Text + Data options, somewhat frustrated

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eXDee

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#62700 13-Jun-2010 01:02

Currently i have a basic nokia CDMA Phone which i only use for text messages on prepaid (500 to any network) $10
I also have a Vodafone Prepaid broadband modem, with 500mb of data also on prepaid. $30
I don't make calls (only receive) so free minutes are useless to me.

What i was wanting to do is moving to a high end smartphone with tethering to eliminate the voda 3g modem, and having a greater than 500mb allowance as well as continuing to use the phone for text messages.

But it appears only sticking with prepaid will give me close to what i have now, just with the ability to tether, but i still would prefer more data.
$30 500mb data
$12 2500txt messages
=$42 total

For plan
$30 One Rate 50 (useless minutes)
$12 2500txt messages
$18 240mb data (cant select higher on the telecom website?)
=$60 total

Kinda unfortunate that for data i can only choose $30 for 500mb, then it jumps up to their data plans (which seem to be tstick only, why cant you use them on a handset?) at $60 for 2gb. Would prefer a 1gb option, quite frustrating.
(and yes i realise i can double my data but thats $60 anyway, which is terrible value for money)

Would have thought that a txt + data package at various levels wouldn't be too much to ask for?

Alternatively vodafone looks like it has closer to what i want, but on a 24month term and moving to vodafone complicates things in terms of others contacting me.
Smart 60 - $60/Month - 60Mins, 600Txts, 3gb data, 1000PXTs and up to $300 off a phone.
Thats pretty good value for money compared to what im looking at on telecom, i can get by with 600 txts.

Something like, $45-$50 a month for 1gb data + 1000-2000txts would suit me just fine (even on a contract), but its seems theres nothing middle ranged unless ive totally missed it.

nzbnw

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#341103 13-Jun-2010 01:20

eXDee: Kinda unfortunate that for data i can only choose $30 for 500mb, then it jumps up to their data plans (which seem to be tstick only, why cant you use them on a handset?) at $60 for 2gb. Would prefer a 1gb option, quite frustrating.

You can have the 2GB and 4GB plan on Postpaid Mobiles as a bolt on, it's not a T-Stick only plan. The 2GB plan replaced the 1GB plan (was $54.95 IIRC) sometime last year, late October I think?

eXDee: Something like, $45-$50 a month for 1gb data + 1000-2000txts would suit me just fine (even on a contract), but its seems theres nothing middle ranged unless ive totally missed it.

You can sign up for a postpaid 2GB plan, for $59.95 or $49.95 with fixed BB on a 24month term; which can be used to make voice calls, I think at around $0.89c per minute.

nzbnw

eXDee

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#341141 13-Jun-2010 11:04

nzbnw:
eXDee: Kinda unfortunate that for data i can only choose $30 for 500mb, then it jumps up to their data plans (which seem to be tstick only, why cant you use them on a handset?) at $60 for 2gb. Would prefer a 1gb option, quite frustrating.

You can have the 2GB and 4GB plan on Postpaid Mobiles as a bolt on, it's not a T-Stick only plan. The 2GB plan replaced the 1GB plan (was $54.95 IIRC) sometime last year, late October I think?

eXDee: Something like, $45-$50 a month for 1gb data + 1000-2000txts would suit me just fine (even on a contract), but its seems theres nothing middle ranged unless ive totally missed it.

You can sign up for a postpaid 2GB plan, for $59.95 or $49.95 with fixed BB on a 24month term; which can be used to make voice calls, I think at around $0.89c per minute.

nzbnw

This is true, but basically that comes to $72/Month total when factoring in the txt plan, which is more than i'm willing to pay per month.

Hence why i was after less data than that for cheaper.

nzbnw

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#341147 13-Jun-2010 11:19

Ok, so then if you wan't 1GB go Prepaid, on the 500MB plan you pay $29.95 also for the second GB, so still $72, however you get bonus credits when topping up.

$20 = $25
$40 = $52
$60 = $80

So you could top up $60 and get what you require and still have $8 left over for what ever you wish.

manhinli

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#341181 13-Jun-2010 12:51

Looking at my spreadsheet (see below) - it appears that XT's the cheapest, and if you top up monthly with $60, the bonus credit will cover $80 (as stated above)

Currently I've finished, but in the process of testing a spreadsheet comparing costs between the Prepaid mobile plans in NZ - from what I can gather it pretty much is 99.9% fault free - http://bit.ly/ajJbG9 - you can see that XT still wins at a minimum cost of $60/mth (topup cost).

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eXDee

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#341197 13-Jun-2010 13:20

nzbnw: Ok, so then if you wan't 1GB go Prepaid, on the 500MB plan you pay $29.95 also for the second GB, so still $72, however you get bonus credits when topping up.

$20 = $25
$40 = $52
$60 = $80

So you could top up $60 and get what you require and still have $8 left over for what ever you wish.

Oh you make a very good point. Forgot entirely about bonus credit. Not exactly what i want, but pretty close.

Now i just need a phone...

Paulthagerous

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#341199 13-Jun-2010 13:24

You also realise that the Smart 60 only gets the 3GB until 1 July 2010 according to the Vodafone website: the standard included data is 250MB

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/shop/plansOnAccount.jsp?plantype=mobile&billingMethod=onAccount&planSegmen...

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eXDee

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#341208 13-Jun-2010 14:05

Paulthagerous: You also realise that the Smart 60 only gets the 3GB until 1 July 2010 according to the Vodafone website: the standard included data is 250MB

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/shop/plansOnAccount.jsp?plantype=mobile&billingMethod=onAccount&planSegmen...

Knew researching this at 1am was a bad idea haha

Now i just need a decent phone that can tether. Kinda annoyed picking up say an e75 for vodafone is $600 yet the 850mhz version is $1000.

nzbnw

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#341214 13-Jun-2010 14:20

eXDee:
Now i just need a decent phone that can tether...

What do you have in mind?

nzbnw

eXDee

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#341215 13-Jun-2010 14:36

nzbnw:
eXDee:
Now i just need a decent phone that can tether...

What do you have in mind?

nzbnw

Not exactly sure. I'm after suggestions

Requirements are...
Easy tethering to my EeePC to get rid of the vodafone 3g modem, so has to be at least 3.6mbps HSDPA.
Im not sure how easy it is going to be to send a lot of text messages on a touch screen only phone, but touch screens have come a long way so i suppose saying it has to have a keypad/keyboard wouldn't be a smart move.
A decent HTML web browser would be handy for the occasional browse for when im not tethered.
Have to be able to buy in NZ as i want to be covered under the CGA.

Android appeals. Symbian S60 is alright too. Windows Mobile is somewhat unwanted (though ive heard from some devs that Windows Phone is good to use). Oh and i dont want something thats going to screw up all the time (like a HTC Vogue/Okta Touch ive got lying around)

Budget is anywhere from $200 upwards, ideally lower but im after value for money. So if a $800 phone did absolutely everything i want perfectly + more, i'd consider it.
Sorry for being vague on this, but im basically willing to spend if it'll give me something decent, but i wouldnt mind a cheap one if it did everything i require.

Also its annoying that picking up an e75 for vodafone is $600 yet the 850mhz version is $1000, to use that as an example.

1eStar

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#341342 13-Jun-2010 23:14

I have and recommend the iPhone 3gs. Will tether on the XT network. The iPhone 4 is due out next month, no confirmation as to whether it will tether on XT, but suggest that there'll be some secondhand 3gs on trademe in the next few months