Data Plans on Supa Prepay

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cafeg

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#19431 16-Feb-2008 23:42

Are there any fixed plans available for mobile data on prepay now or in the near future ?

I called into a vodafone store today to see if I could add a data plan to prepay and apparently I have to change to an on account plan to do that. I don't make hardly any calls so an on account plan would be wasted which is why I'm on prepay.

I'm using data already thru prepay but the cost is very high ( $11.25 per meg ) which doesn't take long to go thru if you browse a bit or download/send a couple of emails on your pda..

I would be willing to pre-pay for a data plan seperatly if I could or even take out a broadband monthly starter if it could be hooked upto the prepay sim as I'm already able to get data so it is possible surely ?
a $50 prepay data plan or similar would be nice after all it would encourage more people to use mobile data

What does everyone else think ?

Steve..

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#111079 17-Feb-2008 07:51

Not available now - but then the rep already told you that,

Watch this space is all I can say.

johnr

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#111090 17-Feb-2008 08:27

Just ask for a data only connection on account!

You don't have to sign a contract term either! Pick a data plan and the connection will be voice barred

Very simple

cafeg

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#111094 17-Feb-2008 08:48

Yes, they told me about that one but ...

as I said I don't make many voice calls but I do make some and if it is voice barred then I can't get calls as well - is that right ?

Which is why it would be much simpler to do it thru prepay.
They do that overseas, you pick a data plan and the monthly fee gets taken off your prepay balance, all you have to do is make sure there are enough funds in your balance and you can make and receive voice calls as well as normal.

Another plan they have overseas is you pay for data time connected to the GPRS or 3G network not data downloaded.
For example:
100 minutes per month
600 minutes per month
1200 minutes per month
or unlimited per month

The unlimited works out to around $45NZD per month and on the smaller plans once you exceed your allowance you pay at their normal casual rates.

These work really well, its a pity vodafone couldn't bring something like this in nz.

Steve..

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#111110 17-Feb-2008 10:09

Being a packet based network there is no point in introducing time based plans. Instead, their 'value for money' plans are the 200mb, 1GB, and 3GB plans... pay another $10 when you go over and you double your quota.

The 1GB and 3GB plans are excellent value for money. (link to VFNZ website)

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johnr

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#111115 17-Feb-2008 10:26

If you are using phone as Modem just swap SIMs when you need to get online!

cafeg

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#111123 17-Feb-2008 10:50

yeah, its a pity I can't do thru prepay though and pay a monthly fee for account data on one of the plans you mentioned.
As i'm already getting data on prepay,
Is it the billing side that stops this ?

The phone is an I-mate jasjam pda with a bluetooth gps receiver and I'm using it for web browsing, email, navigation, google maps while I'm out and about with most voice calls in and only a few out.

If i didn't have the voice calls I could ...

Steve..

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#111125 17-Feb-2008 10:56

Use the jasjam for data and get a cheap handset off trademe for voice! like a nokia 1100 or something

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#111129 17-Feb-2008 11:01

well you said you use jasjam for browsing net and other data-sque stuff... so get an on-account data plan. and use that sim in jasjam. then get an elcheapo phone for voice using your prepaid sim. both will not cost you too much more than you keep using the current data access on prepaid plan.

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cafeg

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#112163 21-Feb-2008 21:27

One more question on this...
If I put a on account data only card into my phone that voice calls are barred from..
Is this only outgoing voice calls or all voice calls barred.

and does this apply to incoming and outgoing txt's as well as txt's are basically data ..

c3rn

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#112179 21-Feb-2008 21:49

Prepay data plans are coming. No I can't give you any proof and if you don't believe me then so be it. VF have been working on these plans for some time now.

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#112180 21-Feb-2008 21:49

cafeg:
One more question on this...
If I put a on account data only card into my phone that voice calls are barred from..
Is this only outgoing voice calls or all voice calls barred.

and does this apply to incoming and outgoing txt's as well as txt's are basically data ..

SMS are not packet data as such!

Yes 2 way SMS will still work and are chraged at 20 cents each!

cafeg

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#112185 21-Feb-2008 21:57

johnr:

SMS are not packet data as such!

Yes 2 way SMS will still work and are chraged at 20 cents each!

Ok, so the data card has a phone number assigned to it that can have sms's sent to it ?

cafeg

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#112186 21-Feb-2008 21:59

brad_p: Prepay data plans are coming. No I can't give you any proof and if you don't believe me then so be it. VF have been working on these plans for some time now.

Great !
any idea on the timeframe until they'll release them ?

c3rn

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#112188 21-Feb-2008 22:07

cafeg:
Great !
any idea on the timeframe until they'll release them ?

About three or four months ago they were in the planning stages (ie: no pricing or data limits mentioned). Since VF is SO SLOW with launching products and services I would guess about a good 6-9 months depending on how well their Siebel/SAM Wave 2b upgrade has gone. Maybe sooner if we are lucky :-)

cafeg

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#112197 21-Feb-2008 22:28

brad_p:
About three or four months ago they were in the planning stages (ie: no pricing or data limits mentioned). Since VF is SO SLOW with launching products and services I would guess about a good 6-9 months depending on how well their Siebel/SAM Wave 2b upgrade has gone. Maybe sooner if we are lucky :-)

Cool, Thanks Brad..
They don't want any beta testers to try it out I suppose, I'd be in that !

I might just get a monthly data sim and wait around a bit to see if they release them since i could still do two way sms at least.

I don't really want to take out a 24 month account just to get data, which is why data plans on supa prepay would be great !

Steve.

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