Is Vodafone going to introduce Open term Contracts?

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loganjames

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#86569 8-Jul-2011 17:49

With all the competition among the the Big 3 (XT, 2 Degrees, VDF) I have been shopping around. All three have Pro's and Con's at the $60 per month price point. I want to stick with VDF but don't want to commit to 2 years.

Does any one (Johnr I'm looking at you...) know if Vodafone is looking to introduce Open Term (month to month) On Account Smart Phone options?

Thanks

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#491227 8-Jul-2011 18:40

+1 to this.

My original Vodafone contract was signed back in the late 90's and aside from one generational plan upgrade in the early 2000's hadn't been touched at all until about this time last year.

I enquired with Vodafone as to whether I could move to a Smartphone plan without going back into a fixed-term. The answer was a flat NO.

So... 10 years as a loyal On-Account customer, providing my own handset (so no handset cross-subsidy which could account for a fixed term agreement!) ... and I'm still tied to them? Seriously?

In the end I transferred my phone number to my companies corporate arrangement with Vodafone and the point became moot - until last week where work issued me a new number (and handset) and returned mine to me. Mine was transferred to the bottom-spec Prepay format (at my own request) and Vodafone's hold on my business is now tenuous at best.

Unless Vodafone buck up their ideas i'm unlikely to stay with them, to be honest.
Would love to see an answer to this question... otherwise Helllllo 2Degrees...

No signature to see here, move along...

freitasm

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#491228 8-Jul-2011 18:46

Some companies fail to understand that terms contracts are not only locking people in, but also locking people out - those who don't like the idea of term contracts, and don't mind bringing their own handset to the game.

billgates

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#491235 8-Jul-2011 18:53

For the very same reason as above examples, I have also recommended 2Degrees to someone at work today who bought their own smartphone outright from an online auction. He has been a VF customer since Bell South days. His contract ran out 14 years ago and had been on a grandfathered $30/month plan with 200 free offpeak minutes.

2Degrees offered him $29/month 120 anytime minutes incl unused minutes rollover every month with 2500 texts and 50MB data and NO contract. He is signing up with 2D on Monday.

Do whatever you want to do man.

heavenlywild

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#491236 8-Jul-2011 18:55

The only thing that concerns me about moving from Vodafone to 2D is the data speed on 2D.

alasta

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#491237 8-Jul-2011 18:55

freitasm: Some companies fail to understand that terms contracts are not only locking people in, but also locking people out - those who don't like the idea of term contracts, and don't mind bringing their own handset to the game.

I totally agree. I will never sign another term contract because I want to have the reassurance of being able to vote with my feet if my telco mistreats me at any stage. That's what competition in an open market is all about.

loganjames

272 posts

Ultimate Geek

#491241 8-Jul-2011 19:00

This is the only thing stopping me from resigning;

VDF = 120 Mins + 3GB Data, 24 Months
2D = 310 Mins + 1GB Data, Open
XT = 100 Mins + 1GB Data, Open

All around $60 p/m all have 2500 Texts (not too worried about this as I'm not 12)

Vodafone has to be worried when even telecom looks like an attractive alternative.

Edit: Sorry XT is 300 texts but like i said this is about 3x more texts than what I send anyway

jonherries

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#491263 8-Jul-2011 20:20

My contract expires in September and I am having exactly the same thoughts.

jon

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oxnsox

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#491281 8-Jul-2011 21:37

Like BlakJak I've had the same VF number since BellSouth. For about a year it was re-assigned to a company I had a contract with (never again), but once I got it back I couldn't go onto a no-term Smart (or similar) plan.
So I went with a SIMple option as it had a free 100meg datapack for three months.

I picked this because I had a feeling that VF would tweek their plan offerings sometime about now once 2deg and XT launched their new offerings... I've got a month to go

So what I'd like if your listening VF is a no term contract option along the lines of your Smart plans. Hows about a No Term Smart option without the handset subsidy (Bonus offer)... or even some new No-Term Smart offerings, say:
$45 per mth for 50mins (anytime/anynetwork) 500 txts & 500megs data
$65 per mth 100min 1000 txt & 1gig data
$85 per mth 200min 2000 txt & 2gig

Soo... I'm hoping that theres new plans on the way that cater for no-termers... (Johnr did say something a month or so back about something coming.....) Of course I understand any ideas I have are well lost, but a little more data than 100megs would be good. I don't find it quite enough to confidently forget about daily usage.

freitasm

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#491283 8-Jul-2011 21:41

heavenlywild: The only thing that concerns me about moving from Vodafone to 2D is the data speed on 2D.

It's faster on 2D ;)

freitasm

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#491284 8-Jul-2011 21:43

loganjames: This is the only thing stopping me from resigning;

VDF = 120 Mins + 3GB Data, 24 Months

That 3GB on Vodafone is a temporary privilege, not a right, and it is not part of your contract. They can remove it at any time.

loganjames

272 posts

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#491286 8-Jul-2011 21:46

freitasm:
heavenlywild: The only thing that concerns me about moving from Vodafone to 2D is the data speed on 2D.

It's faster on 2D ;)

Is that including national data? i dont live in a major metro area, 2D has got towers in the works for invercargill but not sure whrn all this is going down.

Wade

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#491291 8-Jul-2011 22:43

I used to have a major problem with the concept of a term contract and I suppose i made peace with the concept due in part to needing a new phone so signing a contract and receiving a reasonable handset subsidy.

I signed a Smart 2 plan which gave me a $500 subsidy on the SGS2, worst case scenario break fee is $540, in 6mths time i can without cost downgrade to smart 1 which will leave me with a $315 break fee.

Yes if you own your handset outright it can seem wrong but look at it form a different angle, take the subsidy, buy a new handset and sell it to realise the monetary value. Is the glass half full or half empty you decide :P

Yes the 3gb promo could be removed at any time, but its been in place for 18 odd mths, i bet the early adopters are laughing in the face of those that suggested it was not worth the risk!

Wade

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#491292 8-Jul-2011 22:56

loganjames: This is the only thing stopping me from resigning;

VDF = 120 Mins + 3GB Data, 24 Months
2D = 310 Mins + 1GB Data, Open
XT = 100 Mins + 1GB Data, Open

Keep in mind 2D's offer of free 1gb data is only for new business sign ons, as joe blogs off the street for your $60 you only get 220 mins + 150mb national data + 1gb of broadband zone data

loganjames

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#491294 8-Jul-2011 23:02

Wade:
loganjames: This is the only thing stopping me from resigning;

VDF = 120 Mins + 3GB Data, 24 Months
2D = 310 Mins + 1GB Data, Open
XT = 100 Mins + 1GB Data, Open

Keep in mind 2D's offer of free 1gb data is only for new business sign ons, as joe blogs off the street for your $60 you only get 220 mins + 150mb national data + 1gb of broadband zone data

I'm with vdf now so i would be a new customer so would get the bonus mins and 1gb

Wade

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#491299 8-Jul-2011 23:16

Sorry what I was eluding to was you need to be able to prove you are a legit business to sign a business plan which if you can't changes the outcome quite drastically.

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