Vodafone prepay changes May 2010

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551 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#332283 20-May-2010 12:26

After reflection I really don't think this was the best response. Rather than introducing further confusion into the market, it would have been better to lower the outrageous Supa prepay per minute rate. Now, people have to choose between a better per minute rate or add-ons.

Jonathan

old3eyes

9120 posts

Uber Geek

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#332285 20-May-2010 12:37

Will be interesting to see if Telecom does something similar..

Regards,

Old3eyes

kyhwana2

2566 posts

Uber Geek

#332295 20-May-2010 12:48

Wait, can we still get the Data addons on this new prepay plan?

jmosen

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#332306 20-May-2010 12:59

My understanding is no. Voice and text, no add-ons.

Jonathan

jfanning

438 posts

Ultimate Geek

#332321 20-May-2010 13:17

What does the vodafone plan offer that 2degrees doesn't match or equal

The ability to send SMS to a wide number of overseas networks is a significant advantage, and that is the one reason why I won't move my phone across to 2degrees

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#332327 20-May-2010 13:21

jmosen: After reflection I really don't think this was the best response. Rather than introducing further confusion into the market, it would have been better to lower the outrageous Supa prepay per minute rate. Now, people have to choose between a better per minute rate or add-ons.

That's exactly the point. They don't want you to move to the new plan, they want you to stay on the old one.

The only people who will move to the new plan are those that would have gone to 2 Degrees otherwise.

If they followed your suggestion their revenue would plunge. They can't afford to cut their prices across the board to match 2 Degrees.

Just wait until 2 Degrees introduces reasonable data prices, then Vodafone and Telecom will get a real kicking.

jmosen

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#332330 20-May-2010 13:25

I hear what you're saying, an I appreciate too that this is all about calling the Commerce Commission's bluff. But the reality is that 89C per minute just isn't sustainable so they should just get on with it. Gain additional revenue by stimulating demand for data that is priced realistically.

Jonathan

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sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#332331 20-May-2010 13:26

walt12:
sbiddle: Vodafone would be stupid to undercut 2degrees.

Why? Ain't that what this is all about? Competition, with ultimately a better deal for the consumer?

If Vodafone dropped their prices to below that of 2degrees I can guarantee there would be a thread bashing VF for undercutting 2degrees and driving them out of business.

MikeyPI

450 posts

Ultimate Geek

#332341 20-May-2010 13:46

jmosen: I hear what you're saying, an I appreciate too that this is all about calling the Commerce Commission's bluff. But the reality is that 89C per minute just isn't sustainable so they should just get on with it. Gain additional revenue by stimulating demand for data that is priced realistically.

It isnt? Wow, I wonder how they survived the last 5 years with it at that price then..

"Gain additional revenue by stimulating demand for data that is priced realistically" do you not think they have people working on this economic equation? Do you have a set of figures showing at what price point you can sell data at, to increase demand and ensure no loss of revenue?

jmosen

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#332347 20-May-2010 13:52

The 89C pricing isn't sustainable because of regulatory pressure. The political climate has changed markedly in five years, not to mention the arrival of a third player.

And I'm certain you don't have figures indicating that current data pricing is netting negligible margins. The duopoly that exists still in data until 2Degrees turns on 3G and gives us data pricing is what's bleeding customers dry.

Jonathan

kyhwana2

2566 posts

Uber Geek

#332362 20-May-2010 14:00

jmosen: My understanding is no. Voice and text, no add-ons.

Just got that from @vodafoneNZ. That's lame :(

Still stuck carrying two phones.. my HTC Desire will be just for Data and a 2D's sim for txt/calls.

Sooo, this new plan changes nothing, really.

walt12

324 posts

Ultimate Geek

#332394 20-May-2010 15:11

sbiddle:
walt12:
sbiddle: Vodafone would be stupid to undercut 2degrees.

Why? Ain't that what this is all about? Competition, with ultimately a better deal for the consumer?

If Vodafone dropped their prices to below that of 2degrees I can guarantee there would be a thread bashing VF for undercutting 2degrees and driving them out of business.

Someone would, the rest of us would be happy with lower prices. Because that is what it is all about.

Once the prices are lower, watch the exodus if they tried to hike them again.

There is some pricepoint, yet to be established, where consumers are happy to purchase what is offered, and mobile providers make a healthy profit with an sufficient return on investment to encourage further innovation and investment in new technologies.

What we have now is a proliferation of plans, with none of them being fairly balanced between good offerings on calls, texts, data, or on/off-net. It is an obfuscation of plans designed so that consumers end up with the wrong plan compared to what otherwise would best fits their needs - so that the mobile provider can cream it.

Its very clear that this has been going on for sometime, Ms Gattung famously said as much. The only cure for this is competition driving the price down. Anything, anything that prevents competition is a bad thing.

CamH

567 posts

Ultimate Geek

#332568 20-May-2010 20:06

I know my opinion probably means absolutely nothing, but I think this latest pricing change is just stupid.

Here's why:

Getting rid of talk. I mean, what the? It arrived (last month?) and I purchased it. 2000 txts + 200mins for only $22 per month? Awesome. Exactly what I needed. What do VF do though? Can it. Talk was one of the best things since Free Weekends!

Changing BestMate. When I used to have BestMate with a good friend of mine, I talked to them for close to 1,200ish minutes one month, and I'm sure that would have continued had I repurchased BestMate. And the TXTs? How about those couples that sit there and TXT whenever their apart. They'll rack up a good 3,000+ TXTs per month! This stupid new plan is just telling people to go over to Telecom and join up to My Favourites.

This new Simple Prepay... It's $0.49c per minute to Vodafone Mobiles and NZ landlines. That's not cheap, not really even reasonable to be honest. If you want to call, you might as well go pick up a $2 2Degrees simcard. 44c/22c calling. Awesome.

No addons on Simple Prepay? Why? If I could get TXT2000 on Simple prepay then that would be great. Then it would be at least cheaper calling (would probably still use 2Degrees for calling though), cheaper TXTs to my Telecom friends (I could throw away my simcard pouch!), and still TXT my Vodafone friends without emptying my bank account monthly.

$1 Top-Up cost for recharge vouchers. How do you justify that? It's like charging us to call Customer Services. Such a stupid charge.

As far as I can see, Vodafone is targeting low-users of mobiles with this plan, which is dumb, because they could make so much more money if they target the rest of us mid/high level users. I carry around 3 simcards with me most of the time so I can TXT/Call Vodafone/2Degrees/Telecom without paying a truckload.

I think I'm just gonna have to keep with my 3 simcards until Vodafone comes up with something actually good.

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#332575 20-May-2010 20:22

DeroyBoy: Top ups via recharge voucher will incur a $1 service fee.

Vodafone sure love charging service fees

2 degrees seems like a better choice in every way. Data costs more but people on these types of plans probably don't use a lot of it.

2D also support NZers, by employing NZers for their call centres, rather than subcontracting out some or all of their support offshore, like some other players do.

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#332585 20-May-2010 20:34

CamH: I know my opinion probably means absolutely nothing, but I think this latest pricing change is just stupid.

Here's why:

Getting rid of talk. I mean, what the? It arrived (last month?) and I purchased it. 2000 txts + 200mins for only $22 per month? Awesome. Exactly what I needed. What do VF do though? Can it. Talk was one of the best things since Free Weekends!

Changing BestMate. When I used to have BestMate with a good friend of mine, I talked to them for close to 1,200ish minutes one month, and I'm sure that would have continued had I repurchased BestMate. And the TXTs? How about those couples that sit there and TXT whenever their apart. They'll rack up a good 3,000+ TXTs per month! This stupid new plan is just telling people to go over to Telecom and join up to My Favourites.

Instead of taking your frustrations out with Vodafone how about writing a submission to the Commerce Commission?

They are the ones who believe than plans such as these offering cheap on-net deals are anti competitive and would like to see them banished from the marketplace.

http://www.comcom.govt.nz/mobiletomobiletermination/

You have until the 26th May to send in a submission.

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