Free T-stick query..

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xpd

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#57117 3-Feb-2010 13:47

IF they still have any in stock... Im looking at grabbing the "free" T-Stick from Telecom (http://www.telecom.co.nz/mobile/whatsnew/freetstick) but read that the data only lasts a calendar month... fine, but when does that start ?
From the moment your purchase the Stick or the moment you first put the Sim in and use it ?

Im going on holiday in March so obviously dont want to buy a stick now and find the datas expired when I do need it - if I buy it now and dont open the box etc, will the data hold until I actually use it ?

XPD / Gavin

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#295733 3-Feb-2010 14:01

From the 1st of the month that you started using it in, so pays to start using it close to the 1st of the month

Also you need to bear in mind:

It's 10c per meg till it gets to 300MB ($29.95 worth of data) then you get 200MB free to take you 500MB

If you use up the whole 500MB (made up of your $29.95 300MB chunk plus the 200MB free chunk) of data within the CURRENT calendar month it will automatically, providing there is money on the SIM, start this cycle again charging 10c per meg reaching the $29.95 mark again.

Money will carry over and expires after 6 months but data (or your current level of achievement or usage towards the current $29.95 mark where you then get some free data) will not carry over.

Regardless of your dollar amount on the prepay account, there is a $29.95 cycle.
This should be a consideration when topping up. If you are topping up then it's best to do it at the beginning of each calendar month as this gives you more opportunity to reach the minimum spend amount to get the free component of each month's usage.

Also it's worth remembering that telecom have "bonus $$$" with topping up.
If you top up $20 you will get $5 bonus.
If you top up $40 you will get $12 bonus.
If you top up $60 you will get $20 bonus.

Extremely casual users (only checking for basic emails [.ie. without huge attachments] very occasionally) will likely never reach the $29.95 mark each calendar month therefore will perpetually be being charged 10c per megabyte as they may never reach the magic target of $29.95 worth of usage to get the free 200MB each month before that .

bazzer

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#295742 3-Feb-2010 14:17

Good info there. I think the main point is that the "data" (i.e. 500MB for $30 credit) that comes with the free tstick does not expire after a month. You can use the 300MB it comes with anytime over the next six months (i.e. $30 @ 10c/MB) without it expiring. The only relevance the month thing has is if you're trying to maximise the use of your credit to get the 500MB in a calendar month.

On a side note, if I top up, does the existing prepay credit carry over or does it expire after 6 months regardless? I mean, does a top up extend the expiry date?

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#295818 3-Feb-2010 19:48

IIRC credit rolls over when you top up and is valid for 6 months from last top up.

nzbnw