The mobile telco market is evolving - the Big 3 network owners are rapidly moving away from individual account service, they're interested in big company fleets & virtual network providers, not Joe Public & their $20 prepay vouchers. Individuals, families & small business users aren't being lost to the Big 3 when they move provider, they end up using the same networks under a different brand. Your money still ends up in their bank account, just less of it but attracting far less internal overhead cost.

The virtual networks provide substantially better plan value for individuals / small groups. One NZ, 2DM, Spark would far rather look after 20 virtual network business clients with 10,000 users each (that the virtual network provider supports) than 200,000 prepay / pay monthly account holders all requiring full service support.

Although it's galling to have your X years loyalty dismissed without hesitation, having an identical replacement service cost you 50% less soon soothes the butt-hurt.

Evolution of mobile telco service - I was Bell South Foundation 200, on board from day 1 because Keith Davies, the original CEO bought a Jaguar XJS cabriolet from me & asked if I'd help grow the network. A free new phone arrived every 2-3 months for a year or so & service was free for the first 24 months too - this is before txt messages were even available. Service was initially tragic as they worked out where they needed to install towers.

When Vodafone bought BS, they introduced txt services but missed some gaping holes in account payment security. For 2 more years I could send a monthly txt to a 3-digit shortcode which would clear my account. Like magic but not really magic. I remember the shock & disappointment when they finally started leasing the 3-digit numbers to ringtone sellers - my private account-clearing txt replied asking me to confirm my ringtone purchase. Nope, don't want that.

There were other hacks that followed, dialling a landline number to get endless recurring IOU credit - Vodafone didn't ever get much money from me. I'm back using their network now, but at 35% of what they charge individuals who want to pay them direct because Kogan is that much cheaper but uses One NZ infrastructure.

Mobile phones are still a fairly new technology, the major players are evolving in a not-unexpected manner.