Mobile Top-up Conundrum

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Rickles

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#324572 29-Apr-2026 08:46

I top-up the phone each month, and a few weeks ago got a notice that the cost was going up by $1.

Now passed the new pricing date, yet the top-up amount showing in the OneNZ App is the old price, so simply selected that as there were no alternatives other than highr dollar amounts.

I wonder what will happen on the top-up anniversary in 2 days? And how would you go about adding just $1 if it balks at 'insufficient funds?' .... anyone from One care to answer please?

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#3485423 29-Apr-2026 08:52

@Rickles I suspect pricing will update on the renewable of the base plan

If funds are insufficient then the base plan goes ' On Hold ' and this is where OneNZ customers are getting ripped off as any carryover minutes / data are removed and lost

Edit: A One NZ prepay plan goes on hold when there is insufficient credit for auto-renewal, stopping your ability to use data, calls, or texts. You have a 48-hour grace period to top up and save your rollover data; after 48 hours, the plan resets and you lose accumulated data

They now allow 48 hours before carryover data / minutes expire if base plan goes On-Hold

Linux

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#3485426 29-Apr-2026 09:00

2degrees Prepay allows customers base plan to go ' On-Hold ' up to 90 days and keep carryover minutes / data

https://www.2degrees.nz/help/account-and-billing/billing-and-payment/prepay-balance-and-payments

yitz

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#3485663 29-Apr-2026 21:29

The online top-up denominations when I last checked in February were: $6,$10,$16,$17,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$53,$54,$55,$56,$58,$59,$60,$61,$65,$66,$67,$68,$69,$70,$71,$75,$76,$77,$78,$80,$81,$85,$90,$95,$100

I guess if you're on the now $18 Rollover Small (was $17) plan you could top up $6 three times.

Rickles

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#3485726 30-Apr-2026 10:18

Just to make matters weirder, I got a reminder TXT from OneNZ and to check balance by texting BAL to 777.

That action gets a reply saying "Sorry you cannot access 777 as this service is not available from your mobile provider".

WHAAAAT ???

Linux

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#3485727 30-Apr-2026 10:19

The quality

Rickles

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#3485730 30-Apr-2026 10:24

Oh dear, oh dear .... the App shows that my balance is $17, but cites "Balance is too low to renew this plan".

HOWEVER, Top-up options still show $17 icon !!!

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Eva888

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#3485732 30-Apr-2026 10:31

Am not with two degrees but Skinny. Sometimes short code numbers use up some of the credit you have on your phone and there’s not enough credit to buy the plan. Happened a few times to me when I had added the correct amount. I just add the smallest amount of extra credit in case this happens. In Skinny you can add any amount from a dollar up. Sounds like 2 degrees starts from $6.

Eva888

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#3485736 30-Apr-2026 10:39

Rickles:

Oh dear, oh dear .... the App shows that my balance is $17, but cites "Balance is too low to renew this plan".

HOWEVER, Top-up options still show $17 icon !!!

Have you called them - can you go into a store? Turn phone on and off, update the app first or if you remember how to sign in, use the browser. I need to do this for a friends phone as it’s too old to use the latest app and I top her up via browser.

Rickles

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#3485740 30-Apr-2026 10:47

Hi Eva,

>Have you called them - can you go into a store? <

I'll wait until tomorrow and see what happens at plan renewal, and if necessary go into store.

>Turn phone on and off, update the app first or if you remember how to sign in, use the browser. I need to do this for a friends phone as it’s too old<

Done all that, and new phone too 😁

BTW, the browser/web access also show top-up amount selection as still $17!!

Linux

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#3485741 30-Apr-2026 10:50

Eva888:

Am not with two degrees but Skinny. Sometimes short code numbers use up some of the credit you have on your phone and there’s not enough credit to buy the plan. Happened a few times to me when I had added the correct amount. I just add the smallest amount of extra credit in case this happens. In Skinny you can add any amount from a dollar up. Sounds like 2 degrees starts from $6.

@Eva888 777 is not a billed shortcode it is zero rated and was since the dawn the time!

Rickles

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#3485751 30-Apr-2026 11:40

Actually, I suspect that because the plan is a fixed amount per month, it would be logical that there is no 'reducing balance' to show during that term.

Why OneNZ put the 777 advisory in the txt is still baffling.

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KrazyKid

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#3485807 30-Apr-2026 15:48

Top up by $20 - that will give them 2 more months to fix the issue.

Seems one hand does not talk to the other (or at leat think of everything) like many large organisations

Eva888

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#3485895 30-Apr-2026 19:07

Linux:

Eva888:

Am not with two degrees but Skinny. Sometimes short code numbers use up some of the credit you have on your phone and there’s not enough credit to buy the plan. Happened a few times to me when I had added the correct amount. I just add the smallest amount of extra credit in case this happens. In Skinny you can add any amount from a dollar up. Sounds like 2 degrees starts from $6.

@Eva888 777 is not a billed shortcode it is zero rated and was since the dawn the time!

Wasn’t referring to 777 per se, was referring to some short codes.

Rickles

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#3486052 1-May-2026 09:37

UPDATE: Checked via App after midnight, and message said plan paused due to insufficient balance. Topped-up some more $ and plan renewed ... left me with an odd amount as a credit balance of course.

THEN 8am this morning got TXT saying plan still paused due to low balance, THEN 15 minutes later TXT confirming plan 'renewed overnight'.

Who knew computers worked 'human hours' 😀

ALSO, when last looked after midnight the $17 top-up option was still there, no sign of the required $18 choice.

Can't check anything this morning as App not accessing (prob associated with whatever problems are happening this morning).

richms

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#3486167 1-May-2026 10:35

Rickles:

UPDATE: Checked via App after midnight, and message said plan paused due to insufficient balance. Topped-up some more $ and plan renewed ... left me with an odd amount as a credit balance of course.

THEN 8am this morning got TXT saying plan still paused due to low balance, THEN 15 minutes later TXT confirming plan 'renewed overnight'.

Who knew computers worked 'human hours' 😀

ALSO, when last looked after midnight the $17 top-up option was still there, no sign of the required $18 choice.

Can't check anything this morning as App not accessing (prob associated with whatever problems are happening this morning).

They dont send SMSs without you first sending one overnight, they get queued for hours that most people are awake. Otherwise everyone that is sleeping at midnight would be upset when they go them.

Richard rich.ms

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