New Spark Plans

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FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#296051 17-May-2022 12:17

Just received new plan notification from Spark.

On the 23 June Spark is replacing its current $29.99 1GB Rollover to $39.99 Endless Mobile Plan. We have two numbers, each on the same plan. (one number has a $9 Intl Talk Text)

However. Looking at our monthly mobile data usage for each of us we are nowhere near using our present 1GB rollover allowance. It appears to be just under 250Mb/m each.

What we are planning on doing is cancelling the $9 Intl Talk Text as it will be included in the new plan and just let our existing plan automatically change over on the 23 June and then revisit changing to a cheaper plan in 12 months time. Reason being as we will be paying the same as now with the $10 credit for 12 mths. We wont be adding Spotify.

Here’s how your plans compare

Old Plan: $29.99 1GB Rollover
New Plan: $39.99 Endless Mobile Plan + $10 plan credit for first 12 months
New Plan: Data is Endless but speeds reduce after 3GB to 1.2Mbps
Old Plan: Talk time 300mins NZ only
New Plan: Unlimited NZ & Aus
Old Plan: SMS Unlimited NZ only
New Plan: Unlimited NZ & Aus
Old Plan: Spotify Premium not included
New Plan: Spotify Premium is Half Price (add for $7.49/month)

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

old3eyes

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#2915053 17-May-2022 13:06

Just got the same email. My wife is on a $29.95 OneBill plan. She won't be too impressed with the cost going up $10 / month. She doesn't use anything near the old plan amount due to crappy cell coverage at home so uses a landline. Guess she is stuck with it until her new phone is paid off in about 2.5 years then moving top prepay.

The rest of us are on Skinny $16 / month prepay. The only reason she was on post pay was that she could buy a new phone and pay it off.

Edit. Just saw that Spark have cheaper rollover post paid plans so may change it to a $25 / month plan at the end of the first 12 months.

Regards,

Old3eyes

old3eyes

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#2916581 20-May-2022 17:21

I also notice on this new plan that there is no tethering unless you want to pay another $10 per month. Luck my wife doesn't use it.

Regards,

Old3eyes

nztim

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TEAMnetwork

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#2916640 21-May-2022 08:56

$10 extra per month is $120 extra per year as and if you are s pensioner etc that is a lot of money

2degrees did the same thing about 4 months ago, pretty rank really

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

nickb800

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#2916695 21-May-2022 10:02

I always thought the onebill plan was classic 'telecom tax' ie never designed to be cost competitive, but to gain a large profit off a small number of customers who want the convenience of their mobile on their spark bill (including but not exclusively older persons who have had continuous telecom/spark accounts for decades). The old $29 plan offered pretty much the same as $19 prepay plan. I guess interest free options were a key stuffed.

For spark it's worth losing a few customers to make $20 per month profit off a very sticky/loyal pool of customers.

old3eyes

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#2916698 21-May-2022 10:13

nickb800: I always thought the onebill plan was classic 'telecom tax' ie never designed to be cost competitive, but to gain a large profit off a small number of customers who want the convenience of their mobile on their spark bill (including but not exclusively older persons who have had continuous telecom/spark accounts for decades). The old $29 plan offered pretty much the same as $19 prepay plan. I guess interest free options were a key stuffed.

For spark it's worth losing a few customers to make $20 per month profit off a very sticky/loyal pool of customers.

The Onebill plan originally was to provide a postpaid plan that was way cheaper than the normal post-pay plans. My wife's started off at $19.95 / month then went up to $29.95 as she needed more minutes at the time and now up to $39.95 which is the same as the normal entry level postpaid plan. She's stuck on post paid at present until she pays off her new phone in about 18 months though I do see that they have a cheaper rollover post paid at $25 / month which I'll switch her to after the $10 off discount expires in 12 months. $25 / month rollover

Regards,

Old3eyes

quickymart

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#2916740 21-May-2022 10:57

Pity XT OneBill was retired, I found it quite good.

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unowho08

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#2916795 21-May-2022 13:53

FineWine:

Just received new plan notification from Spark.

On the 23 June Spark is replacing its current $29.99 1GB Rollover to $39.99 Endless Mobile Plan. We have two numbers, each on the same plan. (one number has a $9 Intl Talk Text)

However. Looking at our monthly mobile data usage for each of us we are nowhere near using our present 1GB rollover allowance. It appears to be just under 250Mb/m each.

Take a look at Kogan Mobile (or literally any of the prepaid options from Spark/Vodafone/2degrees). With Kogan on their cheapest prepaid plan ($15 per 30 days), you'll halve your monthly cost and get so much more (1.5GB data, unlimited talk & text to NZ & AU mobiles/landlines, unlimited MMS to NZ mobiles and free calls to voicemail). Kogan uses the Vodafone network and you get the benefit of WiFi Calling if you have a supported handset should you have Vodafone coverage issues.

If you have good 2degrees coverage, check out Warehouse Mobile. $12 per 31 days will get you 500MB carryover data, 200 minutes to NZ mobiles/landlines and 16 other countries, and unlimited texts to NZ & AU mobiles. This plan may be better for you because you can add additional packs of data or calls for only $4 when you need it.

If you must stay on the Spark network, look at Skinny's $16 per 28 days plan (1.25GB rollover data, 200 rollover minutes to NZ & AU mobiles/landlines, and unlimited text to NZ & AU mobiles).

The good thing is you can setup autopay so even though it's prepay, you don't need to worry about paying another bill each month because it will automatically renew.

Eva888

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#2916797 21-May-2022 14:26

Not bad that Warehouse Mobile Includes standard landline or mobile numbers in: NZ, Australia, China, England, Scotland, Wales, the US, India, Canada, Germany, Israel, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea. Exclusions apply including Alaska and Hawaii. Excludes calls to premium rate numbers.

FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#2933455 23-Jun-2022 11:16

So not only are they changing their mobile plans, refer above, I've just received notice they are going to up the price of my broadband by $5/m from the 29 July.

I'm on "Max Fibre with Land Line, unlimited data" at $110/m so new cost will be $115/m.

I have an average data usage of 150Gb to 250Gb per month (over 12 month period) with average speed of 900/500. This is all very adequate for our use.

Now wondering if it is time to start research on changing ISP. We have bundled all our communications.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

wellygary

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#2933461 23-Jun-2022 11:28

FineWine:

So not only are they changing their mobile plans, refer above, I've just received notice they are going to up the price of my broadband by $5/m from the 29 July.

I'm on "Max Fibre with Land Line, unlimited data" at $110/m so new cost will be $115/m.

I have an average data usage of 150Gb to 250Gb per month (over 12 month period) with average speed of 900/500. This is all very adequate for our use.

Now wondering if it is time to start research on changing ISP. We have bundled all our communications.

The $5/m is a flow through from a regulated UFB price increase from Chorus, it is not just Spark bumping up prices... every will be shifting in the next few months

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/telco-boss-lashes-chorus-over-broadband-price-increases/Z4IKAT7YL7LSADMXKR5IZP5GTU/#:~:text=The%20companies%20that%20run%20our,Spark%2C%20Vodafone%20and%20Orcon%20Group

FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#2933464 23-Jun-2022 11:33

wellygary:

FineWine:

So not only are they changing their mobile plans, refer above, I've just received notice they are going to up the price of my broadband by $5/m from the 29 July.

I'm on "Max Fibre with Land Line, unlimited data" at $110/m so new cost will be $115/m.

I have an average data usage of 150Gb to 250Gb per month (over 12 month period) with average speed of 900/500. This is all very adequate for our use.

Now wondering if it is time to start research on changing ISP. We have bundled all our communications.

The $5/m is a flow through from a regulated UFB price increase from Chorus, it is not just Spark bumping up prices... every will be shifting in the next few months

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/telco-boss-lashes-chorus-over-broadband-price-increases/Z4IKAT7YL7LSADMXKR5IZP5GTU/#:~:text=The%20companies%20that%20run%20our,Spark%2C%20Vodafone%20and%20Orcon%20Group

Thank you for that. Oh well, just might stay put for now.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

Lego

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unowho08

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#2933471 23-Jun-2022 11:45

FineWine:
[snip]
I'm on "Max Fibre with Land Line, unlimited data" at $110/m so new cost will be $115/m.

I have an average data usage of 150Gb to 250Gb per month (over 12 month period) with average speed of 900/500. This is all very adequate for our use.

Now wondering if it is time to start research on changing ISP. We have bundled all our communications.

Based on your average usage per month (which is low by today’s standards), you don’t need the 900/500 plan. You would be more than comfortable on the 300/100 plan which would help you save more than the $5/month increase without having to change providers.

Another area you could look into is how much do you use your landline and do you really need it still? Maybe you have unique circumstances that rely on it, but maybe it’s one of those things that gathers dust nowadays and could be replaced by using your mobile phone(s)?