge card. Then they're back at it again :S *shrugs

kiwisteve

129 posts

Master Geek

#7603 7-Aug-2004 18:23

An Interesting thing has happened since I changed my PostPaid plan to Motormouth ..
The Web site Account details show my existing plan , calls made and remaining SMS .
But ring 777 and listen to details of remaining minutes and SMS everything is at zero
and is giving details of the new plan starting on the 20th Aug !

If you change your Postpaid plan be aware this can happen !

Steve

alasta

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#7611 7-Aug-2004 20:27

Peter - You make some interesting points. When I was at school (not all that long ago; honestly!), none of the students would ever dream of owning a mobile phone, so I find the whole mobile youth culture thing fascinating.

One of the key reasons why I would never have my phone on a prepaid plan is that you lose track of your spending. On the other hand, when you get a bill, you can know exactly how much you've spent in a given period and you get everything itemised so you know where to cut back if necessary.

It's therefore not surprising that many teens spend a fortune on their phones and I believe that the whole concept of prepaid phones could well be the biggest marketing success of this (or last?) decade.

peteremcc

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#7613 7-Aug-2004 22:45

yeah, what you probably missed is that im only 17 myself but i wouldn't include myself in that category. It is interesting watching others though. In particular it seems to be girls from 13 (and getting younger all the time) to about 17 who text the most.

lance4k

74 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#7823 18-Aug-2004 16:55

I understand the with telecom giving the $10 txt plan that ppl will rather TXT than call. But it would be great if Vodafone were to give 10 free TXT's a month and 10 free PXT's a month for everyone on the Motormouth Prepay account.Also I hopeeeeeeee Vodafone will keep their 10 cent TXTing from Vodafone to Vodafone permanent. There should be benefits to ppl on a particular network. I also hope Vodafone will have a Vodafone Live promo where every weekend Vodafone users can chat using Vodafone Live chatrooms for FREE. That is not to much to ask is it?

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