Telecom XT prepaid microsim and iPad

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Telecom XT prepaid microsim and iPad

caldazar

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#71235 6-Nov-2010 17:09

Why do Telecom bother selling products with such a poor system around supporting the product?

My girlfriend bought an XT microsim to put in her iPad but finds there is no way for her to top up the prepaid sim and no way to access her account balance. Telecom make the flawed assumption that she has a phone to put the microsim into for topping up and receiving SMS. She only has a 2G phone on Vodafone.

Telecom don't even provide a sim adapter.

Talk about frustrating.

boby55

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#401186 6-Nov-2010 17:11

To top up you can use any other phone and ring 0800 32 32 32, and just enter the sim number.

You do NOT have to top up the sim from the device it is in

caldazar

459 posts

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#401190 6-Nov-2010 17:12

Ok, thanks. I'll let her know.

Any ideas how she can check her balance?

corksta

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#401193 6-Nov-2010 17:16

Go here for all the answers:

http://www.iphonewzealand.co.nz/2010/telecom/ask-iphonewzealand-how-do-i-top-up-or-manage-my-prepaid-telecom-connection-on-my-ipad/

I'm on my iPad so can't put it in as a proper link sorry.

caldazar

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

#401195 6-Nov-2010 17:19

Thanks corksta, so it seems to get everything setup first, there isn't any way to access the balance without being able to put the sim in another mobile phone.

corksta

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#401197 6-Nov-2010 17:29

Initially no, but once you have it set up you can check the balance any time from the iPad. SIM swapping only needs to happen once when you first set it up.

boby55

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#401199 6-Nov-2010 17:30

*Most* Phones can take a Microsim if you position it right, Just make sure it doesn't get stuck in there

BarTender

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#401200 6-Nov-2010 17:30

Or PM me your Mobile number and / or sim number and a password you want I will sort it.

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

sbiddle

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#401247 6-Nov-2010 22:16

The issue is one of Apple locking down their products only to approved networks. In this case you get a great end user experience if you use an iPad on Vodafone with it's own web page. The iPad doesn't support things like SMS or USSD.

Telecom's lack of decent web based topup for data SIM's is a major downfall, but it is something that's being worked on.

old3eyes

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#401294 7-Nov-2010 08:35

Has she tried using Telecom's mTopup system??. I use that for both my T-Sticks and no problems and providing that she can send a SMS from the iPad..

http://telecom.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1696

Regards,

Old3eyes

sbiddle

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#401298 7-Nov-2010 08:50

old3eyes: Has she tried using Telecom's mTopup system??. I use that for both my T-Sticks and no problems and providing that she can send a SMS from the iPad..

http://telecom.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1696

There is no build in SMS support in the iPad which is one of the major problems. There are hacks to get around this, 2degrees for example have a STK application on their microsim.

One of Telecom's biggest failings is the total lack of online portal for prepaid customers, but I know this issue is being worked on.

BarTender

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#401299 7-Nov-2010 08:55

old3eyes: Has she tried using Telecom's mTopup system??. I use that for both my T-Sticks and no problems and providing that she can send a SMS from the iPad..

http://telecom.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1696

You can't send a SMS from an iPad, unless you are with 2Degrees since they added a "SMS Applet" into the sim card.

You can however PM me or ring up Telecom complex technical support and get a password set.

Then you can use the IVR via 0800323232 topup with your voucher.

And as Steve said.. watch this space.

BarTender

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#401301 7-Nov-2010 08:58

sbiddle: There is no build in SMS support in the iPad which is one of the major problems. There are hacks to get around this, 2degrees for example have a STK application on their microsim.

One of Telecom's biggest failings is the total lack of online portal for prepaid customers, but I know this issue is being worked on.

Snap.. beat me to it!