Spark roaming packs - do they auto-renew?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Spark roaming packs - do they auto-renew?

steve98

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#249453 11-May-2019 16:11

My inlaws are heading to the USA for 10 days, if I set them up with the $20 roaming pack, what happens after the 7 days are up? Does it automatically start a new pack or do you need to purchase another one via the app?

Cheers

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#2235045 11-May-2019 16:18

I believe they do not auto-renew. I think you need to go into the Spark app and setup auto-topup & renew. I may be wrong though.

hio77

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#2235066 11-May-2019 17:02

As far as i'm aware the packs do not.

the walk off roaming is what your after.

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old3eyes

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#2235232 12-May-2019 07:43

Just looking at their roaming packs. The finance committee and myself are going to Ozz for a 10 day holiday in July. Last time she got a roaming pack it was $40 for a month now it's $20 for 7 days or $80 per month. Same on Skinny. Big jump in price. Not doing it this time as too expensive. I'll get an Optus SIM again if they still have their $2 per day tourist plan going.

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Old3eyes

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#2235234 12-May-2019 08:04

@old3eyes Roaming is about keeping in contact with your home mobile number while away not just about some very basic internet access, it's not about competing with some local $2 SIM card

old3eyes

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#2235238 12-May-2019 08:17

Linux: @old3eyes Roaming is about keeping in contact with your home mobile number while away not just about some very basic internet access, it's not about competing with some local $2 SIM card

But why is it so expensive between NZ and Ozz?? Should be a transparent market and a 100% increase is way too much.

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Old3eyes

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#2235240 12-May-2019 08:22

old3eyes:
Linux: @old3eyes Roaming is about keeping in contact with your home mobile number while away not just about some very basic internet access, it's not about competing with some local $2 SIM card

But why is it so expensive between NZ and Ozz?? Should be a transparent market and a 100% increase is way too much.

Roaming is not expensive by any means these days! Do you know what it costs carriers so roaming will work? No you don't

Go back 20, 15, 10 years then roaming was expensive

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steve98

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#2235252 12-May-2019 09:31

old3eyes:

Linux: @old3eyes Roaming is about keeping in contact with your home mobile number while away not just about some very basic internet access, it's not about competing with some local $2 SIM card

But why is it so expensive between NZ and Ozz?? Should be a transparent market and a 100% increase is way too much.

You said the Optus SIM is $2 per day, that's $60 per month, so not that much cheaper than Spark at $80, plus people can continue to contact you on your actual phone number. I feel like roaming is reasonably good value.

steve98

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#2235253 12-May-2019 09:32

hio77:

As far as i'm aware the packs do not.

the walk off roaming is what your after.

What is "walk off roaming", is it different to the packs? Cheers

hio77

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#2235267 12-May-2019 10:50

steve98:
hio77:

As far as i'm aware the packs do not.

the walk off roaming is what your after.

What is "walk off roaming", is it different to the packs? Cheers

TBC.

I need to ask the folk where they have moved it. I cant find it myself.
It's a setting...

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sbiddle

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#2235283 12-May-2019 11:06

old3eyes:

Linux: @old3eyes Roaming is about keeping in contact with your home mobile number while away not just about some very basic internet access, it's not about competing with some local $2 SIM card

But why is it so expensive between NZ and Ozz?? Should be a transparent market and a 100% increase is way too much.

If people want that option then they have the option of 2degrees - most of their business plans are seamless roaming with no additional charges.

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#2235286 12-May-2019 11:15

Also 2degrees Wi-Fi calling zero roaming cost

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sqishy

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#2235291 12-May-2019 11:40

Walk off roaming means you do not need to pre-purchase any roaming pack and does auto renew. Once you connect overseas the packs auto enable or renew if you go past the dates. You must 'walk off roaming' enabled before this will work.

If not and you buy a roaming pack its one off, it will not renew. So people need to buy a new pack, you will get a sms telling you this.

old3eyes

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#2235294 12-May-2019 12:08

steve98:

old3eyes:

Linux: @old3eyes Roaming is about keeping in contact with your home mobile number while away not just about some very basic internet access, it's not about competing with some local $2 SIM card

But why is it so expensive between NZ and Ozz?? Should be a transparent market and a 100% increase is way too much.

You said the Optus SIM is $2 per day, that's $60 per month, so not that much cheaper than Spark at $80, plus people can continue to contact you on your actual phone number. I feel like roaming is reasonably good value.

That would be true If I was going for a month but generally 10 ~ 14 days not a month. The Optus $2 / day SIM gives you unlimited Ozzy calling, 500 Meg / day data and about 10c / minute calls to NZ landline. Though looking at the Optus site at present that plan seems to have gone and been replaced by a $4 / day plan. So as you say paying $40 each may be better for two weeks. As the Mantra Apartment we are using this time is giving free WiFi and it checks out OK roaming may be replaced with WhatsApp. I seems to remember lots of people here saying to buy a local prepay SIM when you arrive. That's what got me on to the Optus SIMs originally.

My main comment way why has Spark doubled their roaming plans by 100% over the past few years?? Yeah I know the answer because they can.

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Old3eyes

larknz

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#2235440 12-May-2019 15:41

The free wifi I have experienced at apartments in Oz is normally not much faster than dial up speed, so basically useless for anything more than checking emails

old3eyes

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#2235546 12-May-2019 18:44

larknz: The free wifi I have experienced at apartments in Oz is normally not much faster than dial up speed, so basically useless for anything more than checking emails

Yeah that's what I suspect but I'll have to try it first.

Regards,

Old3eyes

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